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Another Debate, Another Draw?
Published by Pamela Gentry on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 6:00 am.
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
Posted Feb. 26, 2008 – The 90 minute Democratic debate tonight was packed with detailed policy positioning by Senators Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), but no one landed a decisive knock-out punch.
The only thing certain by the end of the debate – 20 debates are enough.
With the primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont just a week away, the two spared over their health care plans, exiting the war in Iraq and trade. But no new ground was covered on policy, and even they admitted how similar their positions really are.
There were a few memorable exchanges. One came when Clinton balked about the order of question in recent debates, “I find it quit curious I always get the first question,” she noted. “I’m glad to answer,” she added.
Another came when, Obama hinted the New York senator was over reacting to a recent political mailing sent to folks in Ohio by his campaign comparing their health care plans. “Senator Clinton has … constantly sent out negative attacks on us, e-mail, robo-calls, flyers, television ads, radio calls, and we haven’t whined about it because I understand that’s the nature of these campaigns,” he said.
Clinton who fielded the first question of the debate, was able to chat up the topic of health care. The back and forth with Obama gave her an opportunity to highlight her passion on the topic, and gave Obama some of the longest rebuttals of the night.
“It’s been unfortunate that Senator Obama has consistently said that I would force people to have health care whether they could afford it or no,” Clinton said.
Things did get a little tense when Clinton was asked, when she would release her tax returns so folks could see how her campaign was being financed. Clinton loaned her campaign five million dollars leading up to Super Tuesday, and the campaign has since paid her back. She said, donations were the main source of financing, but would release her returns in the near future – nothing firm.
Obama has already turned over his tax returns, so he got a pass on that question. But he was asked if he would be sticking to his pledge for a “publicly financed campaign” if he received the nomination. He didn’t committee one way or the other, and said, if he gets the nomination, he’ll sit down with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and work out what’s “fair” for both candidates.
But mincing words really became evident when the Illinois senator was asked about the recent announcement by Nation of Islam leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan that he supported Obama’s candidacy for president. Obama responded, that he “denounced” Farrakhan’s anti-Semitic comments and in no way supports the views of the outspoken religious leader.
Clinton chimed in about a similar endorsement she received during her senate race from an anti-Semitic group in New York, citing that she that she “rejected” their support.
“If Senator Clinton feels that ‘reject’ is stronger than the word ‘denounce,’ then I’m happy to concede the point, and I would reject and denounce” Farrakhan’s support,” Obama said.
At the end of the debate each was asked if they had any regrets during their years of public service; Clinton for the first time admitted regretting her vote to support the war in Iraq.
Obama said he regretted his in-action to stop the Senate’s involvement in Terri Schiavo case. Shiavo is the women who had been in a coma for close to a decade when her husband wanted to have her removed from life support. Congress stepped in and approved legislation that would allow a federal court to intervene in the medical decision by Schiavo’s family that would end her life.
This debate could be the last the candidates will face off and was important for them as they lead up to the March 4 primaries. Clinton’s goal was to curb Obama’s momentum. Obama has won the last 11 contest and new polls are giving him an added advantage. A national survey by CBS News/New York Times has Obama leading Clinton 54 percent to 38 percent among Democrats.
A Rasmussen Reports survey released on Tuesday showed Obama cutting into Clinton’s lead in Ohio, and last week polls in Texas showed the two tied. Clinton’s once double digit lead among Ohio Democrats is now only five points with 48 percent to Obama’s 43 percent.
Obama has no idea what he is getting himself into. We are all screwed if him or Hiliary gets in there so who cares. Obama is gona really $$~@? our economy up more then it is. He is a good talker yes but has nuthing to back it up. Hiliary well im sure all u guys can say enough of how better off we are without her. The only good thing Obama will do is show black kids who are basically raised to think they cant be anything in this world cuz white people are sooo bad and runs to the streets to become a wanna b gangster that you can actually truly be some1 in this world but u have to go to school and do it the right way nuthing is given to u and the complaning needs to stop
John, with all due respect what are you talking about? HOw will Obama ?%*%? the economy? What is it now?
Moreover, didnt know the executive branch could make economic laws soely without legislative confirmation. Currently we are spending $9billion dollars a month on the war in Iraq. $9 billion. We are 3 trillion dollars in debt. $3 trillion. We only pulling $1 trillion dollars in taxes. WHere are we getting the money under the GOP to pay for it? In addition to yours and mine pockets, the CHinese and other foreign governments who own our debt. Thats seem screwed up to me, what you think? More foreign entities in our welfare.
What Obama is efforting to do, is to reward companies to bring factories home. To repel some NAFTA agreements to bring higher paying jobs back to America’s heartland. Bring troops back home, that should save a few billion dollars a month. Moreover, look for more industry creation to create more cash generation for our pockets. If you want to know the facts. Read it. http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/
Obama 08
QBAMA 4 PRESIDENT GO BARACK!!!!!!!!!!
