July 23, 2007 6:54
LIVEBLOGGING: Debating the Tubes
Where I'm not:
7:00 PM: That man's facial hair does not represent my view.
7:01 PM: "We're not sure how this is going to work," says Anderson. CNN, your home for breaking news.
7:02 PM: Using kids to ask "adult questions" -- I believe that's someone on the Giuliani campaign's job.
7:04 PM: FIRST QUESTION. "The issues don't matter if nothing gets done... beyond the platitudes...how are you going to get anything done?" It's the same question that every interviewer has asked every candidate since the second one, but the camera moves were VERY MTV and he sort of threw in some "dudes" and whatnot. This debate is different!
7:06 PM: Also, Obama is different. He says so.
7:07 PM: A Kucinich question. Apparently he's anti-war.
7:09 PM: Clinton, ready to lead on day one.
I think I'm just going to set up some macros.
7:09 PM: Also, Obama: for change. (I haven't even set up the macros yet!)
7:10 PM: Creepy smile from Rob! I think he's going to start downloading Hello Kitty slash fiction after the camera goes off. And now, an etymology lesson from Hillary. Apparently, "liberal" used to mean something different. So did gay! Anyway, she's a "progressive." For some reason, Cooper tosses to Gravel who is now making crazy talk about bundlers and EWWWWWW extreme closeup! Obama now slapping back: did you know he's for change? Oh, wait, sorry, he's shown leadership.
7:13 PM: An actual good question. (What GOPer would you choose for veep?) Ruined by the answer, though how much do we love the idea of BIDEN/HAGEL in 08? We love it like Hello Kitty slash fiction, that's how much.
7:14 PM: Edwards: something about change.
7:15 PM: Funny self-deprecation from Chris Dodd! He's old and that's FUNNY.
7:16 PM: Reparations? The questioner suspects that candidates will dodge. Edwards... does not! He is against reparations but totally is against rich people that aren't him. Also: change.
7:17 PM: Obama: something about "corridors of shame" -- again, I believe that's the Giuliani folk's bailiwick. Seriously, he hearts the schools. Children are our future.
7:20 PM: Katrina should have been responded to "ahead of time," which sounds like Dodd is so old he actually knows the future, but maybe he is just referring to the whole "HUGE MASSIVE STORM TO HIT NEW ORLEANS" warnings.
7:21 PM: "i forgot richardson was there" emails a friend. Who works on campaigns.
7:22 PM: HOW DOES BARACK PROVE HE IS BLACK? Pantone, maybe?
7:26 PM: Hillary "can't run as anything besides a woman." There are clinics for that.
7:26 PM: Edwards graciously abdicates the votes of sexist bigots.
7:27 PM: CNN found the only widely-viewed downloadable video of two lesbians on the internet that isn't porn. Dodd wants to not have to spend money on his daughters' (gay) weddings. Richardson wishes the women in the video were hotter.
7:31 PM: Edwards doesn't like to use religion to justify prejudice except against people who make him weird. (Did Anderson pick these questions? I mean, really.)
7:33 PM: Well the audience loved that Hillary ad. Dylan much?
7:39 PM: Edwards: HAIR video. Oh, it's Katrina + hair. Very funny. How much water would $400 buy for your average Superdome refugee?
7:39 PM: Richardson is against genocide, pro-caring, and permanent peace-keeping forces... "somewhere." In Africa, one presumes. Not Iraq.
7:41 PM: Biden: "Why Darfur?" BECAUSE WE CAN. Also, that camp is apparently a popular tourist stop. "I called for [something] and everyone agreed!" Truly, the lonely voice of reason.
7:43 PM: Hillary bravely posits that we should focus on Iraq as much as Darfur. But we're losing there, and we're not yet losing in Darfur!
