Hillary dresses in black, not fiesta wear (it could be why she keeps just missing). She also looks like she has two butterflies on her neck, in the magic of Television. Barack, who made nearly a million dollars last year, needs some better ties in general ...
Openers: Bland.
8:20 Meet with Castro II:
Obama seems oblivious that some leaders would seek to use meetings for mere propaganda purposes and that he might look like the French, running about meeting with all the world's dictators...
No one mentions communism by name. Bizarre.
8:30 How manage the economy different:
Obama feels people's pain. And?
I still don't understand Hilary's idea of not giving tax breaks to those who ship jobs overseas. I understand the sentiment, but how does that work in practice?
8:32 Stop the raids?
Hilary hits with "Not the America I know", but might have done just as well with a short, sweet answer than the long list.
Obama: I worked on "comprehensive immigration reform" (isn't that phrase forbidden yet by the DNC, as inert as "S-chip")? 1. "Fix the legal immigration system" is a blow at the GOP, who have yet to say those words 2. "Work with Mexico" - (hint: they've been doing really well without 'American leadership', did you know?)
8:38 The Fence as an issuse: Sovereignty OR family, property rights, walk or drive ...
[Note to CNN, the border is only 50% of the problem, at MOST. The largest number of "illegals" come here legally.]
Hillary: a physical border might be appropriate, but the Bush administration is overboard (including filing eminent domain, etc.).
Obama: consult with local communities - something that Bush Admin is not good at. Short and sweet.
8:44 A bi-lingual nation - is there a limit
Hillary: common, unifying language. She has a strong record on "language nondiscrimination", but didn't do a good job showcasing her well thought out positions.
Obama: you don't get paid for a second language in America, do you?
[Commercial break]
8:52 CNN's lazy play-the-candidates-against-each-other routine, so that you don't have to ask tough questions yourself
Hillary goes for "differences" and how we illustrate them to the voters. You know, she really isn't good at tooting her own horn. She seems unwilling to simply say that she has more and better experience. Wraps up with "Actions speak louder than words", which is ungrounded. She doesn't talk about how "solutions" are part of her view of "liberalism" as "pragmatism", rolling up your sleeves and doing something.
Obama has rehearsed his list of achievements and runs with it. Goes after the "Lets get real", while Hillary missed a shot at "Change we can believe in", for instance.
8:59 Duval Patrick - plagiarism
Obama: 2 lines in 'not a lot of speeches', a national co-chairs "gave me the line". Oh, my! This isn't "silly season" stuff. That's double-speak.
unlike Hillary, toots his horn: admits that some of his speeches are pretty good.
9:02 "Not Change you can Believe in. Change you can Xerox". Good line, but comes off as harsh. Needs a lead in, rather than use as a throw-away.
When Hillary touts herself, she tends to get self-deserving sounding, somehow, talking about "some of us who have been fighting for this [healthcare] for a long time". Sadly, the electorate will give you a good grade for that, but will not necessarily elect you for it.
9:05 Important "issue areas" is Obama's soaring rhetoric for healthcare. Repeats his disputable $2,500 per year claim.
[Commercial break]
9:12 One is ready to be Commander-and-Chief
[CNN are ... like grave keepers, when it comes to running real debates..., yes?]
Hillary: need to start a good design with an attempt at universal healthcare
Obama: how enforced? (Hillary still leaves this point unanswered, through two debates, now, for anyone with a game-card).
Hillary: everyone has to participate, just like Medicare and Social Security
Obama: gaming the system penalties - I would have liked to hear some more about the specifics of that, this second time around (are they really workable? how?)
revenon a nos moutons ...
Hillary: I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready. Can't you see I'm ready?
Obama: "Number one job to keep people safe" - I REALLY wish that he'd get away from this stock GOP phrase and bogus framework, that we can guarantee our safety. He got rid of "lesson of 9/11", now he has to do it with this. He should do it without being prompted, at this point, too. "Use military wisely" is a much more well put point.
9:23 Running against Decorated War Hero - The question of judgment, including Hillary's "Willing suspension of disbelief". Is Iraq better off today because of the surge.
Hillary: Uh-oh, she's going for the stump speech answer ... "A few decisions in a less than complete way" ... The GOP will run with those "small" victories as large ones, yes?
"Pulling my sleeve, my husband is there for the third time, bring him home." She buried the lead.
Obama: "Indisputable that we've seen a drop in violence". [ 3rd cav out of Ft. Hood - nice local touch!]. His argument that he was once right and that will dominate the debate with the GOP - it's kinda like his other arguments, he might just "get away" with them, yes?
No mention of dealing with 'quagmire costs'. Obama does come in with economic costs, putting it in terms of values, choices. Not a bad effort, yes?
[Commercial break]
9:33 Secrecy and its overuse, budgetary
Obama: "Google for government" with Coburn. Transparency push is o.k. McCain is saying he will veto all earmarks, however...
Hillary: Makes a good case that she has fiscal responsibility street cred, even over McCain.
9:38 Super-delegates
Hillary: they will sort themselves out - misses an opportunity to make broder points
Obama: voters should count for something - takes up 2x more time to get in his "theme points"
9:40 Leadership in times of crisis
Obama: skips in the question in favor of a bio-episode, an introduce-the-candidate spot [note to self: how long was Barack a community organizer? There is something not right with that ...]
Hillary: oh snap, Hillary nails it with her "San Antone" story. Mentions her faith. That'll rock the house. Gives big props to Barack, too. If there was "a closer" THAT was it.
CNN successfully presents another set of questions that really don't do the job. The "hard questions" are almost all left on the table, yes?
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"Mauro recalls the night it was all over in 1972, after Democrat George McGovern lost to Republican Richard Nixon. He says he and the Clintons decided to let loose in lively Austin, paying $1.50 to see a Texas singer by the name of Willie Nelson before rambling back to a colleague's tiny apartment.
