Is it just me, or was that a really bad debate?

[jillan]

I don't think anyone did great.

Altho there were alot of good answers.

Many of the candidates seemed on edge tonite. (Yes, I know my guy probably topped the list.)

Many seemed overly anxious, like they had to get in alot of different answers on one question.

It seemes as if there were no rules tonite. Questions weren't getting answered.
The candidates didn't follow the time limits.

I felt bad for Keith.

Did anyone else feel the same way?
:shrug:

[zulchzulu]

1. I want to rewatch it...it was an emotional barnstormer with a huge loud crowd

I liked the political theater...not sure yet about the actual content and what games come out of all the responses.

[ElizabethDC]

2. Yeah, I didn't like it

no one really blew me away - although no one disappointed me, either. Everything was just so . . . mediocre. I feel like holding it outside with such a large audience made it more difficult to control. Keith did his best, but I think the situation was just out of his control.

Maybe I'm just debated out?

[zulchzulu]

15. It was like a Night At The Debate-O-Drome!

I was ready to hear some heavyweight wrestling announcer calling out to the candidates for answers. The AFL-CIO Debate is always like that. The beer stands probably did very well...

[Cameron27]

3. Well I like the debate part, when KO let them go at each other,

but I agree, everyone seemed a little off tonight except for Kucinich.

[ellaydubya]

4. Did you watch what I watched?

I thought it was fun, lively, even rowdy at times. Keith had them jumping and turning. The audience and their questions were wonderful and moving. The candidates were on their toes and getting in as much as they could. It was too much fun.

[jillan]

7. I am going to rewatch it.

It was definitely lively, but also seemed like the candidates were all trying too hard.

Maybe I am all 'debated out' like Elizabeth said.

[goodgd_yall]

23. Well, I know I watched what you watched. n/t

[quinnox]

5. I only saw about 10 minutes of it

and it did seem stale. Hillary Clinton kind of looked tired and the other candidates also looked frazzled. Maybe they were all tired from the campaign trail or something today.

[sandnsea]

6. They met America

and were surprised that it wasn't a crowd of properly coiffed bridge ladies who tsk tsk at the state of the world.

That was my take. I think they were genuinely surprised at the cheers for Kucinich and single payer and other 'radical' lefty ideas.

And I don't know what crawled up Biden's butt, he did seem a bit cranky tonight. eek.

[jillan]

8. I concur about Biden

But I also saw that in alot of the other candidates. Hillary, Obama, Dodd - they all seemed like
they were trying too hard.

Not as bad as Biden tho. I was so disappointed when he went off on a tangient when
that lady asked him a question. He definitely did not earn her vote:crazy: And he deserved those boos.

[Like It Is]

9. I disagree. Biden is not an expert on Coal Mining.

He refereed the widow to the Fine President of the Coal Miners Union. He badly wanted to comment on a previous thread and he tried to split time.

[jillan]

11. It was just out of character for him, he is usually so compassionate.

I don't have a problem admitting when my candidate acted like a jerk....

I just wish other people would do the same when their candidate is one too.

[Like It Is]

25. I admit he handled it in a mediocre manner.

But think, what would be your answer?

[sandnsea]

10. I don't think it matters

I don't think there is much question as to Biden's credentials or gravitas. He didn't do anything that was surprising in that arena, he sure wasn't pandering. It might help him if he came out tomorrow and offered some kind of explanation or contrition. He's an easy guy to forgive I think.

I wonder if they were intimidated by the idea of the base booing them. Maybe we should take a cue and get rowdy more often!!

[jillan]

13. The crowd was great!

It was kinda nice having the candidates get immediate feedback like that.
They got booed when they didn't answer the question, or when they pandered, or threw a tantrum:eyes:
and got applause when they deserved it.

[sueh]

17. I was lucky enough to attend. It was sooo satisfying to be able

to express my feelings to the candidates in this forum.

[David Zephyr]

12. It wasn't just you. It was the worst forum so far.

The booing.

The pettiness by most (not all) of the candidates back and forth.

The booing by those loyal to another candidate.

The China bashing.

A really bad night for us.

Our team has to do better than this.

[Like It Is]

26. I agree with you completely.

The crowd was unruly and inattentive. And I'm a labor person. I belonged when it was just the CIO, before they merged.

[question everything]

14. Yes, it was.

First, asking anyone to sum a position in 30 seconds is offensive. One has to parrot a well oiled phrase instead of offering a real answer. Which is what happened. I cannot think of a single instance where a direct answer was offered. Biden was booed when he responded to a previous issue.

Second, they all had to shout to be heard in the stadium and all appeared very uncomfortable.

Edwards was constantly squinting his eyes.

