Obama Gets His Debate Legs

[babylonsister]

http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/08/craig_crawfords_trail_mix_obam_4.html

Obama Gets His Debate Legs
By Craig Crawford | 12:00 PM; Aug. 20, 2007

Barack Obama might be inexperienced, but when it comes to debating he appears to be a fast learner.

Yesterday’s Democratic debate in Iowa, aired nationally on ABC, showcased the Illinois senator facing attacks from rivals with a dose of humor and a knack for the well-aimed counterpunch. At the peak of those assaults on his lack of experience, Obama deflected with a laugh line, saying, “To prepare for this debate, I rode in the bumper cars at the state fair.”

But he also effectively hit back at his more experienced opponents, noting that most had supported the war in Iraq. And he provoked applause from Democratic partisans in the debate hall with a telling observation about the pitfalls of experience: “Nobody had more experience than Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.”

After a shaky start in the debating game, Obama is getting better. Returning pointed attacks with laugh lines and applause cues is a clear sign of progress.

Contributing Editor Craig Crawford is a news analyst for NBC, MSNBC and CNBC. He can be reached at [e-mail].

[polichick]

1. Loved the bumper car line!

Wonder what the others rode to prepare for the debate?!

[jenmito]

3. They were probably in the bumper cars, too...

as a team, picking on one common target to attack. But they didn't plan on him getting their earlier and learning how to avoid the crunch, causing the attackers to all bump into each OTHER. Gobama!

[beachmom]

2. I missed the last debate. Sounds like it was a good one. n/t

[jenmito]

4. Here's a link to it...

c-span, under "recent programs." http://www.c-span.org/

[AtomicKitten]

5. He readily dispatched the pile-on criticism with his bumper cars remark.

w00t

[elizm]

6. I'm looking forward to the next polls out of Iowa! :) nt

[asha]

7. Debates in Iowa.

All Obama did was same old i didnot vote for the war,but Colin
Powell did ,and he is advicing Obama.When i see him on T.V. he
comes across like a student.and Hillary the teacher.

[polichick]

9. I hope Obama is not still going to Powell...

...for foreign policy advice!

[elizm]

10. Pathetic. nt

[earthlover]

11. If you want to call Obama a student, you'd better improve your use of the English language!

[jenmito]

13. So voting for Bush's war's no big deal to you?

I think anyone who voted for it should be constantly pointed to as having terrible judgement! Cheney comes across as a teacher, too, based on all his experience. Does that make him a good leader?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

8. He definitely has come a long way from the first debate nt

[William769]

12. If he finally got his legs why is stopping going to the debates?

[Colobo]

14. So he's not going to any other debates? You know he is.

[jenmito]

15. He made that announcement before that debate and he was GREAT at the LAST one, too...

His debate legs have nothing to do with the reason he's stopping attending the debates. Are you angry that Hillary will be wasting her time giving 30-second scripted responses while Obama will be out taking real questionw from real voters with no time limits? He's still going to attend 8 more (or 11...not sure).

[FlaxieB]

16. To get to the meat of his campaign, getting his message out to the people

not a 2 hour 30/60 second sound bite just for pander points. Campaigning from state to state is where the rubber meets the road, not a TV side show even though he is excellent at it. Great strategy plus some of the other candidates (Hillary) will copy him and follow his lead, just as she always does.