The Nation: Obama a bystander. Edwards did best job of defining self as Hillary alternative

[Karmadillo]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20071031/cm_thenation/15247313

The Nation -- It was supposed to be the night Barack Obama took Hillary Clinton down.

But, when all was said and done, Obama was a bystander.

The opening question in Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate was a softball pitch from NBC's Brian Williams to the senator from Illinois. Noting Obama's interview in the Sunday New York Times, in which the senator from Illinois promised to get tough with Clinton for acting like a Republican, Williams asked him detail the votes and statements from Clinton to which he objected.

Obama should have been ready to knock that one out of the park. Instead, he swung and missed.

"Some of this stuff gets over-hyped," said Obama, who then tried to tell a boxing joke before rambling on about his support for "big meaningful change."

more...

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. Solid analysis. Edwards did a more forceful job as the anti-Hillary

[ElizabethDC]

4. I think so, too. nt

[MethuenProgressive]

25. Obama was at the debate?

One would hardly know.

[zulchzulu]

2. I wonder if John Nichols wrote most of this

He's been saying that Edwards is sinking...interesting opinion...

[cuke]

3. Wrong tone, right conclusion re: Edwards and Obama

Too harsh on Clinton, and too unquestioning of Edwards but basically correct; Obama was a bystander and Edwards did himself a lot of good. They should have mentioned Biden who also did very well and may very well move up into the top 3

[CyberPieHole]

5. I thought Obama and Edwards were too desperate,

but Edwards landed more punches. Biden came out from nowhere and really helped carry his message accross. His attack on Ghouliani had the most resonance.

[JDPriestly]

10. Edwards is fighting for something he and many of us really believe in.

I don't think he overdid his questions about Hillary at all. You should hear me. And I'm a nice old lady and life-long Democrat. Hillary will not make a good president. She and Bill have sold out. Besides, the Clinton years were in the '90s. Clinton did lots of good things. But he achieved very little when it came to energy independence, protecting the environment, safeguarding American jobs, instituting universal health care, negotiating fair trade agreements, improving independence and many other things. We don't need to go back to the '90s. We need to go forward into the future. Edwards has been the first to propose good solutions to the problems our nation faces today. I'm 100% for Edwards. He was great tonight.

[elle1sf]

6. Wow - AWESOME job by JRE!!

Wish I could have watched it!

[MADem]

7. I have not yet seen the debate. I'll try to find it tomorrow, if not on the tv, online.

The DWTS vote won out.

How did Richardson do? Was he there? You can't tell from the article.

He is running THE BEST TELEVISION COMMERICIAL of all of them in the NH market. He doesn't sit there and babble about ideals, he looks STRAIGHT in the camera and gives a laundry list of what he wants to do and what he believes. Fantastic production values, good color, excellent, unobtrusive camera work, and Richardson looks incredibly NORMAL. It's 'pissah' as the kids say--'wicked good!!!'

Was wondering if his performance matched his campaign commercial...

[Kat45]

14. I thought Richardson did very well.

He answered the questions dead on, articulated his points very well. I was disappointed at how he came across in earlier debates, but I think he came across very well in this one.

[BeyondGeography]

16. He embarassed himself by attempting to come to Hillary's rescue

calling the attacks on her from Edwards and Obama reflective of a "holier than thou" attitude, and looking as if he were more interested in the VP nod or a cabinet position in the process. Afterward, Tweety said to him, "you're trailing this woman by 36 points in the polls, why are you defending her? Shouldn't you be trying to defeat her?"

[MADem]

17. Or maybe he's looking to be the first Hispanic VP in US history...? nt

[BeyondGeography]

18. Hillary, if she is the nominee, could do a lot worse

[Laurab]

21. I'll go a step further.

I think he embarassed himself even more by calling the attacks "holier than thou", and then proceeding to attack her himself, albeit a bit kinder and gentler, they were still attacks. So, he attacks Obama and Edwards, and then attacks Clinton. too. I'm just not at all impressed with Richardson - I know he has a good resume, but nothing about him seems at all Presidential to me. I do think he's angling for a spot on the ticket, or a position in the next administration.

I'm no fan of Hillary's, and I think it's about time some of her "positions" were examined a little more closely. Obama and Edwards did a good job.

[Exultant Democracy]

8. Edwards looked like Obama's attack dog tonight. The two of them work well together.

[grasswire]

9. I was impressed by Edwards, too.

His mantra of telling the truth is a winning one for me.

[Grandrose]

11. I guess The Nation should not dictate to Obama!

Why must Obama take down Hillary, he is not the only one running.
I love how everyone tells the AA guy to beat up on the woman and give all the others a pass!
Yeah, make all of the women angry so their preferred candidate can take advantage!
I think the Obama campaign know a set up when they see one and that dog won't hunt!
:eyes:

[AtomicKitten]

12. I thought Obama and Edwards were brilliant together.

[superkia]

13. Why do some say that pointing out the facts is attacking or harsh?

If they are pointing out facts at a debate and someone is the poll president, I think its great for them to point out the truths about her. Richardson made himself look like an ass as he tried to point at Edwards and Obama and then went after her on the Iran vote. He did the same thing and he thought it was bad for them to do it? I think its ok to point out someones weakness so we can make informed decisions. At least they are not doing like Clinton and only pointing out Bush's downfalls, America knows about him and the democratic debates are not about Bush. We need to find the best candidate from these debates not find out what all Bush has done.

Yes Edwards did look good.

[BenDavid]

15. Was it Edwards on the stage or was it his wife

dressed as Edwards saying the same things both have said in weeks past....Edwards reminds me of a bannie rooster. All bluster and starts chit and then gets the hell away quick as possible.....but HRC withstood all the attacks and am grateful for Richardson underhanded say Obama and Edwards was trying to be "holier then thou".....Then Dennis cut Edwards off at the knees when he questioned Edwards about the Hedge Funds, and Obama looked like he just missed his bus......

HRC withstood an assault from Edwards, Obama, Russert and Williams, and I would venture to say that most over 75% of the women who watched this on MSNBC ( comcast does not carry that channel here) were saying, look at those jerks all so angry. From all accounts I read hell even Russert looked pretty angry, like he wanted her to break down, and she did not.

Ben David

[Grandrose]

19. Edwards was right on target!

“I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell.” Harry S Truman :)

[NCarolinawoman]

20. Edwards has always reminded me of Barney Fife

when he "talks tough".

[JerseygirlCT]

22. Have to agree

Obama never connected.

Edwards did better than I thought, though to my ears he's still too slick by half.

Biden is very "on". And his Guiliani barb will probably be the most replayed bit from the debate. I thought Richardson was also off, and sometimes nearly inarticulate. Dodd did well, when he had a chance to speak. He needs to take a lesson from Biden though, and learn to speak in shorter bits.

[More Than A Feeling]

23. Lessons in brevity from Joe Biden?

Truly, we are in The Last Days!</fundie>

[JerseygirlCT]

24. He managed it last night - he had a few good, short answers

and didn't go on and on. Dodd seemed to fall into stump speech mode a few times.

Guess it's the writer in me. I'm listening, and editing their comments down to the pith as they talk, lol!