Keith Olbermann did a fabulous job moderating the debate tonight.

[Ilsa]

The closest thing to a stupid question was about Barry Bonds, but it was near the end. The questions from the public were wonderful. I think it went pretty well, and a few candidates got too carried away going overtime to make their points.

I didn't watch the after-attacks. Matthews, et al only want to talk about COE (Clinton, Obama, and Edwards).

Thanks KO!!! :kick:

[Cooley Hurd]

1. He sure did!!!

:thumbsup:

[Terri S]

2. yeah... I'm willing to let the Barry Bond thing go...(though I'm still scratching my head on that)

Besides that, he did an awesome job overall!

[AlCzervik]

3. Olbermann is a grown up and that separates him from the crowd of lemmings.

[harun]

13. That's the truth, someone who acts like a grown up is a rare

breed today :-).

[Mutineer]

29. Which is why he asked a question about a child's game?

Baseball and steroids is one of the most important issues facing this country? Since when? It was a stupid question.

[liberalmuse]

4. I agree!

As far as the Barry Bonds question, he is attuned to pop culture, and it seems to be all the discussion these days. I didn't like the last question, but thought Keith was probably the best moderator I've seen for any kind of political debate.

[Berry Cool]

7. Every moderator deserves a light throwaway. That was his. n/t

[movonne]

5. He did a great job and the debates were really great..little more

exciting the the others..

[peace13]

6. I think the candidates knew that they would get a fair shake

with Keith. That let them focus on the questions. Great job!! Now if Tweety would just stuff a sock in it!

[monmouth]

8. We need to again, let MSNBC know what a treasure Keith is....

[Ilsa]

21. Good idea. I need to email them. nt

[Terri S]

9. Tweety's talking to him now

[terip64]

10. kick!

[harun]

11. Yes he did, Keith and MSNBC did a great job tonight (IMHO)

[Debi]

12. Go KO!!!

:bounce:

[bleever]

14. He did a terrific job.

Puts the rest to shame.

[Dawgs]

15. Obama saved that question with his answer.

I thought the worst question was the last one. Who cares when the next candidates start running, when a new President has just been elected? I'm sorry, but that was a really dumb last question.

[malaise]

16. Tweety just said he was great

KO actually got Tweety to discuss health care -damn!! This is a turning point.

[Ilsa]

19. Maybe Tweety is getting a little nervous about KO's political discussion

abilities. He can do more than talk baseball!

The conversation between the two of them an hour or so before the debate was interesting. Tweety was especially gracious to KO.

[malaise]

24. Tweety knows KO is MSM's gravy train

KO alone is responsible for the ratings increase.

[NotGivingUp]

17. He did a fine job. I enjoyed this debate so much more than the first. n/t

[Gregorian]

18. Smooth, sophisticated, intelligent. What we would expect.

No jagged edges. Let them run over a little without spazzing out.

A great man. The kind we all appreciate here.

[Zodiak]

25. Well, Edwards did spazz out

But that was okay...he was on a roll and it worked for him.

[Martin Eden]

20. I didn't like the 30-second time limitations

It's difficult to make a coherent argument or rebuttal on a complex issue in 30 seconds. I thought the candidates were often hurried and practically shouted at times to get their brief point across. IMO the debate really didn't offer the opportunity to explore any issue to the depth that these important issues require.

I would hold a series of debates each focusing on something different -- like foreign policy one night, the economy the next, and a debate just on health care. I would give each candidate equal time to use as he or she pleases -- on the subject of the debate and mostly in response to specific questions. If a candidate had a total of 10 minutes to spend all of it could be spent on a single response if so desired (but then there wouldn't be anything left for other questions or rebuttals).

[Ilsa]

22. Edward R. Murrow-esque. nt

[libnnc]

23. Keethie...

:loveya:

I'm a lesbian...I'm allowed to :swoon:

[Ilsa]

26. I know what you mean. Sometimes it all just transcends gender,

and this is from a middle-aged straight momma. :pals: There are days when I want to mega-hug Rachel Maddow when she's on Countdown.

[libnnc]

28. I have a huge, huge thang for Dr. RM

She's just hawt.

But Keith is *my* Carey Grant.

[bbgrunt]

27. Keith did well, but I was hoping for a

question on impeachment and/or the FISA betrayal.

[Usrename]

31. Yep, me too.

We must be part of that loony far-left that nobody wants anything to do with. :shrug:

[Patsy Stone]

30. Keith rocks

:loveya:

[Alizaryn]

32. He did great!

[lvx35]

33. He was good. I wished he didn't try to get the crowd to not applaud.

That was foolish on a few levels

a) you have thousands of UNION members together in one place and you're asking them not to collectively express themselves.
b) it would look really bad to have our candidates in front of a crowd making rallying statements with the crowd stone dead silent.

Everything else was great.

[yy4me]

34. It is the first debate I have watched that I feel was informative.

Most of them are really wastes of time. Keith was a great moderator. I hope he is asked to do so again. No more of the silly Wolfie type moderators or the stupid questions that for which debates are famous.

[lebkuchen]

35. The feeling I had watching it...

is the same feeling I'm going to have when an intelligent, knowledgeable, and articulate democrat takes the reins of power Jan. 20, 2009 (god, that sounds like a long way off).

Keith puts the *zing* back into American pride.

[screembloodymurder]

36. Best since Rather.

Very professional.