AARP debate on C-Span

[eissa]

Did anyone else catch this last night? Was it posted on DU somewhere that I've missed? I caught it right in the middle and was kicking myself for missing the first half. However, after only a few minutes it became apparent that I didn't miss much. I think these debates are really geared towards the undecided (obviously!) A lot of what was said was stuff most of us on DU have already heard.

In any case, here's my soundbite take on it, for what little it's worth: (I'll apologize now if this has already been posted elsewhere).

Kerry: Dean, Dean, Dean! My God! The man doesn't let up! He mentioned Dean's name IN EVERY RESPONSE! And he appeared bitter. Ok, ok, I know I'm going to get it from the Kerry people. I'm sorry folks, it's just my interpretation of his performance last night.

Gephardt: Went after Dean as well, of course, but not as much as Kerry, and actually seemed a little gracious towards him in the end.

Lieberman: Yawn. Why the hell is he still running? I just want to chop my arm off and beat myself senseless with it while he's talking.

Clark: Nice!! Stuck to the issues, seems passionate about why he's in this race. Very good performance.

Edwards: So-so. Nothing exciting here.

Dean: Fab-u-lous! For most of us Dean supporters, it was the same message we've already heard. Tried to stick to the issues in between the snide remarks constantly being made about him; at one point it looked like they (the insults) were taking a toll, but then he just started to smile each time his name was mentioned.

[Egnever]

1. Saw it

Kerry is definately still all dean all the time.

Lieberman is becoming comical.

Clark did fine I thought but I am starting to think he has a hands problem.

Edwards did fine also.

Ghep was ok but a little too much bush and not enough of him.

Dean... did ok. I am starting to be concerned about his ability in debates. He has a great message and should be able to stay on message better. The attacks seem to get him flustered like he cant decide wheather to adress the attacks or answer the question asked. He needs to work on it.

Over all it was a lame debate I thought too focused on one issue and a ton of repetition in everyones answers. Wheres were Kucinich Braun and Sharpton BTW?

It was nice with 6 instead of 9 things seemed to stay focused a little better.

But over all a real yawner debate if you ask me. Lots of pie in the sky promises from everyone. I have the best plan...No I have the best plan! ... We all have great plans! blah blah blah.

I think health care is an important issue but reality is no ones plan will make it through congress as is so its all BS. Why waste time on it. Give us your general goal and lets move on.

[FrenchieCat]

10. Yea, Clark has a hand problem alright!!

He was shot in one of them.

[AP]

2. So everybody sucked except Dean?

One thing that confused me about your post was that you said, "I'll apologize now if this has already been posted elsewhere."

You've simply posted your opinion. Did you think that someone else might have posted your opinion without you knowing about it? Unless you have posted your opinion already, what you've written hasn't been posted before.

[Egnever]

3. Cranky this morning?

did you see the debate?

[eissa]

4. Chill

And reread the post; I praised Clark as well. Did I praise Dean more? Yeah, I'm biased towards him, I'll admit. And I meant to apologize if a thread on the debate had already been started elsewhere.

I agree Egnever, the debate was not the best I've seen. I think the best one so far was the Planned Parenthood one. Cordial atmosphere, less candidates so more time to talk. There was nothing new in this one.

[chimpymustgo]

5. Dean gets killed in the cutaway shots.

Whenever the camera cuts to him when someone else is talking, Dean looks like he's fuming, about to explode.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. He's easy pickings in that regard

he's seems to be quite the sideshow for the split-screen fans.

[dsc]

12. It could be that he was unsure of what the rules for this is

In GD it is cleary not permitted to post your opinion in a seperate thread on the same issue. It also could be considered a dupe here as well.

[drfemoe]

7. I was watching the Kennedy special

off and on ..

You should have seen (all those years ago) a very young Bobby Kennedy, seated at a two man debate during the democratic primary.
The other guy was pointing at Kennedy and yelling about how if his last name was "Moore" you wouldn't know anything about him. He was really in his face. Robert had been coached to 'remain calm', no matter what. He sat on the stool with his eyes focused downward. Finally he started writing some notes as the other guy screeched on and on. Robert Kennedy became an overnight favorite. The other guy, can't remember his name?

Let them point at Gov Dean, MD.

:spank:

[Fleshdancer]

8. I missed it

but cspan will probably run it again. Is it true that AARP members actually booed the AARP? It was reported on The Note (abc.com's daily political read)

Can anyone here who saw the debate confirm this?

[eissa]

9. I didn't hear any,

but C-Span's audio is kinda funny sometimes (the JJ Dinner in Iowa, for example.)

There's another thread just started regarding the debate and the analysis had Dean and Edwards doing well, with Kerry at the bottom. I guess the writer must have been drinking kool-aid when he wrote that :eyes:

Dean, Dean, Dean
Marsha, Marsha, Marsha

[FrenchieCat]

11. I saw it.....

It was not the best debate I've seen. Dean did seem like he was fuming, especially when Gephardt or Kerry was talking. At one point, while Gephardt was talking about Dean and medicare, Dean started shaking his head....not too presidential.

Kerry has by now stolen most of Clark's lines. Also said he does best in all of the polls in beating Bush. Big lie or looking at really, really old poll numbers (from this summer maybe?)

Edwards stole Clark's "Vision" thing. But since he said his after Wes had said his, it was painfully obvious.