The AFL-CIO Democratic Debate
by Ryan Sager
Tue, 7 Aug 2007 at 7:07 PM
updated Tue, 7 Aug 2007 at 7:48 PM
The Democrats are debating tonight in Chicago, at a forum sponsored by the AFL-CIO and broadcast by MSNBC:
7:03: Senators Dodd and Clinton give shout outs to the trapped miners in Utah. Remember, this is a labor forum.
7:05: Apparently infrastructure isn't about safety, it's about jobs for union workers.
7:08: This is a rowdy crowd. They're not going to hold their applause
7:11: Biden: "I can hardly wait to debate Rudy Giuliani on the issue of whether we're safer or not. ... Republicans have been irresponsible about our infrastructure."
7:13: Edwards: "We don't want to change one group of insiders for a different group of insiders." Direct shot at Hillary. He also said the change hasn't happened in the last few decades. Who was president in he 1990s again?
7:14: Edwards refers back to the DailyKos debate where he asked whether the candidates would forgo lobbyist money — Hillary defended lobbyists. The crowd roars, though.
7:19: Clinton says NAFTA has hurt workers because of the way it's been implemented. A real pander here to labor, bashing President Clinton's trade agreement. She's promising more prosecution of other countries for not opening their markets and "real trade assistance."
7:21: Obama says he would immediately call the presidents of Mexico and Canada to try to amend NAFTA with labor protections. (There he goes meeting with enemy leaders again. Also, Canada has a prime minister.)
7:25: Kucinich gets huge applause by promising to — in his first week in office — pull America out of NAFTA and the WTO. The house almost comes down as Keith Olbermann tries to regain some modicum of control.
7:26: Olbermann brings it back to Hillary, who's been attacked a bit in this round of trade questions. Clinton: "I want a united Democratic Party that will stand against the Republicans. And I will say that for 15 years I've stood up against the right-wing machine and I've come out stronger. So, if you want a winner, who knows how to take them on, I'm your girl." It was clearly a canned line. But the audience ate it up.
7:38: Obama on Iraq: "Look, if we had followed my judgment originally, we wouldn't have been in Iraq. We're here now, and we've got no good options. We've got bad options and worse options." We get it. You opposed the war.
7:39: Clinton: I have a three-point plan to get out of Iraq. It begins with redeploying our troops out of Iraq. Second, we've got to apply pressure to the Iraqi government. Third, we need an intensive diplomatic effort in the region.
7:49: Clinton on Obama's Pakistan statements: "You can think big, but remember: You shouldn't always say everything you think, if you're running for president, because it can have consequences across the world and we don't need that right now." Hillary gets the biggest boo of the night. (PS: Someone call Rudy Giuliani. Hillary Clinton got in the words "Islamic extremists.")
7:56: The first question is a relative of a miner killed in the accident last year. Joe Biden gets the question, ignores it, and starts talking about Pakistan.
8:03: Edwards: "Who was with you in crunch time? ... Who will stand with you when it really matters?"
8:15: This crowd is really not into candidates ignoring their questions. If a candidate goes off topic at all, or goes back to the last question for a moment, they're greeted with wild booing. Intense.
8:20: Richardson: "My vice president would not be Dick Cheney." Controversial.
8:21 Clinton gives a better response on the lobbyist question: "I believe we've got to have fundamental reform in Washington." It's less honest, but more politic.
8:24: Biden would consider a Republican for Homeland Security or the Pentagon. Too bad he won't be president.
8:25: Dodd says it's a "tragedy" that Homeland Security employees are not allowed to organize. I think this may just be the pander of the night.
8:33: Clinton: "We're going to try to do national heath care, as soon as we get in there."
8:36: And, with Dennis Kucinich ranting about spending 7 years in the White House, it all comes to a close.
Related Topics: Dem Primary
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