What happens in Vegas…8:30pm Eastern: Obama BLOWS IT; Obama flubs again on human rights/national security; China comes up, but not China funny money; Edwards’ plant joke and faux populism fall flat; CNN’s abortion-crusading Suzanne Malveaux shoves citizen questioner aside; “Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?”
Obama pulls a Hillary
10:24pm Eastern. Final report card:
Hillary: C plus. Kept cackles to a minimum.
O-BOMB-A: D. For dud. He looked and sounded like a state senator from Illinois, not the next president of the United States.
Wolf Blitzer: D. You’re no Tim Russert, Wolf.
Biden: A for shooting down Denny K’s nutroots antics and for calling out Suzanne Malveaux’s agenda-pushing.
Suzanne Malveaux: F, F, F. She was suffering from pushy stage mother syndrome tonight. How embarrassing.
Oops, I forgot Edwards: L for loser. No one can stand him–left, right, or center. Here’s vid of him getting booed for going after Saint Hillary.
10:09pm Eastern. Oh, dear God. A UNLV student asks the last question. Directed at Hillary Clinton only: “Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?”
GAAAACKKKK.
Hillary cackles that she wants both. Cackle, cackle.
Suzanne Malveaux does not belong on a news network. She belongs on “The View.” Or Hillary’s press staff.
Here are two video clips of some emblematic moments I mentioned. The Obama flub:
And Kucinich’s “pick me, pick me!” moment:
10:05pm Eastern. Another citizen question (again, with Suzanne Malveaux cramming in her two cents) asks the candidates how they will represent all of the country, not just half of it. Hillary says, in so many of her own bloated words, that she is a uniter, not a divider. This “debate” is a duuuuud.
9:55pm Eastern. A citizen questioner asks what qualities the Dems want in their judges. CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux “helps” out the citizen questioner by tacking on her own question about where they stand on abortion. Maybe she could shut up and let the citizen ask the question.
Wolf asks the Dems Malveaux’s abortion litmus test question instead of the citizen’s question.
Biden calls out Malveaux for her agenda-pushing. “Suzanne’s already decided, I’ll ask the woman’s question.” (Applause). Yeah, I applauded, too.
9:49pm Eastern. Hillary and Obama go at it over entitlements. Obama accuses Hillary of engaging in number-cooking that he would expect from Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Mixed boos and applause. Hillary drags the “bipartisan commission” out of the failed ideas morgue.
9:40pm Eastern. Kucinich finds a chance to call for impeachment. “IMPEACHMENT NOW!” The crowd goes wild.
Joe Biden pours water on the anti-profiling, anti-Patriot Act frenzy. Ok, let’s not vote him off the island yet. He’s useful.
Now, we slide into an open-borders rant by Bill Richardson. Dodd gets to show off his Spanish. The Dems are in denial about the homeland security/immigration nexus. They could be using this opportunity to go after the Bush administration’s enforcement failures. They’re too stupid and craven to do so. Lucky for us, I guess.
9:37pm Eastern. Dan Riehl has seen that first citizen questioner before.
9:25pm Eastern. Citizen questions. A mother stands with her son, who has served three tours of duty in Iraq. They oppose ” war with Iran.” Biden says Bush “should be impeached” if he goes to war with “Iraq” (he means Iran) without congressional approval. Hillary talks about Qods attacks in Iraq on American soldiers. Defends her vote on Kyl amendment. Edwards goes nutroots with his attack on “Bush, Cheney, and the neocons” and attacks any defense against Qods. “We’ve seen this movie.” Obama attacks Hillary’s support for Kyl amendment. Blitzer points out that he missed the vote. BO: “Hazards of running for president.”
9:17pm Eastern. Commercial break for some stage furniture rearranging. Here’s my halftime summary. The boys have failed their mission. Hillary is untouched. Obama’s in miserable shape. The audience seems ready to drag Edwards off the stage. And it’s way past time to vote Denny K and Bill Kumbaya Richardson off the island, along with Dodd and Biden, the Spongebob twins.
