TIME: Democratic Debate Report Card

[DeepModem Mom]

Democratic Debate Report Card
Obama and Clinton scored big at a forum focused on America's minority communities. But the most memorable — and odd — performance of the night went to Joe Biden

Barack Obama
Grade: A-

Was poised, clear, and confident — perfectly comfortable in front of an audience of prominent black Americans. With national security playing a far smaller role than in past debates, he seemed less worried about being caught off guard or overwhelmed. Occasionally added some crowd-pleasing zest to his usual low-key, intellectual style. Still, Obama was less specific about policies than some of his rivals. Labeled the criminal justice system "not colorblind" in a carefully constructed answer. Had a humorous interaction with his wife, Michelle, who was sitting in the audience, at the expense of Joe Biden's awkward AIDS test commentary.

Hillary Clinton
Grade: A-

Another multi-candidate event down, another evening she can go to sleep with her front-runner status still intact. Every answer was solid, although she failed to command the stage as completely as on previous occasions. Prior debate success has removed every shred of nervousness, giving her leadership mien more sheen. Invoked the burnished Clinton years with Goldilocks precision — not too much, not too little. Delivered one of the night's most crowd-pleasing lines with a substantive point about the impact of race on the search for an AIDS cure. Nevertheless, there were flashes of her trademark rhetorical weakness — aiming for passion and coming off shrill — and she earned derisive press-room sniggers for a lame Paris Hilton joke.

John Edwards
Grade: B

Played his signature anti-poverty card early and often, but didn't trot out the "they haven't led, I will" mantra that he employed against Clinton and Obama in the last debate. Tried hard to imbue his stump speech with some fiery oomph, but never quite took control of the stage. Perspiration spots on his forehead were exceptionally distracting — at least to this observer....

***

Joe Biden
Grade: C

The Delaware Senator wanted so badly to do well, to stand out, to shake things up — but the format, which did not allow candidate interaction, made it impossible. Biden also seemed to be fighting a war between the best and worst versions of his political self. He kept shrill, rambling Demon Joe at bay for most of the event, and was one of the few candidates to stick to his allotted time. But a meandering essay about an AIDS test — culminating in what the audience seemed to think was a confession that he and Obama got tested together — brought Demon Joe to the surface and made him look ridiculous. (Never a good thing). He grew petulant when complaining about the lack of credit he's received for his longtime labors to soothe the crisis in Darfur — but voters prefer their candidates to look to future actions, not whine about credit or past efforts....

(NOTE: The remaining candidates and their grades are Dodd, C+; Richardson, C; Kucinich, C-; Gravel, Incomplete.)

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1638675,00.html

[groovedaddy]

1. I watched the debate

Kucinich did way better than a c-. I would rate his performance an a- or b+.
He answered every question succintly and to the point, usually within the time alloted.
He got good reactions from the audience too.

I would rate Richardson as a d. Many of his answers were disjointed and he consistently went over his time limit. He seemed out of sorts.

I agree with ratings for Obama & Clinton.

[Tesha]

16. But he can't be! His ideas *CAN'T* be any good! That would undermine...

> Kucinich did way better than a c-.

But it can't be! His ideas *CAN'T* be any good! That
would undermine the media's annointed ones and, worse
yet, might stir up the rabble with "ideas".

And you know how dangerous "ideas" can be if they get
into the wrong hands!

FYI: NPR didn't even bother to mention that Kucinich
was even *AT* the forum, let alone give him a five-
second quote.

Tesha

[MalloyLiberal]

2. Geezus christ, you give a damn about PERSPIRATION SPOTS?

What a fucking dumbass

[surfermaw]

3. Reporters thought Edwards did quiet well

some reporters just after the debate stated that Edwards did quiet well and many in the audience seemed to like him.

[Totally Committed]

4. I disagree with the Kucinich C- (should have been A- or B), and the Clinton A- (should have been B-)

Biden never stops talking (at least that's how it seems), and this is definitely not RIchardson's best format.

TC

[jefferson_dem]

8. I'm wondering what exactly is Richardson's best format.

He's been totally unimpressive all the way around to me.

[Totally Committed]

13. Me, too.... but, he is better one-on-one with the audience, with follow-ups.

But, he's so D U L L and he's also D L C, so he's a no-go for me, so I don't have to worry.

Then, there's also that vote-dumping business after the last election down in NM. Not good........

TC

[Tesha]

17. He gives a good stump speech and is good face-to-face.

I've heard it and I've talked to him.

Tesha

[jefferson_dem]

18. I'll take your word for it,Tesha.

I think he's a good man and has a good vision for this country. It just doesn't often come across the teevee, to me at least.

[churchofreality]

22. I think his best format is black and white silent movies. nt

[zabet]

5. I disagree somewhat....

I agree Hill was the good. Obama on the other hand probably deserved no better than a B-
rating - too many uuuhhhms while gathering his thoughts - did not come off as prepared as
he should have. If you watched the audience shots, the audience was more with Clinton than
with Obama which surprised me.
And above all, Kicinich was dead on, rating at least an A- minus by me. He was the only
candidate to admit that the problem with not acting on Darfur was Corporate (we all know the
deal on the gum arabic and Coca-cola), I really had not been planning on voting for Kicinich
in the primaries but, the more I see him - the more I like him.
Biden looked a little disheveled and frustrated. I have seen him look a lot better and come
off with a lot more polish so to speak than he did at this debate.

[NavyDavy]

6. i see the Kucinich supporters are here in force hehe

:pals:

[EarlG]

7. Strange report card

A C- for Kucinich, who "tapped into the anti-war feeling coursing through the crowd and delivered vigorous, ringing answers on several topics." But "Even so, he didn't move the plausibility meter."

It's a bit like a real report card saying "Bobby Smith: C- ... Got most of the answers right, but I don't like his face."

I'm not so politically naive that I don't understand the "electability factor" - nonetheless, I thought Kucinich gave strong answers last night and seemed to rouse the crowd more than many of the other candidates. It seems unfair to give him a C- for his performance just because he's not in contention to win the whole thing.

[blm]

15. I concur. It's as if they write these reports before the debate and stick to them.

.

[Yukari Yakumo]

21. Better assessment

"Bobby Smith: C- ... Got most of the answers right, but didn't show his work."

We my like his ideas, but how the heck does he plan to make them work?

[Telly Savalas]

23. That's beyond the scope of the debate.

The candidates were given 30-60 seconds to answer questions - hardly the time to present a white paper and accompanying powerpoint presentation.

The candidates who were given A-'s did no more to demonstrate how they'd get their plans to work than did Kucinich.

[BeyondGeography]

9. But Hillary was great and Obama sucked and he's crumbling

or maybe not.

[Nedsdag]

10. Make up your mind.

Is he crumbling or not?

[BeyondGeography]

11. Obama supporter here; that was a send-up of some of the HRC crowd

who have been known to launch "Obama is crumbling" threads and were overly impressed with her sound-bite last night.

Obama continues to sound like someone who might actually lead this country to a new and better place; he's not crumbling at all, IMHO.

[JAYJDF]

12. I am looking for something/someone new. Hillary isn't it.

Kucinich has not said anything wrong. He's been right on the Iraq invasion. He's is right on innitiating Impeachment of Cheney.

[Mass]

14. Well, we know what the DC pundit elite thought of the debate - Tell me again: why does it matter?\nt

[draft_mario_cuomo]

19. The corporate media thinks HRC and Obama did the best? I am shocked!

:sarcasm:

Resistance is futile...get in line and vote for Clobama.

[Catchawave]

20. I don't think Richardson did as well as Kucinich

:shrug: