Who impressed you the most at the "debate?"

[calteacherguy]

The "debate," although not an actual debate, was better then I expected. What candidate impressed you the most?

[Clark2008]

1. You need a "no one" choice.

:hi:

I find them all fairly bland, myself.

[calteacherguy]

2. Perhaps you could vote for the least unimpressive?

:shrug:

[Clark2008]

6. I guess I think too far ahead.

The least unimpressive to me wouldn't win in a general election (and couldn't take the primary), so it kind of doesn't matter.

But I'll kick your thread for you!! :)

[liberalnurse]

10. I'm sorry....no one must of sent you the memo

that Naked Mud Wrestling won't be until Friday! :wow:

[Clark2008]

30. I'm sorry. I don't understand what you mean.

Just because I find our candidates lacking doesn't mean I find debating somehow lacking over "naked mud wrestling" or something equally inane.

I really think our candidates are pretty vanilla. I don't see a leader among them.

Not that I see any leaders in the Republican Party, either, mind you.

I just think that good candidates either can't or won't run because of how awful politics has become.

[Beelzebud]

12. I'll just put you down for Great, then.

[mourningdove92]

3. I thought Senator Clinton really excelled!

Senator Obama did well as well as Senator Biden.

Who the hell is that Gravel guy and where did he come from? Is he a paid GOP shill or something?

[seemslikeadream]

54. You must be kinda young

maybe you should google Gravel

[CGowen]

74. .

:eyes:

[ellisonz]

4. Howard Dean.

[calteacherguy]

5. Well, early indications are it's an two-person race here on DU...

reflective of the rest of the country (something that doesn't always happen around here).

[calteacherguy]

7. Another kick, and interesting how reflective of national polls this is in general

with the exception of the stronger Kucinich support here on DU (something to be expected).

[hfojvt]

60. kinda sad to me

in 2004, it was split here between Dean, Clark, and Kucinich. Seems like DU has shifted to the right, becoming more mainstream? Where are all the Hillary haters?

[ElizabethDC]

8. I think Hillary did really well this time, as she did last time

Obama definitely was the most improved, though. He also did very well. Biden didn't impress me as much as he did last time.

[liberalnurse]

15. What I notice....it was easy for her.

She is so polished and brilliant. She is a Natural.

[ElizabethDC]

23. She's totally a natural.

I was watching Tucker recently (I think it was Tucker, anyway) and while I tend not to agree with him on anything (and I hardly ever wach him), he did make the point that if you were to wake Hillary from a deep sleep and ask her a policy question, she would have an answer ready. It's that ingrained with her - she really knows what she's doing.

[LostinVA]

68. Agreed

[durrrty libby]

33. This nurse agrees with you. Hillary is impressive

[progressoid]

9. feh - where is the choice for 'none of the above'?

[mvd]

11. Kuicinich had the best answers IMO and I thought..

he kept down the attacks on fellow Democrats. Personally, I thought he was perfect.

Did very well
-------------

Kucinich
Edwards
Obama

Did well
--------

Clinton
Dodd
Richardson

Not so good tonight, but still much better than the Repukes
------------------------------------------------------------

Gravel
Biden

[calteacherguy]

13. Interesting: it's Obama, Clinton, Edwards, Richardson right now.

That's reflective of recent national polling, with the exception of Clinton/Obama trading places.

Will be interesting to see if the impression of DU'ers is reflected nationally.

[calteacherguy]

18. Opps...Clinton just pulled ahead of Edwards again.

I expect it's going to be going back and forth between Clinton and Obama for awhile.

[MonkeyFunk]

14. I think Clinton did best...

she was smooth, funny, relaxed.

I think Biden most exceeded my expectations.

I think Richardson most failed to meet my expectations.

[etherealtruth]

19. Clinton really did a great job

Though Edwards remains my first choice, I was really happy to see Clinton do so very well.

[Colobo]

16. Clinton and Obama.

[Adelante]

40. Clinton, Obama, Biden

I liked Kucinich and Gravel keeping things honest, too.

[liberal renegade]

52. Running mates?

[William769]

17. For me it was a tie between Obama & Clinton.

[calteacherguy]

21. I expect much of the electorate shares your view. nt

[johnnie]

20. Honestly, it showed me that it's politics as usual

I wasn't impressed by any of the main people, and I have to say that I am closest to thinking the way Kucinich thinks, but a lot of people think he is wacky koo koo because of him talking about peace.

Obama, Edwards. Biden and Clinton come across as typical politicians with no new way of thinking. They are still part of the machine. I will vote for whichever one wins the primary, but I think it will be quite some time before I see a candidate that "speaks for me".