7:44 PM: "How do we pull out now?" Asks a smartly dressed GOP mole. Obama: "we can be as careful getting out as we were careful getting in." Riiiiight. What if the careless getting in prohibits getting out? Bash Tony Snow. Start withdrawal by March 31st. Because that's careful. HE SAID A SPECIFIC DATE, so how can that possibly be careless?
7:47 PM: Joe Biden would like to remind us that he is Joe Biden.
7:49 PM: Okay, honestly? The BEST thing to happen in HRC in the past month is getting attacked by the Pentagon, because then she gets to be the victim along WITH the mother of that fallen soldier!
7:51 PM: Dodd wants to ROBUSTLY pursue diplomacy. Insert grabby hands Richardson joke here.
7:52 PM: Something for Gravel. Drink break. (Honestly, he's better when he just stares at the camera.)
[And, uhhm, LONG WIFI PROBLEM HERE. Sorry. To make up for it, a bonus joke from my tuned in colleague: "I thought our soldiers were dying in Vietnam SO THAT someday you could go to Hanoi and buy a Baskin Robbins ice cream cone."]
8:04 PM: "It's not enough to meet with bad leaders," says Edwards. That's right, as the Bush administration knows, sometimes you also have to prop them up.
8:05 PM: Dodd has first cousins serving. Truly, the war touches us all.
8:11 PM: Gravel ad. Again: better as silent eerie figure of doom. Swamphusband has this endorsement: "i want gravel to be elected nation's voluble uncle!! to give mike gravel something to filibuster against!!"
8:15 PM: Favorite teacher question. Lots of priests mentioned. Where were they when the Giuliani came calling?\
8:17 PM: Okay, wtf? NCLB ROCK VIDEO? Is this what happens when our children is not learning? Wouldn't your typical Limp Biskit lyrics communicate the same issue?
8:21 PM: EVERYONE has excuses for why they send their kids to private schools. Also: U of C! Where fun goes to die! Uhm, and then there's Biden... and dying... ooops, sorry. Funny how only a few use the question to actually address the issue of education. EXCEPT DODD, who then gets busted for not... staying on topic? I'm confused.
8:24 PM: BAD TOUCHING! Where is the bear?
8:25 PM: Now some gimmicks. And some of the best fake smiles since Nancy Kerrigan. Ha ha, that's funny, Al Gore. Hillbillys. Uhm, someone ask Gravel something.
8:26 PM: In the comments someone said the ROCK VIDEO was the moment when this debate jumped the shark. The hillbilly q was the moment the shark jumped itself. The snowman question was the moment that the crowd rose up and jumped up and down on the shark.
8:28 PM: Now we are in someone's bathroom. Drink. In the Bay Area, and she's not even hot.
8:31 PM: Gravel took the train to Charleston. With the hobos.
8:32 PM: They may disagree on nuclear power, but they all pronounce it correctly. Hillary wants us to "start acting like Americans again"... uhm, as opposed to not acting like Americans by invading countries willynilly and, uhm, warming the globe.
8:35 PM: Biden ad grim and, you know, true.
8:39 PM: TEXT PEACE? That's what you have for us Kucinich? TEXT PEACE? Don't repeat it too much or you might sound like that "Head On" ad... too late!
8:42 PM: Group Romney bashing makes for some bonding before we get to Social Security questions... some guy with sunglasses asks about the "tough" solutions, like raising taxes. Richardson brilliantly begins talking about Medicare.
8:45 PM: Bob Roberts moment. Folk singer who hates taxes. Also hippies.
8:46 PM: Health care montage!
8:47 PM: This is very depressing.
8:48 PM: I notice the comments have dropped off. I have as well. Can we go back to talking about change? Obama with an extended seat/chair metaphor! CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT?
8:51 PM: Hillary just named all the questioners. She totally wins the memory portion of the competition. Also, a tip from a colleague: Perhaps, Hill, when you're talking to breast cancer survivors, you should not mention that you have your own "scars"...
8:55 PM: Dynasty question, parried skillfully by Hillary ("I do have a problem with Bush being elected"), then... omg, is it possible? WAS THAT HOWARD DEAN? Not sure if I'd recognize him anymore.
