hearing and the candidates

[wrando]

McCain was clear and left no doubt, we must stay until we win(what ever that means) or our country goes down in the attempt

Obama wanted to show he could deal with the big players, he was a bit unsteady.

Hillary knows her stuff, won't take any crap, and if you want out of this mess, she the one.

Bill from ct

[Mags]

1. I agree, Obama seemed tired, listless and insecure in his performance.

I couldn't quite follow him for the rambling.

[monmouth]

2. Wow, are we listening to the same hearing? Obama was superb in

his questioning and the pundits (Nora and Matthews) both agreed he was the most concise and knowledgeable about the situation. McSame was pathetic and Hillary called it in.... (Those are my assessments of McSame and HRC, not the pundits)..

[asjr]

3. Yes, Nora and Chris sure have

a lot of clout!

[monmouth]

4. I didn't say they had a lot of clout, it was their opinion...n/t

[Barack_America]

5. McCain was unsurprising.

"Never surrender".

Whatever dude.

Hillary was excellent. She brought up some good points, but not the question of the day, IMO. Her points were more technical, but somewhat less probing.

The main question was really hammered home by Obama when he pointed out the catch-22 that we're in. If success (and the ability to withdraw our troops) is defined by absence of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and elimination of Iranian influence, yet our very presence there promotes Al-Qaeda and Iranian influence...

Obama sees the forest.
Hillary see the trees.

[FrenchieCat]

7. My analysis precisely!

[wrando]

8. obama see forests Hillary sees trees

Well then I guess that's better than what McCain is seeing

Bill from ct

[Barack_America]

9. Trees + Forests = Trerests.

Isn't that what McCain, like most Republicans, sees in seemingly everything?

(Get it? Kinda sounds like terrorists?)

[FrenchieCat]

6. McCain didn't say anything other than we can't leave till we are successful,

And Obama asked what will Success in Iraq look like--please provide specifics.

I think that Obama let the Ambassador answer McCain in letting McCain know that Success in Iraq is impossible (since the Ambassador couldn't answer the question other than to say...."its complicated"). This hits at the heart of McCain's claim as to where we need to be as far as Iraq is concerned before we can leave.

And that's what needed to happen in these hearings by the Democratic nominee; to directly challenge McCain's claims. Cause it is obvious that McCain's has setup an unreachable scenario before the United States can leave Iraq.

Loved all of the Senators I heard on that committee. Democrats and Republicans appeared very united! Lugar, Hagel, Voinovich, all Republicans kicking almost as much tail as Kerry, Boxer, Feingold and lastly, the kick ass Senator from Illinois, and our next Democratic Nominee.....Sen. Barack Obama.