On the Nevada Democratic presidential debate
I don't know whether anyone is interested in my opinions on tonight's debate, but bloggers are expected to write about politics, right?
Background: I'm registered as a nonpartisan. I supported Edwards in 2004 and still do. I attended his town hall meeting at the Grand Sierra Resort at the end of last year, but I have not followed the campaign closely since then. I was still burned out from 2004. I'm tuning in now because it's not long until the caucuses and because the candidates finally came to Nevada to debate. I tell you all this in case I reveal here that I'm surprised by something the candidates have been doing all year. (Don't worry—I know I can't participate in our caucus.) Please forgive me for using a high school newspaper format for my review.
Best arguments: A tie between two Obama-Clinton exchanges. One was when Obama said Clinton's plan to mandate health insurance would not help people who could not afford it and Clinton responded that she would give them a tax break so they could afford it. Unless I'm missing something here, I'm with Obama. You can't take a tax deduction, or get a tax credit, on an item you didn't have the money to spend on in the first place. Clinton didn't argue with Obama's characterization of her plan, so I'm assuming it was accurate. Isn't Clinton using a Republican argument?
The other was about removing the cap from Social Security taxes at $97,500. Clinton referred to that as hurting the middle class, Obama informed her that people who earn more than $97,500 a year are in the top 6% of income and not middle class, and Clinton argued with him, making a reference to "different parts of the country." (Obviously not the part of the country in which we're debating tonight, Barack. Don't mind us, Nevadans. Talk amongst yourselves while we argue about fire fighters and school supervisors who make more than $97,500 a year in other parts of the country.)
Biggest disappointment: Not enough air time for Edwards.
Best line: "We will not change this country if we replace corporate Republicans with corporate Democrats." (Edwards)
Second best line: "Think about what it would be like if we had a president who got it right the first time." (Kucinich)
Best underdog: Kucinich.
Dumbest line: Clinton accusing Edwards of mudslinging when he pointed out contradictions in what she's said lately (obviously rehearsed).
Most overlooked issue: The economy.
Biggest blowhard: Richardson (I still kind of like him).
CNN's biggest insult to Nevadans: Scheduling the debate for 5 p.m., when many of us were just getting off work, walking out to our vehicles, and driving home. Sure, they reran it at 8, but if the debate was about us and our early caucus, why should we get the cold left-overs the one time the debate is held here?
Biggest surprise: No one slipped up and said "Nevahda."
Most puzzling pronunciation: "Suzahn" for "Suzanne" (Malveaux, the in-audience reporter). Yet I also heard it pronounced the way it's spelled at least once. Did the Nevada/Nevahda training confuse everyone?
Best (only?) secret nod to Nevadans: Obama's comment that illegal immigrants don't come here to drive to In 'n' Out Burgers.
Newest euphemism: When did they change the terminology from "a woman's right to choose (to kill her baby until the moment of birth)" to "a woman's right to privacy"? There: now you know where I stand on abortion. But that issue alone will not get me to vote for any current Republican politician.
Most pre-rehearsed (and oddly out-of-context) points: Clinton. Runner-up: Richardson. (OK, Edwards' "corporate Republican/corporate Democrat" line must have been well rehearsed.)
Most unfair questions: Wolf Blitzer's. They were the equivalent of "Are you still beating your wife?" or "If both your wife and your mother fell out of your boat, which would you save?" with only one-word answers allowed. That doesn't serve voters who are trying to learn about the candidates' positions.
Second most unfair question, also the dumbest and the biggest waste of time: "Which do you prefer, diamonds or pearls?" (From a student in the audience, directed to Clinton only)
Best showing: As much as I like Edwards, I have to give this one to Obama (whom I never liked very well before).
UPDATE (11/17/07): I have just corrected the paragraph about the Obama-Clinton exchange on Social Security taxes. The correct cap is $97,500. I apologize for my error.
UPDATE (11/28/07): Dennis Myers has also commented on the final question (which I named "second most unfair," etc. above) in the Reno News and Review. He went to the extra effort of visiting the student's MySpace page and getting her side of the story. He learned CNN told her to ask a question like that and wouldn't let her ask a serious question.
