Wolf Blizter made a complete ass of himself on the Driver's license questioning. Obama did well.

[calteacherguy]

Obama's answer was straighforward and complete. He did a good job of putting the issue in context, while at the same time reaffirming that he supports giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants at the state level to deal with public safety.

OBAMA: When I was a state senator in Illinois, I voted to

require that illegal aliens get trained, get a license, get insurance

to protect public safety. That was my intention.

(APPLAUSE)

And -- but I have to make sure that people understand. The

problem we have here is not driver's licenses. Undocumented workers

do not come here to drive.

(LAUGHTER...Obama is really working the crowd here, they are laughing with him, not at him. This is clear in the video)

They don't go -- they're not coming here to go to the In-N-Out

Burger. That's not the reason they're here. They're here to work.

And so instead of being distracting by what has now become a wedge

issue, let's focus on actually solving the problem that this

administration, the Bush administration, had done nothing about it.

BLITZER: Well, let's go through everybody because I want to be

precise. I want to make sure the viewers and those of us who are here

fully understand all of your positions on this barring -- avoiding,

assuming -- there isn't going to be comprehensive immigration reform.

Do you support or oppose driver's licenses for illegal

immigrants?

OBAMA: I am not proposing that that's what we do. (NOTE: He's not proposing we don't have comprehensive immigration reform. This is the one part of Obama's answer that could have been more clear in an otherwise excellent response).

OBAMA: What I'm saying is that we can't...

(LAUGHTER...this from the rude and obnoxius Clinton supporters in the audience.)

No, no, no, no. Look, I have already said, I support the notion

that we have to deal with public safety and that driver's licenses at

the state level can make that happen. (THAT IS A "YES" ANSWER!)

But what I also know...

BLITZER: All right...

OBAMA: But what I also know, Wolf, is that if we keep on getting

distracted by this problem, then we are not solving it.

BLITZER: But -- because this is the kind of question that is

sort of available for a yes or no answer. (NOTE: OBAMA ALREADY GAVE A "YES ANSWER...SEE BOLD PRINT ABOVE!)

(LAUGHTER from rude and obnoxius Clinton supporters in audience)

Either you support it or you oppose it.


NObeliefs.com/jefferson.htm

Wolf Blitzer is an ass, and it shows.

[MethuenProgressive]

1. Obama made an ass out of himself.

Blaming the questioner? How sad.

[calteacherguy]

2. I completely disagree. I think he gave a clear answer to the question.

And Blizter refused to acknowledge that fact.

[MethuenProgressive]

7. He babbled on for three paragraphs - to a yes or no question.

He loves hearing himself speak, that's evident.

[calteacherguy]

10. He put his "yes" answer in context. Are people not allowed to think at debates? nt

[MethuenProgressive]

He never thought about it before the debate? How inexperienced of him.

Next semester perhaps he'll be better prepared.

[calteacherguy]

17. It was clear to me he had thought it through in great detail before the debate.

I was referring to the rude Clinton supporters allowing themselves an opportunity to think. Clearly, that's not what they came for.

[Mojorabbit]

21. No, he just

refused to give a soundbite answer. He put it in context. I am not an obama supporter but he gave a good and thoughtful answer here.

[LSparkle]

3. Just like his hero GWB ... "This is a yes or no question ... "

Right or wrong. Good or evil. With us or agin us. Yes or no. His trying to turn every question into a bumpersticker reminded me of pretzeldent.

[calteacherguy]

4. TOTAL incompetence as a debate "moderator."

He was clearly trying to create the reality he wanted to create, regardless of what the candidates were saying.

He wasn't listening for anything except what he wanted to hear.

[msongs]

5. of course you can prove all the laughter was rude AND obnoxious AND from hillary fans?

the obamanuts are always whacking clinton for equivocating and not giving straight answers. This dialog from Obama is a lesson in hemming and hawing.

Msongs

[calteacherguy]

6. His answer was straightforward and put in context. nt

[BootinUp]

8. I must say this is a ridiculous thread.

CNN was pretty fair with the time for each candidate (relative to other debates) Certainly Obama had plenty of time to clarify his answers. The issue is Obama couldn't say YES without a BUT. Get over it, he made a rookie mistake when that was the very thing he was attacking Clinton for over the last 3 weeks and in this very debate.

[calteacherguy]

9. I completely disagee. The debate was very poorly moderated.

With a clear bias in the questioning. Blitzer implied Obama hadn't answered clearly when he had.

[BootinUp]

11. YES...BUT!!!!!!!! bla bla bla. Even the audience nailed him before Blitzer

said a fucking thing.

LOL. You can't spin out of this one.

[MethuenProgressive]

12. Obama was doing exactly what he attacked Clinton for allegedly doing.

And when the audience laughed at him, and he lost all composure.
I felt sorry for him, a little.

[calteacherguy]

14. No he wasn't, really.

He was quite clear he supported driver's licenses at the state level for public safety. Clinton dodged that question. If Blitzer had any compentence at all he would have called her on it last night. It took her three weeks to come up with an answer.

[calteacherguy]

13. You mean the rude and obnoxius Clinton supporters who didn't want to let him finish?

I will grant you there was a large contigent of Clinton supporters in the crowd...much more percentage wise than in Iowa at the present moment, but I'm not going to let their rude vocalizations affect my analysis.

[BootinUp]

15. You can choose to evaluate the response that way

that is fine. Its a bit self serving though and without any basis in fact. These were people who obviously have been following the primary and were shocked at what they heard, hence the spontaneous laughter.

[calteacherguy]

16. They weren't shocked, they were delighted and ready to pounce on any opportunity

to laugh at any of the other frontrunners beside Clinton. It was clearly a disproportionately pro-Clinton crowd.

Everything will change after Iowa. Everything.

[depakid]

18. Classic lawyer's blunder

Know when to stop talking. He answered the question with his first statement:

"When I was a state senator in Illinois, I voted to require that illegal aliens get trained, get a license, get insurance to protect public safety."

Next question.

[Clintonista2]

19. I felt embarassed for him, listening to him answer that one.

He completely butchered a softball question.

[calteacherguy]

20. I think you've already shared your "embarassment" several times.

Bottom line is Hillray flip-flopped from WHATEVER it was she was saying in the last debate to an absolute NO, whereas Obama has been consistent on this.

[mtnsnake]

22. Barack had one of those homina homina moments that we all have nightmares about

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

24. Thank you. None of our candidates should have to address drivers licenses

That is a STATE issue. If we had a federal license (which I could see some justification for but that's another subject) then it would be relevant for a Presidential candidate.