[vssmith]

69. We can't have that Kucinich talking about peace

What could he be possibly be thinking. Pretty soon peace will be breaking out all over.

[calteacherguy]

22. Well, if Clinton wins this poll here on DU, of all places...

perhaps it is inevitable after all? :shrug:

[Colobo]

25. Not inevitable. Obama will give her a good run for her money, in the case she wins.

[calteacherguy]

26. Oh I agree, I don't think it's inevitable.

I suspect it's going to be a two-person race from here on in, most likely.

A Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket would not be out of the question if these two continue to draw the highest levels of support.

[Perky]

27. Hush yo mouth

There is no inevitbility, Ask the more important question. Who do you want to win the Primary and she falls to fourth or worse.

[ElizabethDC]

29. Well, I think it speaks to the fact that she did do very well tonight.

I don't think she's inevitable by any means, but I think she proved exactly why she continues to be the frontrunner in so many (non-DU) polls.

[calteacherguy]

32. This is the first poll I've seen on DU with Clinton ahead.

To the best of my knowledge, this is unprecedented.

[ElizabethDC]

35. I agree - I've never seen her leading in a poll here.

I think that even people who don't support her can see that she did very well. Even Arianna Huffington, who is no fan of Hillary's by any means, just said on CNN that it was Hillary's night.

[doggyboy]

58. It's a testament to her personal power

Many criticize her for being unlikeable. While I disagree about that, I do recognize that she is not the most personable of the candidates. Her power lies more with her incredible intelligence, and her professional composure. People see her, and they see competence that cannot be denied.

[Adelante]

41. I voted on performance

Not who I would vote for in the primary.

[Individualist]

24. DK: End the Iraq Occupation now, discontinue NAFTA.

[calteacherguy]

28. Edwards seems to be fading a bit...

perhaps it not just MSM propaganda? :shrug:

For the record, I thought Obama got the best of him during the debate.

[Bucky]

46. Edwards nailed the Iran question.

We have a mixed bag from tonight. Some good came out in everyone, except Gravel who's really overstayed his welcome.

[graywarrior]

31. Man, we need Al.

[Labors of Hercules]

36. Yes, In all honesty, As good as tonight's debate was, It still felt like potatoes with no gravy.

Without Gore.

I just really want to see him up there. It would be amazing.

[calteacherguy]

34. It's still Clinton, Obama, Edwards here on DU...just like the rest of the country.

Leaving aside Dennis, of course.

[graywarrior]

39. Dennis rules. He impresses me so much.

[LWolf]

49. Why leave him aside?

He's the best of the bunch.

[madmunchie]

75. Gore and Clark still reign supreme....just hope that one of them runs.

[Blackhatjack]

37. Edwards brought some differences to bear with Hillary and Obama....

... and I thought he called them out for making no statement on the war funding supplemental and waiting to vote last after the matter had already been decided.

[sandnsea]

38. Richardson has the right policies

Across the board. I wish he hadn't screwed up the NM election so I could trust him.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

43. Free trade and amnesty are never the right policies, they are the Right's policies n/t

[sandnsea]

55. Amnesty is a right wing talking point

Consequently I've got nothing else to say to you.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

56. Amnesty is NOT a right-wing talking point

Amnesty is a right-wing corporate agenda.

[juajen]

72. Same here, sandnsea

I will not trust him ever, because of the election.

[calteacherguy]

42. Wow, Clinton is really pulling out ahead! nt

[Bucky]

44. She did a great job. I voted for her. She'll still give the election to the Republicans.

But she did a very good job tonight. The next Karl Rove is out there smiling tonight.

[liberal renegade]

53. nobody in there right mind believes that.....

The only chance the repukes have, Diebold, it sure as hell won't be because of Mrs. Clinton....

[Cameron27]

45. Clinton, Obama

then Biden were the best tonight.

[calteacherguy]

47. Clinton about as many votes right now as Edwards and Obama combined...

interesting.

[bamacrat]

48. Clinton dodged the questions a lot.

As did Obama, but I thought Kucinich and Biden did very well.

[in_cog_ni_to]

50. Even though I'm still ticked at her for her IWR vote, I have to admit Hillary kicked butt

tonight. Obama did VERY well too. He did much better tonight than he did in the last debate. I think he showed he really does have a good grasp of the issues. John Edwards did well too. At least the man can admit he made a mistake by voting for an illegal war based on lies. Gotta give him credit for that.

