I Hate The Debate Format

[clar]

And now there are 10. Yes, every candidate deserves to be heard, but I hope that by no later than November, we will start to see some debates with only the top five candidates.

Now for some predictions. Here are a few of mine:

There will be multiple attacks on Dean. Lieberman, Kerry, Gephardt and Kucinich will all attack him.

No one will attack Clark.

The press will proclaim Clark the winner unless he stumbles badly.
It's his first debate; they'll cut him some slack.

Dean will try and stay above the fray. His only attacks will spring from defenses.

Please add your own predictions.

[Brucey]

1. Yes, there will be a few attacks on Dems, but the vast

majority of the debate will stay on track attacking Chimpy. Clark will be declared the winner, as you suggest, because he has such low expectations all he has to do is not fall down in a seizure. Dean will take some hits because he is viewed as the front runner. Braun and Sharpton will be in charge of being substantive.

[Girlfriday]

2. I wish there were less candidates too

I do think Clark will be attacked, right along with Dean. I heard reports from all the embeds with the candidates; Sharpton's and Kucinich's campaigns said they are reserving thier attacks for Bush. Take it for what it's worth.

It will probably be Dean and Clark head to head. Dean, because he is consistently the front-runner and Clark because he's so new.

[boxster]

3. No one will attack Clark?

That had to be sarcasm, because you certainly can't be serious!!

I think the only way Clark doesn't get attacked is if the 10 candidates agree beforehand that it's "bash on Bush and not each other" night at the debate.

At the very least, he'll get questioned pointedly by Kerry or Dean on his perceived flip/flop on the IWR.

Regardless, it should be entertaining. There are some very strong personalities here, and it'll be interesting to see how different this debate will be now that Clark is involved.

I think that the microscope is so finely tuned on Clark right now (as it was on Dean previously) that he might get Gore'd if he has a subpar debate. The media may be merciless.

Dean is in the same boat, however. Regardless of Clark's recent poll results, I think he's still the perceived front-runner (right or wrong) and will also be under the microscope.

[returnable]

12. Really?

"At the very least, he'll get questioned pointedly by Kerry or Dean on his perceived flip/flop on the IWR."

I wonder if they'll get the opportunity tonight - I thought this debate was going to focused exclusively on the economy.

[boxster]

15. Nope, I was dead wrong.

I have to admit, I didn't expect the kid gloves where Clark was concerned. He did a nice job of pre-empting a couple of potential issues, but I misread that one poorly.

It was intended to focus on the economy, but usually the candidates can get in barbs on other issues. Not this time.

[southpaw]

4. Not that I expect it to happen, but...

I would love to see at least one of the candidates speak up in support of Ted Kennedy! Maybe Gep will change his mantra from "miserable failure" to "fraud". Maybe DK will use some of that boldness and passion to stick up for Senator Kennedy.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have heard not one single Democrat stand up for Kennedy without first spinning the whole 'war was a politically motivated fraud based on lies' into something less meaningful but more palatable.

I want to see one of the ten coming out on this issue.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

14. Responding to DeLay's call to disavow Kennedy's comments, Kerry fired back

Responding to DeLay's call for Democratic presidential candidates to disavow Kennedy's comments, Kerry fired back - at the Texas lawmaker.

"Tom DeLay is a bully," Kerry said. "He tried to bully Democrats in Texas and we're not going to accept his shrill partisan attacks or allow him to suggest that patriotism belongs to one political party."
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/6814839.htm

What have the other candidates said about this?

[meegbear]

5. Oh WHAAAAAA!!

If dean gets "attacked", then so be it. The frontrunner is the secondary target of any political debate.

If he can't handle an afront from Braun, how's he gonna handle Delay?

[clar]

7. Go whaaaa yourself

I have no problem with Dean being attacked. And I didn't say that I did. In fact, buttercup, I agree with you, he should be able to handle attacks from his fellow dems. If he can't he shouldn't be the nominee. Bsssst, try again.

[Larkspur]

6. Prediction: Kerry will attack Dean's "repeal all Bush's tax cuts" stance

as a tax increase for middle class.

Dean will rebuke him, as he should, for regurgitating Bush lies.

Kerry and/or Lieberman may attack Dean on his Middle East stance, but that has quieted down for now, thanks to Dean calling Pelosi.

[OKNancy]

8. This debate is about economic issues

or at least that is the title. Do you think Iraq or the ME will even come up?

[Larkspur]

10. The $87 billion Bush is asking for Iraq could come up

since it does affect the deficit and our economy.

[virtualobserver]

11. It shows how desperate he is for an issue to hit Dean on.......

That letter to Dean was pathethic grandstanding slathered generously over a bed of lies.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

13. If your taxes go up, how is that not a tax increase?

(1) PROTECTING MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUTS TO HELP CHILDREN

Keep the Full Child Tax Credit: Raising children costs a lot these days and many working families are struggling to make ends meet. The child tax credit provides benefits to 521,000 Maryland households and John Kerry believes we should keep it that way. He fought for this provision in the 2001 tax cut and worked to make the credit partially refundable. Kerry supported a further expansion of the child tax credit that could have provided benefits to an additional 114,000 children in Maryland, but the proposal was cut out by Bush and the House Republicans in a midnight deal.
Don’t Reinstate the Marriage Penalty: John Kerry will not repeal the accelerated reduction of the marriage penalty, which benefits 552,000 married couples in Maryland.
Accelerate the 10-Percent Bracket Expansion: John Kerry will not repeal the expansion of the 10-percent bracket. This expansion benefits 1,459,000 married couples and single tax filers in Maryland.

Expand the Dependent Care Tax Credit (DCTC): The DCTC assists families in meeting the costs of child and adult dependent care by allowing taxpayers to offset a portion of their employment-related child and dependent care expenses. The new law increases the limits on qualifying expenses for determining the credit from the current $2,400 to $3,000 for one child or dependent and from $4,800 to $6,000 for two or more children or dependents. The new law increases the qualifying expenses from the current 30 percent of expenses to 35 percent. The credit will increase by up to $804 for families with two or more children or dependents ($402 for families with one child or dependent).

Improve the Earned Income Credit. The 2001 tax bill simplified EITC and made it more generous by excluding nontaxable employee compensation. It also eliminated a provision that reduced the earned income credit by the amount of an individual’s alternative minimum tax. Finally, the bill made the Earned Income phase out rate more generous for married people. John Kerry believes we have more to do to make EITC better for working families – and that should not start with rolling back the progress we have made.
http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/09_08_03taxcuts.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

17. One day later. Right on the money.

[clar]

18. (Bowing deeply)

Thank you, thank you. fun as it is to pat myself on the back, kudos from others are far more satisfying.

[Larkspur]

19. Kerry had been signally in the press prior to the debate that he would

attack Dean on the tax cut issue. This debate was the perfect forum for Kerry to do that.

I haven't seen the debate yet. Recorded it yesterday and hope to watch it this weekend.

[clar]

20. You'll enjoy it

It was definitely Dean's best performance to date. He looks much more comfortable in his skin.

[German-Lefty]

9. Couldn't we put em in those big sumo wrestler suits have let em go at it?

I'm not sure if it'd effect my vote too much. But it sure would be funny!!! :-)

They should add that to the format. Hell maybe Americans would watch it then.

[clar]

16. To me:

Good job me! Your predictions were spot on.