The Dems had a brawl.. er debate last night

An interesting thing happened last night. The Democrats held a debate and a street fight broke out.

From the very beginning of the debate starting with the second question of the night posed by Suzanne Maleaux who asked Obama, “She (Hillary Clinton) says that the new programs that she proposes she essentially can pay for. She says that you have failed in that regard in the tune of some $50 billion worth of new programs that you cannot account for. How do you respond to that charge?” You could tell it was going to be one of those kinds of nights. Not only did the two front running candidates punch and counter punch, but it seemed to me that CNN moderators were more than happy to egg the encounters on to the point of nearly ignoring Edwards entirely, who’s first substantive interaction was “What I want to say first is, are there three people in this debate, not two?”

While there will be arguments that Obama started the confrontational jabbing in the debate, in all fairness, it was pretty well a set up with the way the question was posed, and directed. However, it appeared obvious to me during the more confrontational episodes, that it was clearly Hillary Clinton on the attack against Obama, in what appeared not so much an effort get clarification of positions, but keep Obama on the defense, answering accusations rather than being able to put any message out.

The one person that probably benefited the most was Edwards. While not getting much chance to really talk during the debate, he was able in what few times he was able to, show much more passion, and poise than he had in previous debates. This was probably without a doubt the best debate of the series so far for Edwards. Unfortunately, the simple fact that the CNN moderators continually let Clinton and Obama claim the floor for their personal attacks and counter attacks, basically relegated Edwards to the spare wheel in the debate.

My assessment is that Obama did what he had to do to fend off the constant accusations, and misrepresentation of his positions, and statements both leading up to the debate since Iowa, and during the debate. Edwards when opportunity presented itself, spoke eloquently and precisely, and showed a passion in his delivery that had been lacking. Clinton on the other hand continued the sniping and character bashing attacks that have been part and parcel of her campaign ever since Iowa. And the audience, and probably a good portion watching at home were becoming both tired of it, and resentful of the continuation of it. I seriously think Clinton positioned herself to lose SC in the upcoming primary when she declared “… I was fighting against those ideas (Reagan) when you were practicing law and representing your contributor, Rasco, in his slum landlord business in inner city Chicago.” The loud chorus of boos that followed that statement obviously did not sit well with the predominantly African-American audience, and to me at least showed that there is some serious Rove like tendencies in campaigning from the Clinton camp.

If Clinton loses the SC primary come Saturday, I think the negativity that she continues to display in the personal confrontations with Obama, will be the ultimate reason. If Edwards shows well at even a 2nd place finish in SC, I think his stock rising from this debate will be the reason people will be taking a second look at him. I don’t think Obama either gained ground or lost ground based on his own performance in the debate, and is still positioned well to take the primary and tighten the race with Clinton going into the big Super Tsunami Tuesday on February 5th.

One last personal note on the CNN moderators and their questioning. What in the hell were they thinking when posing a question to Obama from Joe Johns, “The Nobel Prize-winning African-American author, Toni Morrison, famously observed about Bill Clinton. “This is our first black president, blacker than any actual black person who could ever be elected in our children’s lifetime.” Do you think Bill Clinton was our first black president?” That has got to be the dumbest question I’ve ever heard asked by a moderator in these debates. First, Obama is campaigning against Hillary Clinton, and some would say Bill Clinton as well. Secondly, it is an absolutely asinine set up that to a large degree is a lose/lose proposition for Obama regardless of what his answer is.

In the over all grading of the moderation of the debate I firmly give CNN a big fat unequivocal “F”.