8:57 PM: No one is more excited than me for this debate to end.
8:57 PM: A quarter. God. Stuff. God please make it stop.
8:59 PM: I want to go to Gravel on this one, just to see if he sees hidden signs about the bankers/hedge fund managers on the quarters...
9:00 PM: My position on gun control has changed because now I want to shot myself to make it stop. But, seriously, let's just make sure Gravel doesn't get a gun. The kids in the "ghettos" that Richardson refers to? What? HUH? Biden with a good line about the man and his metal "baby." "Hope he doesn't come looking for me." Indeed.
9:03 PM: Obama HAS A ROCK VIDEO. Can I get that as a ring tone? Oh, uhm, I can? ... Er...
9:04 PM: "Remember be honest." Okay: Kill me now.
About Swampland
Ana Marie Cox is the founding editor of Wonkette and the author of the novel Dog Days. Read more
Joe Klein is TIME's political columnist and author of six books, most recently Politics Lost. Read more
Karen Tumulty is TIME's National Political Correspondent and has also covered the White House and Congress. Read more
Jay Carney is TIME's Washington bureau chief. He has covered the Clinton and Bush 43 White Houses as well as Congress. Read more
Jay Newton-Small has covered the Bush 43 White House and Congress since the DeLay era. Read more
Michael Scherer is a TIME Washington bureau correspondent covering the 2008 presidential campaign. Read more
Mike Murphy is a GOP consultant and was a senior strategist for John McCain's 2000 presidential campaign. Read more
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Reader Comments
Posted by Stuff the Ballot Box
July 23, 2007
The first questioner would never be allowed in the Citadel.
Posted by jmh
July 23, 2007
jesus, start already!!!
Posted by YouBoob.
July 23, 2007
Zach is stoned. And why are we seeing his boob?
Posted by trifecta
July 23, 2007
I am waiting for the "I totally think it's bad that pot is illegal. What gives dudes?" question.
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Dennis just actually answered a question. Is 'K' the new breakfast of champions?
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Hil is trying for the 'Progressive' label. Shed the liberal target covered coat.
Posted by Gravel in my teeth
July 23, 2007
shorter Obama: Mike, eat my shorts
Posted by archie stanson
July 23, 2007
You Tube and CNN: Partners working together to end neocon hegimony and restore liberal democracy to America!
This is a GREAT day!
Posted by Don't Cry for Me
July 23, 2007
Why does Edwards look like he's going to cry when he's talking about being tough
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Edwards: Take away 'their power', 'they' won't give it up. NO MORE TRIANGULATION. A real progressive.
Posted by Edwards for candlepower
July 23, 2007
Edwards: take away power and live by candles.
Posted by I have a comfy bed
July 23, 2007
Morgan wants to have sex with all the candidates
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Edwards took the hardball 'black reparations' and went for the fences with 'real equality' now.
Oops, Obama is following Edwards' lead. Oops, 'K' repair the 'whole' breach between all in the 'other America'.
Posted by What's that in his ear?
July 23, 2007
Nothing goes right for Richardson. Earpiece falling out.
Posted by archie stanson
July 23, 2007
Yes to reperations for the noble African Americans who have suffered from our collective racisms. I would be willing to pay another 10% on top of my income tax for that lofty goal.
Posted by I don't want your vote
July 23, 2007
don't worry John they'll be giving their votes to Tancredo
Posted by trifecta
July 23, 2007
Archie, you aren't the least bit funny. Isn't there a school for parody trolls you could attend? Bone up, learn from seasoned trolls with some seasoning?
Posted by Gay Marriage Palooza
July 23, 2007
Oh no Cooper fixated on the gay question...
Posted by I am woman
July 23, 2007
Hillary doesn't want to be elected because she's a woman except please vote for her because she's a woman.
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
I want change! Into something.