As for Wolf and the CNN panel: D minus. The nutroots will be happy.
9:12pm Eastern. Campbell Brown tosses Hillary a softball about playing the gender card. “I’m not playing the gender card, I’m playing the winning card…They’re not attacking me because I’m a woman, they’re attacking me because I’m ahead.” (Loud applause.) Campbell: “What did you mean by the ‘boys club?’” in her Wellesley speech. Hillary snickers: “Campbell!” Takes the softball and runs with it. Bleeech. Blitzer: “Do any of you believe Hillary is playing the gender card?” Edwards: “You looking at me?..Everyone on this stage should be held to the same standard”…lapses into faux populism talking points. Audience boos.
9:10pm Eastern. While the candidates pander to Nevadans over Yucca Mountain waste, here’s a partial transcript of Obama’s drivers’ license flub:
Wolf Blitzer: …Barring, and uh avoiding… assuming there isn’t going to be comprehensive immigration reform, do you support or oppose driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants?
Barack Obama: I… am not… proposing… that that’s what we do. What I’m saying is that we can’t be… [audience laughs] no, no, no look I , I have already said… I support the notion that we have to deal with public safety and that driver’s licenses at the state level can make that happen. But what I also know…
Blitzer: All right.
Obama: But what I also know, Wolf, is that if we keep on getting distracted by this problem then we are not solving it.
Wolf Blitzer: Because this is the kind of question that it’s sort of available for a yes or a no answer… either you support it or you oppose it!
Obama sounds more like Pinnochio than Hillary did:
9:00pm Eastern. Campbell Brown uses the Chinese toy recalls to press the candidates on trade policy. Denny K uses the opportunity to attack John Edwards. Edwards wrinkles his nose and says: “Cute, Denny, cute.” Ewww.
Blitzer invokes the NAFTA debate during the Clinton era, asks Hillary: “Knowing what we know now, was Ross Perot right?” Hillary cracks that all she remembers was “a bunch of charts,” launches into an attack on China.
Oh, the opening here is too easy. Someone say it: “Norman Hsu.”
8:53pm Eastern. My favorite little moment of the night so far. Dennis Kucinich trying to get some attention: “Hello?! Hello?!”
General Bill Richardson declares that “the surge is not working.” After saying “we shouldn’t talk about the body count,” Richardson laments “that our troops are dying.”
8:51pm Eastern. After obligatory Bush-bashing, Dodd finally says clearly: “The security of the country is number one.”
Hillary agrees with Dodd.
8:49pm Eastern. Wolf asks BO: What’s more important, international human rights or American national security? Convoluted answer. My fingers are too tired to type it.
8:47pm Eastern. Bill Richardson asserts that there are times when international human rights trump our national security.
Three people applaud. Dennis Kucinich, his wife, and Mike Gravel in the audience. No, not really.
8:30pm Eastern. Well, my friends, Barack Obama has blown it. Big time. His stumbly-bumbly answer on drivers’ licenses made Hillary’s botch last week look like buttah. He had all the mojo going into this and he BLEW IT. He can dance with Ellen deGeneres, but he is still not ready for prime time.
Words that will come back to bite Obama in the behind:
“When it takes two weeks and six different positions to answer one question on immigration, it’s easier to understand why the Clinton campaign would rather plant their questions than answer them,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement issued late Wednesday.
***8:27pm Eastern.*** Campbell Brown attempts to focus an immigration question on Obama. Answer: “I think they feel justified in feeling frustrated.” Is he talking about illegal aliens or Americans fed up with immigration chaos? Not clear. He says he support employer sanctions. Obama said “illegal aliens.” Progress.
Blitzer: So, Sen. Obama, you support drivers’ licenses for illegal aliens?
BO: The problem is not drivers’ licenses. They don’t come here to drive. They’re not coming here to go through “In n Out burger.”
