« Liveblogging the February 21 CNN Democratic Debate | Main | Hillary Clinton vs. The Definition of Momentum »
February 26, 2008 Democratic Debate - Cleveland, Ohio
By Bill | February 27, 2008 | Email This Post
Hello again everyone, and welcome to the summary of the debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that took place on February 26, 2008 in Cleveland, Ohio. I’m blogging this as it happens, so my reactions are immediate and honest. I’m not a shill for either candidate, so I hope the overview is fair, although I don’t expect to capture every word; rather I’m aiming to give a general sense of the proceedings. I won’t be able to resist commenting, though, so when I do I’ll indicate it with italics.
Brian Williams greets us from Cleveland State University. It’ll be an interesting night. It’s no understatement to say Clinton’s campaign is crumbling down around her, and she’s stepped up her attacks in Obama in the last few days. She played nice in the last debate, however, choosing instead to launch her barbs from a distance afterwards. She’ll have to offer them up face to face tonight if she’s to have a chance, though she’ll have to somehow do it without looking like the person everyone thinks she is anyway.
9:06: Clinton is asked about the photo that’s all over the news showing Obama in African tribal dress, the release of which has been attributed to her campaign. Clinton denies that her campaign was behind it, and that she would ask anyone responsible to leave.
Obama takes Hillary at her word on the subject, and goes on to say he has endured negative mailings, that the rival campaign constantly sends out negative attacks but that says he hasn’t whined about it because it is the nature of politics.
9:09: Clinton discusses health care, calling it an issue that goes to heart of whether this country will do what is right. She brings up Obama’s mandate for parents, and its absence for everyone else. She says the question is fundamental to whether or not we will be able to achieve universal health care, and likens the completing plan to one the republicans and health insurance companies might have written. She believes that only the federal government has the resources available to fix health care. Obama says that her characterization of his plan as leaving people out is not accurate, that under his plan anyone who wanted health care would be able to get it.
9:18: Clinton complains about always getting the first question in debates - odd, a candidate complaining that she has too many opportunities to speak - and mentions a sketch from last weeks Saturday Night Live in which the cast played reporters sucking up to Obama. (She’s reaching now… defending herself based on a late night sketch comedy show?)
9:26: Russert offers a number of Hillary Clinton quotes she’s given in support of NAFTA. Hillary responds that she’s been critical of NAFTA, and that David Gergen said on CNN that she was always reluctant about it (he did, I saw the interview last night. Wonder if it was a plant in preparation for this debate?) Russert: “absent the changes you’ve suggested, you’re willing to opt out of NAFTA.” Hillary: As president, I’m confident we can negotiate those changes.
9:29: Russert asks a question about exports, saying that some experts believe that the problem isn’t trade, but a failure of American industry to continue to lead. Obama responds by saying it’s been a failure of the President to invest in American workers, and says that he believes we should invest in infrastructure (he specifically mentions building windmills…) science, and green energy sources.
9:31: Russert asks Clinton about her economic blueprint, which promises five million new jobs, and compares it to a 2000 campaign promise of 200,000 new jobs for the Buffalo area which never happened, a promise she later characterized as “too exuberant.” She answers him by saying she made that promise when she thought Al Gore was going to be President (Weak response; a pledge is a pledge.) She’s confident that her plans as President aren’t “too exuberant” and is confident she can create five million jobs as President through fitting America with green power: “Jobs that can’t be outsouced… they have to be done here in Dayton, in Cincinnati” (Sounds like temporary jobs to me; you can only install so many solar panels on the government dime before there are no rooftops left.)
9:34: Obama says that Hillary Clinton apparently equates experience with “longevity in Washington,” which he does not. He again highlights her vote to allow Bush to use military force in Iraq as a failure that illustrates that judgment, rather than experience, is more important. He then mentions his old comments about using force in Pakistan… very wisely pre-empting a criticism Clinton was undoubtedly about to offer. Good tactical move there by Obama.
9:36: Clinton offers reasons she believes she’s more qualified to be Commander-In-Chief, but says that Obama’s speeches against the war basically aren’t admissible, because he wasn’t a voting Senator at the time, and that since he’s become a Senator his record is virtually identical to that of her own. She goes on to mention his stance on Pakistan (Following the script, but she’s got to be irked that the fire is out of that one. I also don’t think her first point is valid, which is that you can’t get credit for holding a position unless you can influence the outcome? That’s ridiculous.)
9:39: Obama defends his alignment with Clinton’s votes by saying “once you’ve driven the bus into the ditch, there are only so many ways to get out of the ditch,” but that the question should be who voted to drive the bus into the ditch in the first place. Oddly enough, Obama goes on to salute the Bush administration for going after the Al Qaeda #3 in Pakistan recently… surely Clinton will ding him for holding the same position as Bush.
9:42: Russert asks the candidates if they would pull completely out of Iraq if the Iraqi government requests it. Obama says that we obviously can’t stay there if the Iraqi government doesn’t want us there, as they’re a sovereign nation, and that his plan is to start a phased withdrawal as soon as possible anyway. Clinton agrees that “absolutely” she would leave if the Iraqi government requested it. (I see what they’re saying, but both of them are shortsighted… the position ought to be we stay exactly as long as it’s in our interests to stay. We’ll make the right diplomatic noises, of course, but…) Russert asks about the potential for leaving and having to go back if Iraq melts down; Clinton dismisses the question as too hypothetical. Obama, on the other hand, “will always reserve the right” to act in a way that “secures the American homeland and our interests above.” Hillary starts frantically trying to speak, and Brian Williams makes her hold her comments until after the commercial break.