Barack Obama, if you were a Transformer, what would you change into?
Posted by Hair today Gone Tomorrow
July 23, 2007
Edwards wins the post modern cool guy video award.
Posted by p_lukasiak
July 23, 2007
"CNN found the only widely-viewed downloadable video of two lesbians on the internet that isn't porn."
Ana could you possibly be more of a ignorant homophobic jerk?
(if the answer is 'yes' just say 'yes', don't prove it.)
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
I wish someone would ask how everyone feels about a possible 44 years of a Bush or Clinton in the White House.
It wouldn't keep me from voting for her if Hil gets the nomination, but it does make me kinda sick.
Posted by Paul is my hero
July 23, 2007
Oh Paul I love it when you get all slappy. Paul love me, tend to me, hug me
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
Relax, p - let's see you try to make zingers on the fly.
And you can have a sense of humor and not be homophobic. Look into one.
Posted by TLB
July 23, 2007
There has been precisely one (1) question so far about a specific policy position of a specific candidate (Edwards on gay marriage).
All of the questions should be about specific things the candidates have said or done, and not just questions about what they'd do in the future. Questions of the latter type just give the candidates an opportunity to replay their speeches, but, of course, that's what the candidates and the corrupt news media want: a series of pointless speeches.
Compare the questions CNN selected to this one: youtube.com/watch?v=Q_l4Lawj14A
Posted by trifecta
July 23, 2007
Paul, tone down the outrage a bit. I think there are quite alot of very homophobic people who would consider Ana Marie too gay friendly.
Live snark is not the easiest gift in the world. If you noticed, which you apparently didn't, she took a crack at Edwards for being squeamish on gay marriage.
Posted by Paul is like chocolate
July 23, 2007
Paul is very serious and righteous. I want him to be my president. He makes me warm in my belly.
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
Why is Biden shouting like he's listening to an iPod?
Posted by Paul is very important
July 23, 2007
Paul has moral leadership for all of us. He is purely Paul. He is the Red Bull of outrage. He is standing here to be counted.
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
Is it me, or does Mike Gravel look like a really angry Captain Kangaroo?
Posted by Paul be strong for me
July 23, 2007
Obama is strong like bull. Strong like Paul can be strong.
Posted by wilder
July 23, 2007
Seriously, are all of these questions asked by Republican moles? The "How do we get out NOW" guy is probably Dick Cheney's caddie.
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
Wow, a lot of GOP moles in these YouTube questions.
If CNN does one of these with the Republicans, can I ask Fred Thompson who his favorite First Lady was?
Posted by Biden is not Paul
July 23, 2007
lets start telling the truth. Richardson is not a Senator
Posted by Paul Wrap me in your Wrath
July 23, 2007
Paul I'm going flaccid. Please return with your rectitude I need me a little Paul outrage. Be our own little Gravel honey.
Posted by Anonymous
July 23, 2007
That's it. My decision is made. I'm totally voting for Gravel because of his fillibuster a few decades back for Vietnam.
Posted by slcathena
July 23, 2007
Who was your favorite teacher and why? Are you kidding me? This is what I'm going to decide my vote on?
Dude. I thought they were screening these questions.
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
Uh, Mike - maybe people don't want you to speak because you embarrass yourself every time you do.
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
Biden is not Paul: And Richardson won't be president. But I'd love to see him take Domenici's senate seat away. Do the right thing, Bill! Run against St. Pete at the next opportunity, which I think is 2010.
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
THEO: You meant Gravel, not me, right? You might have meant me...
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
OK, the rock song is where the YouTube debate concept jumped the shark.
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
I meant Gravel, not you.
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
I was kiddin' THEO. But, thanks.
Posted by Paul is not in pre-k
July 23, 2007
Biden has a kid in DIAPERS. Trophy wife!
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
I think Biden's hair plugs are standing on end after the school question.
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
I learned about sex from the neighbor across the street who touched me inappropriately.
