What to expect from the "Big Four" in Monday's debate

[DeepModem Mom]

WP political blog, "The Fix," by Chris Cillizza
7/23/2007
Democrats Gather in S.C. for CNN/YouTube Debate

... here's a quick look at what to expect from the Big 4 tonight:

Hillary Rodham Clinton: There's been no debate (wink, wink) about the best performer in the first several joint appearances of the the campaign. Clinton has come across as polished, magnanimous and, well, presidential. She also enters tonight's debate on a polling high, as a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey shows Clinton at 39 percent, with Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) at 25 percent and former Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) at 15 percent.

Barack Obama: Obama's campaign acknowledges privately that debates are not their candidate's preferred format. But to Obama's credit, he has improved over the first several debates and could be poised for a strong showing tonight. Obama, to date, has avoided directly confronting Clinton -- choosing instead to draw implicit contrasts about their respective positioning on the war. There's no question that if he hopes to defeat Clinton next year, he'll have to make his differences with the former first lady more apparent. Does that differentiation process start in earnest tonight?

John Edwards: There is a perception among the political chattering classes that Edwards's campaign is losing momentum. Tonight is a good chance for Edwards to reverse that sentiment with a strong performance. In the first several debates, Edwards struggled for attention, as most of the eyes (and coverage) centered on Clinton and Obama. But Edwards has started to draw sharper contrasts over the past weeks with Clinton and could well use the national platform tonight to take the fight to her. Attacking Clinton directly is a tricky business, however. Just ask Rick Lazio.

Bill Richardson: Richardson's fundraising in the second quarter was surprisingly strong, and his early ads in Iowa and New Hampshire are helping him move up in the polls. And yet, no candidate has been more disappointing in the debates than Richardson. He has looked awkward on stage and unable to trim his answers to the required format. His advisers are no doubt aware of these problems, so look for Richardson to be a bit smoother tonight (it would be almost impossible for him to be less smooth). Expect Richardson also to focus on his plan to remove all troops from Iraq by the end of the year -- an attempt to distinguish his position from those of Clinton, Obama and Edwards.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/07/democrats_gather_in_sc_for_cnn.html

[LibDemAlways]

1. This is a textbook example of how the corporate media is

pushing a Hillary candidacy. Just take a look at the language:

Hillary: "polished, magnanimous, and, well, Presidential"

Obama: "has improved....could be poised for a strong showing"

Edwards: "campaign is losing momentum....attacking Clinton directly is a tricky business"

Richardson: "no candidate has been more disappointing"

Gee, it certainly doesn't take much effort to see who the corporate whores favor. Will be interesting to read what Mr. Cillizza has to say about Hillary after she's nominated. I'd bet big money it won't be anywhere near as kind.

[davidwparker]

2. right. they have had the "defeat Hillary" play book written years ago. if,

heaven forbid, she gets the nomination, then they'll turn on Hillary just as they turned on Dean.

[LibDemAlways]

3. What the r's and their corporate whore shills plan to

do to Hillary before the last piece of confetti hits the convention floor on the evening of her nomination is probably too brutal and ugly to even contemplate. They've been quietly working, gathering up bits and pieces of trash that will by then constitute a cesspool of filth that they will gleefully unleash. It will make their undoing of Dean look inconsequential.

[AndyTiedye]

4. The Repiglickin Media Has Had 15 YEARS to Prepare for This

They have already planted all the anti-Hillary memes they need. They only need to activate them.