Transcript of the Third Democratic Primary Presidential Debate

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Transcript of the Third Democratic Primary Presidential Debate
Published: June 28, 2007

The following is a transcript of the Democratic primary presidential debate on PBS. The participants were Senator Joseph Biden, Jr. (D-Del.); Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.); Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.); Former Senator John Edwards (D-S.C.); Former Senator Mike Gravel (D-Ak); Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio); Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.); and Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.). The moderator was Tavis Smiley, host of “Tavis Smiley” on PBS. The panelists were Michel Martin, journalist and NPR host; Ruben Navarrette, Jr., nationally syndicated columnist; Dewayne Wickham, USA Today and Gannett News Service columnist. The debate took place at Howard University on Thursday, June 28, 2007. Transcribed by the Federal News Service, a private transcription agency:

MR. SMILEY: To ask the first question tonight, I’m pleased to be joined by Crecilla Cohen Scott from Bowie, Maryland. She is a winner of our online contest in which we asked the listeners of the Tom Joyner Morning Show to submit questions to the website, BlackAmerica.com. This question will go first to Senator Clinton, and we’ll work our way, of course, down the line. Please welcome, from Bowie, Maryland, Crecilla Cohen Scott for tonight’s first question. CRECILLA COHEN SCOTT (Bowie, MD): (Applause.) Good evening, candidates. In 1903, the noted intellectual W.E.B. DeBois said the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line. Is race still the most intractable issue in America, and especially, I might add, in light of today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision which struck down the use of race as a factor in K through 12?

SEN. CLINTON: Well, thank you for that question. And it is abundantly clear, especially today, that race and racism are defining challenges not only in the United States but around the world. You know, we have made progress. You can look at this stage and see an African American, a Latino, a woman contesting for the presidency of the United States. But there is so much left to be done. And for anyone to assert that race is not a problem in America is to deny the reality in front of our very eyes. (Applause.)

You can look at the thousands of African-Americans left behind by their government with Katrina. You can look at the opportunity gap, the Cradle to Prison Superhighway that The Covenant talks about, and you can look at this decision today, which turned the clock back on the promise of Brown v. Board of Education, that was resting on the fact that children are better off if they are a part of a diverse, integrated society.

So, yes, we have come a long way, but, yes, we have a long way to go. The march is not finished, and I hope that all of us, the Democratic candidates, will demonstrate clearly that the work is yet to be done. And we call on everyone to be foot soldiers in that revolution to finish the job. (Cheers, applause.)...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/28/us/politics/29transcript.html?bl&ex=1183348800&en=854f8e2a84e9cef0&ei=5087%0A

[southerncrone]

1. Thank you, TY, TY, TY, DeepModem Mom!

I only caught the last 1/2 of this debate,& it seemed to be a good one. My affiliate has not scheduled its repeat, so this will let me know what happened in the beginning.
Thanks again!

[DeepModem Mom]

2. I found the link on the NYT "most blogged" list -- must have been quite a few people...

eager for a transcript.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

3. Well at least New York Times has it right that Obama said "retRain" and not "retain"

Big Dog Redux.

[Sonicmedusa]

4. And for those with hi speed

http://tinyurl.com/ywvf2p

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Thanks, Sonicmedusa!!! nt

[Sonicmedusa]

8. ;)

[Nite Owl]

6. Thanks so much

I looked on PBS and didn't find it being rerun or online.

[Ethelk2044]

7. Rerun was on CSpan2