Do you support or oppose licenses for aliens?
BO: If we keep on getting distracted by this…BO is tripping up…audience hoots and hollers…
John Edwards: Does not support licenses, but does a Pinnochio from Shrek impression on comprehensive immigration reform.
Dodd: “Clarity is important.”
Yes, please, let’s have some.
Dodd: They are the wrong thing to do in terms of attracing illegals.
Obama: Now says yes.
Clinton: No.
Kucinich: “I take issue with you calling them illegal immigrants. They’re undocumented…Cancel NAFTA…I take exception to how you framed the question.”
He’s offended at a simple yes or no question.
Richardson: “My answer is yes and I did it.”
Biden: No.
8:22pm Eastern. Wolf Blitzer does not have control of this debate. The audience seems unhappy that Hillary is getting all the talk time. Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson get loud applause for getting a chance to say…nothing.
Blitzer asks all candidates: Are you willing to say you will support the Democrat nominee for president?
John Edwards: “Is that a planted question?”
Silence. The allusion falls flat.
8:17pm Eastern. Hillary interjects. “I’ve been personally attacked again!” Waaah. The audience is getting restless. Hillary attacks Edwards for “throwing mud.” “When Edwards ran in 2004, he wasn’t for universal health care.”
Wolf wants Biden to weigh in. JB: “Oh, no, no, no!…people don’t care about this stuff.” Biden gets all folksy. Hillary cackles.
8:14pm Eastern. These CNN journalists are too scared or incompetent to press the candidates on the drivers’ license issue. Someone bring in Lou Dobbs. Hillary scores by steering this away from her flip-floppery on illegal immigration to Hillarycare.
Wolf gently goes to Edwards. He changes the subject to “trust” and the Iraq war and “the neocons on Iran.”
8:10pm Eastern. Finally. First question. Campbell Brown starts in with Hillary on her drivers’ license botch and “some people on this stage” saying this is a pattern of your “politics of parsing.”
HRC: “It’s important that we have a candidate who is tested and ready to lead from day one.” Tepid.
Blitzer brings in Obama.
BO: “What we need is straight answers and that is not what we’ve seen from Sen. Clinton. On drivers’ licenses, Social Security…what I’m absolutely convinced of is that we need a different kind of politics.”
HRC: “When it came time to step up and decide whether he would support universal health coverage,” he failed. “I am proud to fight this battle…Let’s not forget that the people we are fighting against will not go voluntarily. We need someone who is tested and ready to lead.”
BO: “The fact of the matter is is that I do provide universal health care.”
HRC: “The most important thing here is to level with the American people…I helped create the children’s health insurance program in 1997…he does not mandate what I do…”
8:05pm Eastern. Ok, the debate has started, except that it hasn’t started. They’re doing this weird meta-coverage thing of letting viewers sit through the photo-ops, intros, etc., while the talking heads murmur platitudes. Wolf: “We hope to get a real conversation going.”
Get on with it already.
***
Dem debate in Sin City: Will it be Hillary by a nose?
The Great Big Hillary Comeback/Democrat Male Pile-On/Wolf Blitzer Moment In The Sun is hours away on CNN. I’ll have a full bag of popcorn ready. Join me for liveblogging here at 8pm Eastern. The media-politics hype machine is on overdrive.
Blitzer is manning up:
On Tuesday, a top aide to Hillary Clinton indirectly warned moderator Wolf Blitzer not to be too hard on her in Thursday’s debate. The warning was issued via the Drudge Report, an influential Web site that has received numerous leaks from the Clinton campaign on such topics as her fundraising prowess.
“This campaign is about issues, not on who we can bring down and destroy,” a senior Clinton aide told cyberjournalist Matt Drudge. “Blitzer should not go down to the levels of character attack and pull ‘a Russert.’ ”
Blitzer, who said he had not been directly contacted by the Clinton campaign, called the New York Democrat “a sophisticated, strong politician.” But he also issued his own veiled warning.