Where were you then, John Edwards?!?
Posted by THEO
July 23, 2007
Oh, God...I thought the rock song was embarrassing; now this. Is CNN familiar with the concept of tact?
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
Neither tact or fact.
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Oh that 'K'. Supporting privatizing oil in Iraq is sustaining relying on 'bad energy'. bad. Good, good, good. Get out, restruction of USA energy use, go renewable.
Yehaw, Gravel took the TRAIN to Charleston.
Edwards against liquifying coal and no to costly, 'non-disposable' nukelear energy.
Obama go for 'China Syndrome' energy production.
Hil is agnostic about NUKELEAR, until we solve the 'Edwards' objections.
Posted by Mstessyrue
July 23, 2007
It is very appropriate that the presidential candidates will be addressing questions from youtube and the general public. Allow so far, most media attnention has focused on the war in Iraq, there are topics of critical concerns I would like our candidate to address. Issues such as Global Poverty should be one of the main concerns of all the presidential candidates. As one of the nation that has pledge to fulfill the goals of Millienium Development Project, whose goal is the elimination of world hunger and poverty, this administration has not shown any substantial action to bring this fundamental problem to a stop. According to the Borgen Project, dedicated to fighting and ending Poverty around the world, only $19 billion dollars are needed annually to stop world wide poverty, hunger and malnutrition. However, more than $340 billion dollars has been poured into this “war on terror.” And each year, our country has a military budge of $522 billion dollars. It's time for a new leader who will be addressing an issues that affects 1.2 billion people everyday worldwide.
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
NCLB, oops, I missed part of it, but it seems most think that the 'bad get less money and get badder'. Flush the mess.
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Go Gravel: LIVING WAGE.
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
TEXT PEACE. Apply directly to the warfare.
TEXT PEACE. Apply directly to the warfare.
TEXT PEACE. Apply directly to the warfare.
Posted by Jane
July 23, 2007
On: universal health care question
Wow, Obama beat Edwards to the "cancer card". impressive
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
I want change!
I'm a layoff away from needing lots of it. Put in a Dunkin' Donuts cup that I took out of a trash can.
Posted by Jane
July 23, 2007
Generally I'm a huge Clinton fan. However, tonight whenever she wants to stress a point she just starts yelling.
It still doesn't annoy me as much as Edward's fake tan though.
Posted by Beth in VA
July 23, 2007
I'm torn. Snark is fun, but making fun of it all seems so 2000. Look what that brung us!
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
Beth: You know what we lacked in 2000? Enough snark. Let's go boldly forward through the river of snark for we're closer to the other side than we would be if we turned back now.
Posted by Jane
July 23, 2007
In response to "Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton"? question
Amazing question, even better answer by Hillary.
"Yes, I do think it was a problem BUsh was elected in 2000"
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Biden: If that's his baby, he needs help. [assault weapon]
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
Oh my, group therapy time. Yes, to a luv in. We Are Family
Posted by Rick
July 23, 2007
Other than just being snide about everything and everybody, exactly what do you bring to political analysis and why do they pay you to write this stuff and appear on tv? At least Dowd is funny and occasionally stumbles on a sublime insight. You just sneer.
Posted by Blogs4Brownback
July 23, 2007
I'm glad you're giving some time to the candidates other than the so-called "Big Three". Here's hoping you do the same with the Republican debate...which needs to be more than a tribute to Rude Rudy, John McFeingold, and Mitt RINO.
Posted by Mike M.
July 23, 2007
Rick: She sneers with aplomb. As do many of us.
Posted by archie stanson
July 23, 2007
What we need is less snark and more IMPEACHMENT of all current and future neocons!
AMC brings a sharp analytical mind and extensive skillfullness at writing to this blog.
Try to use the respect and tolerance that we are known for as liberals and use them with our AMC.
Posted by Anonymous
July 23, 2007
Rick = QH
Posted by Scottoest
July 23, 2007
Oh man, these liveblogs of the debates are the best reading on this website.