Tony,
It’s unfortunate that you think that way because I have noticed and change in things like education for instance. I’ve noticed that when I was in school (during the Clinton era) we where focusing on normal school work. That’s not to say that things where any better back then because the system was still bias and we did receive adequate funds to get new books or computer labs. However now all the kids do is prepare for standardizes test (thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act, thanks to Bush). We are also at war now which we may not have been if a more sensible president would have been in charge not to mention the Privacy Act. So I believe that there are some substantial thinks that effect our everyday lives. Some changes are a little less obvious then others.
Obama- 08
To all the Hilary supporters,
I am glad you feel that you are making an informed decision however I have a question to pose.
Do you really want a president that votes for war today and then regret it several years and lost lives later?
This tells me that instead of looking at the big picture and analyzing the long term effect of the war she acted on raw emotion. Can America afford this type of decision-making? (scary)
Obama- 08
EX-PRES. BILL CLINTON SAID IN AN INTERVIEW THAT WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR PRES. THE PRESS/MEDIA LOVED HIM AND GORE BECAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT “HOPE.” THEN ONCE ELECTED THE SAME MEDIA FOLK TURNED ON HIM, AND DID ALL THEY COULD TO FIND DIRT ON HIM…HE WARNED, THEY (MEDIA) WILL TURN ON OBAMA JUST LIKE THEY DID HIM. HE WAS GREAT TO THE PRESS AND THEN LATER DIRT TO THE PRESS. LET’S SEE HOW SOON NEGATIVE INFORMATION COMES PUT ABOUT OBAMA AND HIS PAST, HIS LIFE IN AFRICA, HOW & WHAT HE VOTED ON WHILE A SENATOR IN ILLINOIS, HOW HE IS INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH, ETC.I THINK THE REPUB. ARE GOING TO ATTACK OBAMA NOT HILARY….LET’S SEE
Either way it gose, this country will not have a white guy for President come the November elections. It will be either Obama or Hillary cleaning up Bush’s mess for the last 8yrs. One thing we need to be concerned with is these racist a-holes that want to do harm to either of the two for being black or being a woman. This country will see change, God willing.
Me personally. I am backing Obama, not just because he is black, but because I like his views and ideas of how to get this country out of the trouble it’s currently in now and bringing my fellow military brothers and sisters home from Iraq.
will you all get off this media bias against hillary(have ya’ll read my last post?) none of these guys complained when she was the ‘ineveitable’ candidate and they knew who they were going up against. the media practically decided the election for us even before the iowa caucus. it’s even ironic that the press seems optimistic about her comeback. HILLARY AND HER SUPPORTERS STOP WHINNING!!!!!!!!
John,
Please if you do not have facts to substantiate your foolish rhetoric please keep it to yourself. It’s time to grow up and get serious.
Johns mind has been ravaged by Hillary’s psychological strap-on. He has been hoodwinked. Research brother… RESEARCH! KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Right now you aren’t standing on your own two, you are soaking up Hillary’s conniving smear tactics; Thus you are plummeting into an iniquitous abyss! just because your dominatrix says it, doesn’t make it so. Reading is Fundamental John.
some of the children who play on here should go back to playing with their CHOO CHOO. hopefully we read fully what someone writes before we respond.
JOHN doesn’t even like HILLARY either from what i gather. so…?
I have no idea on who’s writing these articles for BET, but someone need to do a better job in proofing it. There are so many grammatical errors, it’s a bit distracting and disappointing to read.
kris. John is a conniving manipulative Amazon Supporter just like YOU. Like YOU he refuses to acknowledge what is readily available to him if he would just conduct some thorough RESEARCH and LISTEN to what is said; not what he wants to hear. Blissful ignorance is PATHETIC!
I hope the US is ready for another repubican in office because everyone is so caught up in winning they are losing sight of what’s going on. The Dems or divided by two candidates running on basically the same platform. Many people I’ve talked to says they are going to vote JM if their person does not make it to the general election.
Congrats to the republican party!
shelkev
The dems.are not devided,infact the dems. are happy with both candidates.What is going on now is nothing less than a interviewing process.The bottom line is whoever wins the nomination members of the Democratic party will vote for because of fear of John (100 more years of war) McCain or any other republican who is so delusional as too think they can “win” the quagmire in Iraq.
Speak for yourself. The Dems. are NOT happy with both candidates. Millions of blacks will stay home in November and NOT VOTE AT ALL in PROTEST, if Hillary is allowed to STEAL this nomination, like Bush stole the Presidency in 2000.
Dem. White Males who have heavily supported Obama will cross and vote Republican if Hillary steals the Nomination.
Hillary is divisive and is not liked at all by millions of people. We don’t want Hillary at all on the ticket. Hillary on the ticket would bring the momentum down. Obama is so positive and she is so negative. Hillary should not even be V.P. The Presidency is far-fetched for Hillary.
No diapers in the White House!!!
Obama ‘08
Thanks Mikki Angelo!
It’s unfortunate but true. Giving the attack adds, Hillary has lost the liitle respect I had for her. Not to mention the fact that she is playing on peoples fears to get them to vote for her. Can someone tell me the reason for darkening Obama’s picture in the flyers she is distributing in PA?
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