Background: I'm registered as a nonpartisan. I supported Edwards in 2004 and still do. I attended his town hall meeting at the Grand Sierra Resort at the end of last year, but I have not followed the campaign closely since then. I was still burned out from 2004. I'm tuning in now because it's not long until the caucuses and because the candidates finally came to Nevada to debate. I tell you all this in case I reveal here that I'm surprised by something the candidates have been doing all year. (Don't worry—I know I can't participate in our caucus.) Please forgive me for using a high school newspaper format for my review.
Best arguments: A tie between two Obama-Clinton exchanges. One was when Obama said Clinton's plan to mandate health insurance would not help people who could not afford it and Clinton responded that she would give them a tax break so they could afford it. Unless I'm missing something here, I'm with Obama. You can't take a tax deduction, or get a tax credit, on an item you didn't have the money to spend on in the first place. Clinton didn't argue with Obama's characterization of her plan, so I'm assuming it was accurate. Isn't Clinton using a Republican argument?
The other was about removing the cap from Social Security taxes at $97,500. Clinton referred to that as hurting the middle class, Obama informed her that people who earn more than $97,500 a year are in the top 6% of income and not middle class, and Clinton argued with him, making a reference to "different parts of the country." (Obviously not the part of the country in which we're debating tonight, Barack. Don't mind us, Nevadans. Talk amongst yourselves while we argue about fire fighters and school supervisors who make more than $97,500 a year in other parts of the country.)
Biggest disappointment: Not enough air time for Edwards.
Best line: "We will not change this country if we replace corporate Republicans with corporate Democrats." (Edwards)
Second best line: "Think about what it would be like if we had a president who got it right the first time." (Kucinich)
Best underdog: Kucinich.
Dumbest line: Clinton accusing Edwards of mudslinging when he pointed out contradictions in what she's said lately (obviously rehearsed).
Most overlooked issue: The economy.
Biggest blowhard: Richardson (I still kind of like him).
CNN's biggest insult to Nevadans: Scheduling the debate for 5 p.m., when many of us were just getting off work, walking out to our vehicles, and driving home. Sure, they reran it at 8, but if the debate was about us and our early caucus, why should we get the cold left-overs the one time the debate is held here?
Biggest surprise: No one slipped up and said "Nevahda."
Most puzzling pronunciation: "Suzahn" for "Suzanne" (Malveaux, the in-audience reporter). Yet I also heard it pronounced the way it's spelled at least once. Did the Nevada/Nevahda training confuse everyone?
Best (only?) secret nod to Nevadans: Obama's comment that illegal immigrants don't come here to drive to In 'n' Out Burgers.
Newest euphemism: When did they change the terminology from "a woman's right to choose (to kill her baby until the moment of birth)" to "a woman's right to privacy"? There: now you know where I stand on abortion. But that issue alone will not get me to vote for any current Republican politician.
Most pre-rehearsed (and oddly out-of-context) points: Clinton. Runner-up: Richardson. (OK, Edwards' "corporate Republican/corporate Democrat" line must have been well rehearsed.)
Most unfair questions: Wolf Blitzer's. They were the equivalent of "Are you still beating your wife?" or "If both your wife and your mother fell out of your boat, which would you save?" with only one-word answers allowed. That doesn't serve voters who are trying to learn about the candidates' positions.
Second most unfair question, also the dumbest and the biggest waste of time: "Which do you prefer, diamonds or pearls?" (From a student in the audience, directed to Clinton only)
Best showing: As much as I like Edwards, I have to give this one to Obama (whom I never liked very well before).
UPDATE (11/17/07): I have just corrected the paragraph about the Obama-Clinton exchange on Social Security taxes. The correct cap is $97,500. I apologize for my error.
UPDATE (11/28/07): Dennis Myers has also commented on the final question (which I named "second most unfair," etc. above) in the Reno News and Review. He went to the extra effort of visiting the student's MySpace page and getting her side of the story. He learned CNN told her to ask a question like that and wouldn't let her ask a serious question.
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