I think we just won the national election. This wasn't just a sound bite debate.

[pinto]

Both of our possibles held their own, made substantive points, sparred well - at times, spoke to the core of Democratic principles and made the clear case against the Republicans.

And, with a big national television audience.

:kick:

[Patsy Stone]

1. Amen

:toast:

[Kittycat]

2. Tonight made the Republican Party look like a bunch of Warmongering, Greedy Amateurs.

[tridim]

9. The best part, the Repubs will have to move further to the center immediately

That is, if they want to remain at all competitive with the clearly superior Democratic field. It can't help that the voters want the exact opposite of what they're offering.

Limbaugh is going to melt down by next week. :evilgrin:

[shoopnyc]

3. Amen a deux. eom

[Hoof Hearted]

4. It was AWESOME! You can feel the excitement! I LOVE IT!

[JDPriestly]

16. It was pure Hollywood. But it had nothing to do with reality.

The reality is that somebody, somewhere got to Edwards. I followed Edwards' campaign very closely. He said he would continue through February 5. He promised that to those of us who worked for him. This, again, was a form of corporate manipulation. Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton . . . . It's like a monarchy -- a two-family monarchy. The whole parade stinks.

[maddezmom]

5. Amen tres

[TwilightGardener]

6. Agree--so much better than a mumbling psycho like McCain gritting his teeth

and smirking and saying "the surge! The surge!" while Mittens talks tax cuts for the wealthy and Hucky The Clown tries to come up with one-liners. Holy shit, they're fucking hopeless next to ours.

[Hoof Hearted]

18. "the surge! The surge!" ***ROTFL****

I love that photo.

What a great night to be a Dem!

[frogcycle]

7. agreed

now if we could stop hair-splitting over nuances of difference in various 'plans', none of which would be enacted anywhere near like they are described by the candidates, we'd really be getting somewhere.

Instead of trying to define a difference between them by the fine print in some plan largely crafted by staffers anyway, I'd like to actually understand what the difference is. I can hardly find any.

[complain jane]

8. Sweet baby Jesus

It's about fricken time

I'm FINALLY excited about an ELECTION.

[K Gardner]

10. I agree.

[JDPriestly]

11. Hillary's allegiance to her corporate sponsors was totally forgotten.

What bliss. Like a vacation in paradise -- far from reality.

I'm very unhappy that John Edwards was not in the debate.

I suspect that Edwards was strong-armed into staying out so that the Democrats could have this love fest.

It was disgusting and dishonest as far as I am concerned.

I will not support either of these phonies, these surrogates of corporate America, in November.

I am utterly disillusioned with the leadership of the Democratic Party.

No impeachment, and now this phony honeymoon for two.

I'm voting for John Edwards, the only real Democrat of the final three.

[pinto]

13. I think they both spoke well to the issues, and to a Presidency focused on

issues effecting most Americans.

I, too, am sorry to see Edwards out of the running, yet don't see a nefarious background to his withdrawal.

(aside) I started out as a Richardson partisan, moved to support Edwards when Richardson stepped out. Tonight I've made my choice to support a candidate in the run to our convention. (I vote on Tuesday, California.)

:kick:

[NanceGreggs]

12. My thoughts exactly ...

... I think tonight cinched it.

Both candidates drew attention to the fact that while their individual policies might differ one from the other, they don't differ greatly - in other words, "As Democrats, we both want the same outcomes. As individuals, we have differing ideas only as to how to get there in the most efficient and expeditious way."

Both played up the unity of the party's ideals and principles - which, as I am sure they both realized, will be a benefit to whichever of them winds up as the nominee.

Well done, Senators - extremely well done.

:patriot: Proud to be a Democrat always - but especially tonight.

(Back to add: I pity the GOP fool who has to go head-to-head with either one of these candidates.)

[pinto]

14. Really. If this is a precursor to a substantive (D) - (R) head-to-head. We win.

[NanceGreggs]

15. Exactly.

The Republican voters may be enthralled by the repetitive talking points their candidates bandy about in their 'debates'. But when it comes down to actually discussing the issues, talking points are going to pale against real solutions to very real problems.

[Raffi Ella]

17. It was history in the making.

:toast:

[wanpete]

19. Very proud tonight of both candidates and appreciate the civility and sticking to issues

I can only hope that the civility and solidarity they showed tonight will extend to the DU. It has been ugly here as of late. Let's hope we at the DU can discuss legitimate issues and differences with civility and solidarity.

Cheers to Obama and Clinton and praying for a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket for Nov. 08!