Debate Night

I realize that I may be one of a few who watched the democratic Presidential Debate last night. So I feel that it is my duty to go over it with you a bit.

1) April 2007 is way to early for a presidential debate. But if your gonna have one this early, al east get out there and make it exciting. Brian Williams was more spontaneous - and that guy is literally made of cardboard.

2) Thank God for Mike Gravel - this guy is totally insane! Never answered the question he was asked, but boy can he yell! He is willing to pull out all the "old coot" rhetoric too, the "I won't hold my opponents youth and inexperience against them" stick. Never mind that he only served 2 terms in the Senate. Back in the 70's and 80's. This guy will make these debates worth watching, until the top tier candidates stop coming because, well...for some reason politicians think crazy is contagious.

3) No one was answering the questions. I hate that about debates. Particularly when there are 8 candidates. It's bad enough to have tow people not answering the question, but when all 8 answer a different question and then try to explain why they are answering a different question - well, some car crashes I saw on tour come to mind.

4) Email questions of the candidates? Really? Really.

5) I will now attempt something the candidates did not seem to be able to do: Follow directions.

I will make a "blank and blank" statement about my impression of each candidate's over all performance (feel free to add your own.)

FMR Sen Mike Gravel (Alaska) Loud and Crazy
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) Genuine and unelectable outside of Cleveland
Sen. Joe Biden (Delaware) Brief and a suck up
Sen Barak Obama (Illinois) Sounds Good and Says Little
FMR Sen. John Edwards (North Carolina) Relaxed and Contemplative (usually this disqualifies one to run for president though)
Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York) Quasi-Visionary and Repetitive
Sen Chris Dodd (Connecticut) Present and ,uh...Present?
Gov. Bill Richardson (New Mexico) Sure of his Identity and Eager to answer everyone else's question.

I saw an AOL poll this morning that had Obama winning the debate 31% to Clinton's 30%. Edwards was down at 14%. Frankly from what I saw, Kucinich did the best in terms of a debate, followed closely by Edwards, Obama, and Clinton to a certain extent. But I find these AOL polls to be a good barometer of what "real" people in America are thinking. I mean, they still use a terrible internet provider or they are stuck like me with an address they have had so long it make no sense to change it. So idiots and practical people - that sound like the American People to me. There is also this Survey USA poll, which has Obama with the same numbers but Clinton further down. Though the fact that Edwards and Obama polled well with Republicans is interesting.

All in all I'd say - no change. Edwards and Clinton will have to do something in the next, oh say...9 months to kill Obama's momentum, with out killing the party.