Nice work.

thanks, sahar.

Glad I was helpful, though.

Though John Edwards did answer a few minutes ago, and he’s against impeachment, but pro-censure.

Both Biden and Kucinich use official campaign ads. Weird.

Obama talks about how most candidates are independently wealthy, so they can afford minimum wage. Good to point that out.

Richardson has a wishlist of things to do social security wise. Won’t talk about raising taxes/ cutting benefits.

Guy wants less taxes.
Biden wants to get rid of tax cuts for the wealthy.

Biden, Richardson, and Kucinich have to respond to taxes. Weird how the “mainstream candidates” get a pass.

Maybe I’m biased because I’m don’t have to pay taxes, but I don’t see why taxes are such a sensitive issue. Taxes, in isolution, are neutral. If we use taxes revenue to give kickbacks to corporations and the wealthy, then taxes are bad. If we use taxes to invest in infrastructure, education, and so on, taxes can be good.

Healthcare questions:
In the wake of Sicko, will any candidate talk about how insurance tries very hard not to find any pretext not to pay up benefits.

Obama, again, attacks corporations through attacking the Democratic policy.

Edwards just attacks the corporations.

Clinton touts her healthcare effort in 93-94. Attacks insurance/drug companies. She’s still deeply embedded with them.

Dodd, Richardson want to talk about their healthcare vision.

Clinton neatly deflects criticism of “bush-clinton-bush-clinton”, by saying “Bush being elected was indeed a problem”

Gravel attacks the DLC, and corporate and banking interests controlling the Democratic Party.

Reference to “god, guns, and gays” from Anderson Cooper.
God -
Time to talk about religion.

Atheist question. Good for him.
Edwards: I will separate my church and state.

Gun control question: Biden breaks the hesitation to criticize assault weapons ban.

“Talk about the Candidate to your left. One good thing, one bad thing.”
Edwards on Clinton. This could be exciting. What will he attack her for?
Nope, he doesn’t go for it.

Seems like most candidates don’t want to say anything really negative.
Bah.

Ok debate is done.
Again, conciliatory. No sharp elbows.

I think they used the word “liberal” twice, and the only candidate to say they were progressive was Hillary Clinton.

Impressions:
This was better than other debates, I guess.
But no impeachment questions? Bah.
The issues raised were nice. My favorite part was when candidates talked about American foreign policy being based off of values, american ideals, freedom, equality, and so on.

First off, there’s one elephant in the room. Impeachment. The most popular video in Community Counts talks about it. At least Edwards will have to address it.

Richardson commercial: goes back to job interview theme.

Questions seem to be about values rather than issues. edit- nope.

Gravel is really miffed about not getting to talk much.

No Child Left Behind question! Yes!

Richardson wants to scrap: Good. Emphasizes teachers, science & math, and culture.

Biden: Scrap.

Only Biden and Richardson respond? Bad.
Later on, Dodd wants to amend.

Does the Al Gore speculation hurt your feelings? Priceless.

Global Warming?
Only Kucinich gets to answer. What?

Reducing energy consumption. Good idea.
And now they ask Gravel? Why do they keep trying to marginilize green issues?
Gravel wants a consumption tax? What? Horrible idea. That’s a regressive tax.

Dodd wants a carbon tax. GOOD!

Nuclear power?
Someone better talk about the Japan earthquake and the nuclear disaster it built.

Edwards: No. Also, nuclear waste. No liquid coal. (Dig at Obama.)

Obama: Yes to nuclear power, as part of a basket of ideas. Both Republican and Democratic administrations haven’t addressed energy policy. Cheney task force.

Clinton: Stop tax breaks to oil companies. “Focus on innovation and technology” soundbite. Ambivalent on nuclear.
Talks about using green technology to create jobs. Good for her.

Vote reform. Will anyone talk about paper verified voting?
Richardson goes right for it! Good for him.

Same day registration good. Talks about Republican voter supression, DOJ corruption. Verifiable paper trail. Yes yes yes!

Richardson didn’t talk about supression of college students.

Dodd: I pushed to leave Iraq by April. Let me list people who have been in my familty who have historically been in the military.

Richardson: No residual forces. 6 months. Clinton wants to leave 50k troops in Iraq after we leave.

Richardson is good to point this out.

Biden: 6 months is impossible. I know a ton about military/iraq affairs.
IED resistance vehicles are important. Biden is good to highlight them.

Clinton: I have a 3 point plan. It will take a while, logistically. Pentagon isn’t even planning to withdraw.

Kucinich: I wanted to leave 4 years ago. Obama keeps voting to fund the war, rendering his antiwar credentials moot.

Gravel video lists his opinions on issues. Follows with his ripple motif.

Question about Iraq:
“How do you pullout now? It seems hard”

Obama: I opposed the war from the start (dig at Clinton, Edwards). Platitudes.

Biden: it takes about 1 year to leave. It takes skill to leave Iraq, political skill. I am excellent at foreign policy. I’m the only candidate that can get us out skilllfully.

Question:
Democrats were supposed to leave Iraq. That was 2006 all about. Why are we not out? Are you afraid of the Republican spin machine?

note: the republican spin machine is a formidable adversary.

Clinton: blah blah blah. Pentagon accuses me of being antiwar.

Kucinich: Politics is the problem. Blame Democrats. They can just defund the war.

Dodd: The first responsiblity of the commander in chief is to keep us safe and secure.

WRONG! First responsibility of the president is to uphold the constitution

Dodd: The administration is treating diplomacy and statecraft as a gift to be given to enemies.

Very true. Just talking is not a problem.

Richardson: Leave Iraq by end of the year. No residual forces.
Good point. Other candidates want to leave many troops behind.

Question: Gravel, you said “the entire deaths of vietnam died in vain”. I disagree.
Gravel: Our people in vietnam died in vain. You can go to vietnam and get a baskin robbins. We have most favored trading status with them. Obviously “losing” did nothing.

Did our soldiers die in vain in Iraq?
Obama: First off, let me point out again that I opposed Iraq from the start. Yo, hillary. You should’ve asked about an exit strategy before we went into Iraq.
No, they didn’t die in vain.

Edwards: The troops in vietnam didn’t die in vain because the commander in chief sent them.
[sahar:]What? I don’t get his logic.
Let me attack Bush.

I missed the question.
Oh wait: “Should women enter the selective service like men?”
Dodd: Let’s have a national service. Every American should serve their country in some way. But not mandated.

Clinton: Sure, women should enter the selective service. but no draft.
National service is good. Legislation: Public service academies.
Legislation: Student loan relief

Obama: Reference black people who were able to be in the army.

Edwards: Obviously.

Gravel: I was the one who filibustered the draft!
Good for him.

Question: Yo Hillary! Arab states don’t take women seriously. How will you overcome that?

What a softball!

Clinton: I have met with these people. Remember? I was first lady? I am a senator too. Let me stress my perceived competence/experienced.
Look at other women presidents and prime ministers. They don’t have problems.

Question: In tradition of Sadat’s peace treaty with Israel, would you boldly go talk to Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, Syria, North Korea?

Obama: Of course. The idea that talking to your enemies is doing them a favor is riduculous. Reagan talked to “the evil empire”. So yes. Especially Syria, Iran.

Clinton: I will not promise to meet them. I will not be subject to propaganda. But I will be diplomatic. There must be preconditions.

Edwards: Yes, but Clinton is right. We must make sure they won’t be used for propaganda. But! We must talk about our values around the war. Equality! Opportunity!

Notice how Obama is trying to stop Clinton’s strategy of blurring differences between her and everyone else.