YouTube Debate Quick Afterthoughts
by Ryan Sager
Mon, 23 Jul 2007 at 9:37 PM
updated Mon, 23 Jul 2007 at 9:38 PM
I came into the YouTube debate a skeptic (liveblog here). But, after watching it, I think it was the best Democratic debate so far. I was afraid it would be all questioners-personifying-their-questions (sick people on health care, immigrants on immigration, squirrels on deforestation, etc.) — and there was some of that. But there were also a lot of insightful and abstract questions, such as: on the use of the term liberal, on whether Obama and Hillary are black and feminine enough (respectively), and on whether two families should dominate the executive branch for 24 or 28 years.
So, that said, let me quickly touch on the biggest gaffes and brightest spots of the night...
Biggest gaffes:
* Obama splashing right into saying he'd meet with a rogue's gallery of unfortunate world leaders face-to-face in his first year in office. It gave Hillary the chance to dive in after him and discuss why you don't just make such sweeping concessions to your enemies in return for ... nothing. It made it seem like, despite his eloquence, Obama really belongs in the kiddie pool for now. Too green.
* Edwards insulting Hillary's outfit. I mean, Jesus Christ.
* Biden's obnoxious response when he insulted the gun owner toward the end as being nuts. It wasn't so much a personal gaffe as a moment that projected an ugly image of the Democratic Party as out of touch with rural voters and gun owners — big problems the party has been trying to overcome. He got a huge cheer from the audience, but that just compounded the problem.
Brightest moments:
* Clinton's forthright disavowal of the term "liberal," because Republicans have made it a dirty word in the minds of voters. She may have just put that term entirely in the past (at least in its Ted Kennedy-bashing usage) and formalized the switch to "progressive." Now it's time for the Republicans to make that a dirty word in the minds of voters.
* YouTube and CNN finding a black, southern Baptist minister who supports gay marriage to grill John Edwards on the topic. That was just ... improbable.
* Obama defusing the pomposity behind a few common Democratic poses. This charmed the heck out of me, so maybe I'm a sucker. But I loved it when Obama made clear that a U.S. senator sending his kids to public school was nothing to brag about — because obviously they would have access to the best public schools and were making absolutely no sacrifice. Similarly, he said that of course he'd work as president for minimum wage — but that any candidate on that stage could do so because they're all filthy rich (not Romney rich, he added, but rich). It was just refreshing. Now, sure, it's a pose in its own way (sort of a Democratic Straight Talk Express). But it's a disarming one.
So, that's all for now, as debate fatigue overwhelms me. As always, it's time for the crackpot candidates to go. Mike Gravel used every minute of his time to moan that he didn't have more time. Send this guy packing. And Kucinich is just a waste of space. Same goes for Dodd. Biden's entertaining, and Richardson is a potential VP. Otherwise, it's time to shift the focus to the Big Three.
UPDATE: P.S., the Giuliani camp notes there was, as predicted, no mention of "Islamic terrorists."
Related Topics: Dem Primary
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