Last, not trying to flame but... the reality is that the number of union members and, hence, the importance of union has shrank. I once asked about people who work for non-unionized plants in the anti-union south working on Japanese cars and several DUers replied that employees are happy.

Yet, all the candidates appeared forced to please the union. For a time it looked to me as if they were under the gun, paying ransom to the AFL-CIO.

I have a great admiration for the role that union played in the history of the work place. What many of us take for granted: paid holidays and vacation, sick leave. 40 hours work week and child labor laws all originated by union in the golden years of the 40s and 50s, I think.

But today, with losing much of the manufacturing base and with diversification, with many undergoing periods of unemployment and underemployment - the union has lost its power and I think that most candidates realize this.

[EST]

16. It's just you.

All the candidates did extraordinary jobs, tonight, and Kieth's performance will be talked about for years.
Excluding personality, the winner on points, content, facts and strategy was Kucinich-he blew everybody away.
Some of them stumbled, slightly, and that may make a difference, but tonight's debate did more to illustrate the fact that the very worst we have to offer is still superior to the best of anything from the dark side.

There were no clear losers, which makes them all winners, at least as far as this debate was concerned.
The best debate I have seen in thirty years.

[jillan]

20. wow - lots of mixed reviews tonite.

[murbley40]

32. Pirhana

I was kind of disappointed so I watched the debate again and then watched just Joe's answers on his blog and I changed my mind. I feel that this came the closest to being a "debate" of any yet. Debates get spirited and other than the way that the Senator handled the Coal mining question,I think he did well. We can't have it both ways. In the earlier forums,debates I recall some of us saying that Joe had better find a way to get into the
conversation; well he did. Another thing, can you imagine how uncomfortable they all were in that heat,even if they did have some kind of personal "air conditioning"? Don't beat your candidate up too much, he is above all a human being and still damn good presidential material.

[wisteria]

18. I can't disagree with any of your points.

I was getting tired with the shouting.(I couldn't imagine Senator Kerry on the stage shouting like the group of them were)

There is not enough time alotted to answer the questions. I keep thinking they need to give them more time and less questions. There are certainly enough debates to cover all the issues.
I think Biden was good tonight. So was Dodd.

[jillan]

19. I feel so bad for Dodd.

First, did you hear what Tweety did to him?
He asked Dodd tonite - 1 hr before the debate - why he was even running, with Hillary and all.

He did not get the attention he deserved tonite at the debate.


He is such a qualified candidate and he is just not getting a break. I don't know what it is, but imho the second tier should be the first tier, and vice versa.

[Like It Is]

27. Who the hell is Tweety? n/t

[Pirate Smile]

30. Chris Matthews

[Like It Is]

31. Good name ! Thanks. n/t

[sueh]

21. The problem isn't that there isn't enough time alloted to answer..

a question. The problem is the candidates don't use the time to answer the question being asked. They squander their time because they have to use at least 15 seconds to respond to a question that wasn't asked of them in the first place.

[murbley40]

33. good point!

[goodgd_yall]

22. I thought it was the best debate to date

I thought it was interesting that some candidates who usually do well did not shine quite as brightly Tuesday, and then again others did their best to date. I did notice Obama not quite up to snuff, but I attributed it to fatigue. He still came out with good answers, it's just that his energy seemed low for most of the debate. Dodd was really strong. Edwards improved after the first 20 minutes or so, and Dennis Kucinich did very well. Hillary, I thought did the worst she's done in any debate.


Maybe the fast pace didn't suit you?

[LeFleur1]

24. Liked It

I enjoyed the debate tonight, too. It was a no bullsh** crowd. That in itself was refreshing. Candidates who went off on tangents and didn't answer questions knew immediately that the audience was going to make their impatience with that choice known.
There were questions on issues that hadn't been brought up before. There weren't many bad questions. Putting these candidates on the spot is a wonderful thing. I hope we hear more of it.

Although Keith did very well,
I do get tired of the moderators taking up question time to tell the audience to shut up. They always take more time than the applause takes.

Those who mentioned the time limits are right. They do need more time for answers, I suppose. On the other hand, when they are allotted too much time they resort to canned speeches and many of us have had enough of that. Kucinich does best with the time limits. He's a to the point kind of guy.

[flaminbats]

28. was that a debate?

too often it seemed like a really nasty bar fight! :yoiks:

[Like It Is]

29. The outside setting didn't work. It's meant for Football, not Politics ! n/t

[coco77]

34. This was the best one yet...

[polichick]

35. I really enjoyed it...

...lots of energy in the crowd and on the stage. DK had a great night imo, and most of the others had some important moments.

I really like Keith, but thought he should've just relaxed a little and gone with it ~ it was a night about everyday Americans and they were running the show.