“If she can’t handle the heat during a Democratic contest, wait until the Republicans really start going after her…If she’s the nominee.”
Like Hillary said: “Turn up the heat!”
Oh, and hey, lady: How ’bout them pardons?
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- No Runny Eggs » Blog Archive » Shiny new toy live-blog of the Dems in Vegas
- Democratic Debate in Vegas : The American Pundit
- Webloggin - Blog Archive » Democrat Debate Begins with “Let’s Pretend We’re Stars” Format
- Riehl World View
- UrbanGrounds
- The Moderate Voice » Domestic and international news analysis, irreverent comments, original reporting, and popular culture features from across the political spectrum.
- The Moderate Voice » Domestic and international news analysis, irreverent comments, original reporting, and popular culture features from across the political spectrum.
- The Moderate Voice » Domestic and international news analysis, irreverent comments, original reporting, and popular culture features from across the political spectrum.
- A Blog For All
- Sickblogging the (D) Debate « Wolf Pangloss
- Keith Burgess-Jackson » Politics
- CNN Debate Debacle -Assorted Babble by Suzie
- Right Voices » Blog Archive » CNN Kissed Hillary’s A$$ as Instructed…
- TB Friday Featuring The Surrender Monkey: Dem Cattle Call — Pirate’s Cove
- Sesame Street Debate « THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS
- Michelle Malkin » SC Democrat debate: Punch, Judy, and Silky
- THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS » Blog Archive » Sesame Street Debate
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: 2008 campaign, Democrats, Hillary Clinton
Mudville Gazette
» Spring
NewsBusters.org
» AFP: Math is Heroic? Dumbing Down the English LanguageBetsys Page
» Pushback on the whole "Team of Rivals" themeRedstate
» The Honeymoon Is Not Quite Over . . .Stop The ACLU
» Can’t Wait To See What Racist Al Thinks Should Count For HimPower Line
» Minnesota Senate Recount, Update IINewsBusters.org
» Obama Attorney General Nominee Eric Holder Helped Enable 2000 Elian Gonzalez SeizureGateway Pundit
» Radical Gays Kick & Beat Christian Woman in San FranciscoHotline On Call
» Leakage Fallout: Pritzker's A No GoStop The ACLU
» Judge Orders 5 Gitmo Detainees Released
I’ll have an old-fashioned-popped-in-oil bowl of popcorn and, if things go right, a flashy new piece of software to play with.
Do you have the transcript yet, Michelle? I’d like to read along when they show the “debate”.
Thanks
first, hillary should be called on the carpet regarding her statement after the planted quesitons. “You know as much as I know.” Well, that is pathetic, cause you are trying to be the Leader of the Free World and you can’t even lead your campaign? A leader would say: “I know the particulars and have dealt with the individual(s) and it will not happen again.” Come on Hillary, show us some leadership of your campaign at least, cause as you say you are ‘uniquely’ qualified.
She can’t because she is not a leader and she is not uniquely qualified. This is to put Bill back in the WH and skirt that pesky document called the Constitution.
Lines are open, which Killery will show up tonight: A, the old laughing lady or B, The screaming wicked witch?
I’m betting B for now. Should Wolf go soft on her I’ll switch my vote to A. Should it be a combination I’ll have to say all of the above but if I say that I might sound like Killery so I’ll stick to B if it’s not going to be A and that way I’m covered. Place your bets!
I might be misreading this, but could this be a tipping point for the MSM turning on Hillary, which would sink her already imploding campaign…which would be an open invite for Goracles?
At any rate, nice one Wolfie!
Uuughh. Democrat debate. I..just….can’t…….watch……..HER!
I’ll get the essentials from HotAir and your blogging later Michelle.
I don’t think the Geneva convention could have foreseen torture by Democrat debate.
Is it live in Gitmo?
Hillary cannot have it both ways. She wants to lead the
big boys but she wants to play the gender card.