Gravel says a lot of things I agree with, but he stirs it in with just enough "old coot crazy" that I can't support him.
Remember from the first debate, when he started yelling at Obama, asking him if he was going to be the one to nuke Iran (or something to that effect)?
"8:26 PM: In the comments someone said the ROCK VIDEO was the moment when this debate jumped the shark. The hillbilly q was the moment the shark jumped itself. The snowman question was the moment that the crowd rose up and jumped up and down on the shark."
This almost had me shooting beer out my nose. :D
- Scott
Posted by Where's Paul?
July 23, 2007
He got all quiet when he started getting spanked.
Posted by archie stanson
July 23, 2007
Spank all the neocons with IMPEACHMENT!
Hillary!
Hillary!
Obama!
Obama!
Yay!
Posted by linda
July 23, 2007
So far on the post-debate best: the Edwards campaign video [a 15sec ad] with stills of all types of 'hair' and Bush's 'failures' ending with a visual WHAT REALLY MATTERS. All to the music 'Hair' as in the musical, long beautiful hair.
AMC, can you get a link?
Posted by terry
July 24, 2007
Soo, can we stop referring to Hillary as "HRC" because every time I see that I think "Human Rights Campaign." So I read: "The best thing to happen to the Human Rights Campaign in the past month is being attacked by the Pentagon."
Posted by archie stanson
July 24, 2007
You need to refer to her as Madame President Hillary Rodham Clinton!
Posted by p_lukasiak
July 24, 2007
"He got all quiet when he started getting spanked."
no, he got disgusted and left after realizing that Ana Marie doesn't understand the difference between snark and homophobic crap.
Posted by arch stanton
July 24, 2007
No to homophobia.
Yes to respect for my fellow kind!
Posted by Anonymous
July 24, 2007
...She hates homosexuals because she acknowledges the existance of lesbian porn? I think your comment points more to heterophobia on your part than homophobia on hers.
Posted by archie stanson
July 24, 2007
With tolerance to all peoples there need be no phobias.
Posted by Jake Gittes
July 24, 2007
http://gawker.com/assets/resources/2007/07/ana.jpg
Meh. Ana with the tats and looking more like a red headed Kate Jackson. Downgraded from a 9 to a 7, pending further evidence.
Posted by ally
July 24, 2007
i can't believe other people know about Richardson's grabass and womanizing ways - thought that was way inside baseball.
No comments in HRC's jacket?? VERY hello kitty :)
Posted by archie stanson
July 24, 2007
ally - do not refer to Madame President Hillary Rodham Clinton as HRC - that is insulting to her and other great womyn everywhere!
Posted by Anonymous
July 24, 2007
Did anyone notice that in the first hour of serious questions, there were virtually no women? And, of the 39 videos used, women are in only 12 of them?
Posted by roger
July 24, 2007
Anna, you own debate commenting! The GOP is funnier, because their views are insane to match the bushzombies they have to appeal to. The Dems are visibly sane, but in the PTA way which is the real test of the satirist. It is harder to mock, because it is so banal. You did it though. You rocked, again.
Posted by Byron
July 24, 2007
It's great to know that with this being one of the most important presidential races in history, some came make small of the situatuon. I think that an important question was not asked of HRC. And that was in this campaign, why does she still feel the is it neccessary to have Bill on her shoulder, when see is clearly the most intellegent of the two. The person i want for president must be able to stand their own two feet!
Posted by arch stanton
July 24, 2007
Byron: Hillary can stand on her own two feet. If I liked women she would be just my type.
Posted by weese
July 25, 2007
Are they smarter then a fifth grader?
Posted by archie stanson
July 25, 2007
If they are democrats then yes, they are highly educated and far smarter than a 5th grader - that is why you only see stupid rednecks on the show because there are no Democrats as contestants ever. The average repuke has a 2nd grade education and a first grade intelligence.