Even though I think Hillary did the best tonight, I'm still not going to vote for her unless she admits that IWR vote WAS WRONG. How hard can it be to admit you were LIED to and should NEVER have voted for the illegal invasion?

[calteacherguy]

51. I agree with you Clinton and Obama were the best tonight.

One of them will very likely be the nominee.

[CitizenLeft]

57. Clinton...

...and she's not my candidate (holding out for a Gore/Obama ticket). But Hillary can answer any question you throw at her, calmly, smoothly, and with substance. You may not agree with her, you may hate her politics and stances, you may dislike her personally, but she absolutely is one of the best "politicians" on that stage, if not THE best. When she refused to answer those black-and-white theoretical questions without gray area options, she hit it out of the ballpark.

[doggyboy]

59. I voted for Clinton. Obama gets "most improved performance"

His last performance was not very exciting for me. This time, I got more sense of the man and where he stands.

[calteacherguy]

61. I agree. nt

[Roxy66]

62. Hillary was the most surprising to me tonight....

I wasn't sure about her...but now I know I could get behind her if she is our nominee

[nadinbrzezinski]

63. Chris Dodd, he was truly a shocking and welcomed

surprise

[Hidden Stillness]

64. Dodd was Really Good, a Surprise

I was very pleasantly surprised that many of their answers this time sounded like intelligently thought-out, worded responses, and not slogans and sound-bites. The top three, Obama, Edwards, and even Clinton, Inc., were impressive, and did not hype themselves, but talked clearly and with explanation like adults. Kucinich was completely unimpressive to me as always and Gravel sounded creepy again. Chris Dodd though was the most impressive, a complete surprise. There were several good answers, the reference to the excitement and promise of the Kennedy era and serving in the Peace Corps., and Robert Kennedy's Justice Dept. of that time, were very good, and an answer at the very end about what they would do during their first 100 hours or days or whatever it was, as President, when Dodd's answer was to restore the Constitution, and its rules and protections that had been destroyed by this Administration, was a very impressive answer to me--great to hear somebody on that level. Dodd can be really impressive as a candidate sometimes.

[bklyncowgirl]

65. Obama: more substance and better style than t he last time.

Clinton: Consistently articulate and knowledgeable on the issues. Nice use of humor. Now if only I could get over her vote for the Iraq war and her generally corporatist positions on the issues I could support her.

Biden: Strong passionate and kept his motormouth in check. Good performance by Talk Show Joe.

Edwards: Sharp and articulate as always. Now if I could only get over his vote for and co-sponsorship of the IWR plus his lack of experience I could vote for him.

Kucinich: If these debates were carried on radio he'd rank much higher.

Improvement needed:

Richardson: Has good ideas but needs a crash course on how to articulate them in a few words. Did a little better than last time but looked like he was ready to jump out from behind the podium when he wanted to answer. Could also use a different haircut--maybe Edwards could hook him up with his guy.

Not as good as last time:

Dodd: Seemed to be spending most of his time trying to be relevent.

Gravell: Sharp attacks as expected but not as funny as last time. I want my crazy grandpa back.

[Breeze54]

66. What debate??? The Dems had a debate?? WTF???

I guess us plebians who don't get cable are EXCLUDED!!!!!!

Why would that be?? Seems the RETHUGS are doing the same thing, as usual.

Fuck 'em both up the kwazoo!!!!!

MFAH!!! :nuke: .. :grr:

[Control-Z]

67. While Clinton was clearly the leader, imo,

both she and Biden stood out, to me, as the two more accomplished "politicians" on stage - the better speakers; practiced, confident, presidential.

Obama and Edwards still seem a bit young and "unfinished". Neither has quite mastered the "performance" yet.

That said, if I had to make a choice today I don't know that I could. I'm not a Hillary fan. Biden is not going to make it into the first heat. That leaves Obama and Edwards both of whom would be great VPs.

The truth is, I'm waiting for Al. Everyone just pales next to him.

[bdamomma]

70. one thing bothers me, is how our media is playing us again

with two front runners, and not letting us make a decision who would fill this position. I think all of them are much better than the other side of aisle. Dennis is so open and honest, he promotes peace and dialogue among nations, what a interesting concept!!!!!! this is more humane than bombing the hell out of people.

[mnhtnbb]

73. Promoting peace and dialogue will never sell to the military-industrial complex

[juajen]

71. Hillary was great!

She also looked beautiful, FWIW.

[dave_p]

76. She was the most female

... of all the candidates.

[William769]

77. Are you sure about that?

[dave_p]

78. in the biological sense

... politically most were expertly neutered

[calteacherguy]

79. Clinton is still ahead...this is a turning point on DU. nt