9:54: No comments from Hillary immediately after the commercial break, but Obama is asked about a particularly negative speech Hillary gave recently in which she likened Obama’s position to suggestion that if you just vote for him the heavens will open and celestial choirs will sing. Obama jokingly gives her points for delivery, but goes on to say that he does achieve results, and that if Clinton wants to mock him for it she should explain to the veterans in Walter Reed who benefited from a law he had changed that he’s not doing any good. Clinton says that she was just having a little fun (Come on… you went after him. Admit it. Tell us why you’re right.) and goes on to cite her experience again, and names all the special interests she will go after to get money back for the middle class. (Which is just what her critics accuse her of… promising people she’ll take money away from “them” and give it to you.)
9:58: Brian Williams shows a clip in which Obama accuses Hillary of wanting credit for being “co-president” but also wants to dodge all responsibility for it. Obama responds that Hillary wants to count her eight years as First Lady as part of her experience, which he acknowledges as legitimate, but he also believes if you’re going to do that you have to accept the bad results with the good. Goes on to say that he says that he acknowledges “hope is not enough,” but that the President must inspire Americans if any change is to be accomplished, if we are to mobilize against the special interests.
10:02: Russert asks Obama if he will abide by a promise he made earlier to accept public financing in the general election. Obama responds that he is not yet the nominee, but that if he eventually is he will sit down with John McCain and make sure they have an agreement. (Note to Obama: the correct answer there was YES. Not that you ever had to take public financing, but once you say you will, you have to do it.)
10:05: Russert asks Clinton about the fact that she won’t release her tax returns, despite the fact that she’s given her own campaign $5 million, and that her husband has extensive overseas dealings. Clinton stumbles very briefly, and says “well, the American people are financing my campaign.” She then promises to release her tax returns “on becoming the nominee… or even earlier.” Russert: “By next week’s primary?” Clinton: “Well, I can’t get it together by then.” Clinton mentions that the public has 20 years of documents on her, and Russert follows up by asking her about the delay in releasing documents from the National Archives that were collected as First Lady; Hillary said she’s working to do it as fast as she can. (I think she’s dodging on both… do you?)
10:08: Russert asks Obama whether he accepts or rejects Louis Farrakhan’s endorsement of his campaign; Obama rejects Farrakhan’s antisemitism, but says that he can’t very well tell anyone that they can’t say he’s a nice guy. Russert asks Obama how he can assure Jewish Americans that he doesn’t agree with Farrakhan’s position on Jews. Obama says that he’s been a staunch friend of Israel, that he has strong support in the Jewish community, that he won’t stand for antisemitism in any form, and that he sees himself with a chance to rebuild a traditional relationship with the African-American and Jewish communities. (That was the best he could have possibly done with that question.)
10:14: Clinton basically says she’s more anti-anti-semitic (is that like double secret probation?) than Obama, and that she denounced support from anti-semitic groups, whereas Obama merely rejected them. Obama says that he doesn’t see a difference, but that he’s happy to both denounce and reject if that will settle the issue.
10:19: Obama is asked how he can win the general election with a voting record that is more liberal than that of Ted Kennedy. Obama dismisses liberal/conservative vote rating systems as “silly,” and that things like political ethics don’t fall into one category or the other. He points out that his campaign is attracting Independents and Republicans, and that people would like to move beyond labels and just figure out which candidate is making sense.
10:21: Russert asks the candidates what they can tell us about Vladimir Putin’s successor. Clinton says that “I can tell you that he’s hand-picked,” and that the whole thing is a “clever but transparent” way for Putin to hold on to power. She goes on to criticize President Bush’s policies in the face of a resurgent Russia. She gives her answer without ever mentioning his name; Russert asks, and she says “Med… Med… Medeved…whatever.” (No points off there, she clearly knows who it is, and was trying not to name him because she knew she’d flub the pronunciation.) Obama largely agrees. Russert asks what “President Obama” would do if the new Russian President shows expansionist tendencies, Obama says that he would act within established international frameworks, and credits the former Clinton administration for its work in building coalitions.
10:26: Russert asks both candidates if there are any votes or words they would take back. Clinton says that she would not cast her vote to use force in Iraq again, but that this election needs to be about the future rather than the past. (And then goes on to tout her experience… huh?) Obama says that his vote that allowed Congress to interject itself in the Terry Schiavo case was one that he should have stood on the Senate floor and stopped.
10:29: Obama goes on to say nice things about Clinton in closing… and manages to sound like the nominee congratulating the loser in doing so. (More good tactics from Obama.)
10:30: Brian Williams asks Obama what one question Clinton must answer to prove “her worthiness” to the voters. Obama says that there’s no doubt that Clinton would be a worthy nominee, but that he would be a better one. She says that Clinton would certainly be a better President than John McCain, who has welded himself to Bush’s “failed policies.”
10:32: Clinton answers the same question about Obama. She says that there’s no doubt that he lacks commitment to America, and that it has been an honor to campaign, and that she intends to continue to try to win, but her question is: who can actually change the country? She believes that her 35-year history means that it is her.
Summary/Comments
- Winner: Obama, but not by a lot. There were no knockouts tonight. Still, he won by enough; Hillary had to land a devastating blow, and she did not. Early on, she seemed frayed at the edges - I was sure we were going to see her go down in flames on live TV - but she pulled it together and finished well. Congrats to her, but I don’t think it will be enough to rally for the win.
Topics: Barack Obama, Debates, Democrats, Hillary Clinton |