I would like to remind her when she talks about stooping to personal attacks, etc that she and her camp have shown us how it is done, time and time again.
I never believe her when she says she does not know
about something that has happened because she has
always been known as a micro manager and she also
has always had aides whispering in her ear so that
she is never caught unaware ( hence the planted
questions.)
Blitzed has helped her before why shouldn’t she expect it again? She’s a dragon lady,the guys are whimps.
Blitzer? manning up? good one Michelle.
Didnt he used to be the pig report guy until he got stuck on the roof in Baghdad? if so at least he’s used to workin with the oinkers.
I’ll be right here at 8PM, of course, I’m here at 8PM most nights anyway!
I’m going with “B”.
I wonder which fairy tale character will show up tonight?
Will it be ‘The Big Bad Wolf’?
Or will it be ‘A Sheep in Wolfs Clothing’?
And will the Princess survive the ‘withering’ assault of being asked pertinent questions?
I wonder if we are going to hear that witchy momma laugh tonight with the yes and no answers.
It just really amuses me that the Hillary campaign is pooping all over Russert from the liberal NBC network.
john, what about
c) psyco/whacko Hillary?
That’s a good choice AJ.
“C” is good for some covering action.
Wish they were man enough on CNN to ask Hillary directly, without advance notice, about her voting record in Congress on illegal aliens….i.e. DREAM ACT. That is a yes and no answer!!
A sarcastic campaign - what a surprise for a “witch”.
So a pardoned “pre-felon” now teaches at MIT. Lovely. And gave her the legal maximum. Too bad her pardoned felon brother Hugh - $200,000 richer - didn’t give her any. Waiting for the other Hsu to drop.
Whats up with that “manning up” link it says forbidden then tells you everything you want to know? huh? lol.
I would like to see Wolfman ask her “What is your definition of “IS”?
MM,
Thanks for covering this. I’ll be watching from lab class, here in vegas. I wonder if OJ will show up?
the guerilla
Manning up’ link now takes you to michelles page…. somtin fishy in denmark.
Manning up link “not found”. Que, pasa?
Maybe Wolf needs an ED drug?
I’m fine with what I have thank you.
signed,
Wolf Blitzer
I’m fine with
what Ithe drugs I have thank you.signed,
Wolf Blitzer
Well about an hour until the Hillary love fest. The Communist News Network will go soft on her.
I’d love to watch. But I’ll be listening to the discussion at PTA tonite on “anti-bias” curriculum for 4th graders and 5th graders.
“Brain” this is “soap”. “Soap” this is “Brain”. Now wash the brain. Sllllowly. They are chiiiilldren.
Poppies……Poooooopppies….
Hit em high, Michelle. I’ll be a hittin em low.
You should take advise from the Clintons; “Don’t inhale”. Popcorn fumes could be dangerous!
I bet ole Billy Boy wishes he could stand in for poor girl… Hillary.
She can always use her southern accent and sing Halluhah….Praise the Lord.
Wondering which personalities we will see tonight.
bear at a PTA meeting…lol, I pity the fools!
we will take notes for ya bear…
Jose #30, with the way Killery laughs, I think she inhaled.
#31, odds are leaning toward “C”
I wonder if the Aliens from Area 51 will show up for Kucinich?
Paging Ron Paul, paging Ron Paul……..
Bear give em hell over at the PTA
Get ol Wolfie to channel the ghost of Vince Foster.
“Hillllllllllllllllllllllllarrry!!!! Hilllllllllllarrrry!!!!! I know what you did that summer!”
Watch a grown woman snap while her pumps melt right off her feet.
But seriously
methinks the other candidates are going to be lobbing a couple of grenades at Hillary. There is blood in the water.
I wonder if there attacks will be weapons grade, sending her numbers down a little. The last time she stepped in it over the drivers licenses, her numbers didn’t go up.
We’ll see if the other bobbleheads have the gumbeanies to pull the bandage off Hillary’s wounds from the last go-around.
news flash! Barry bonds indicted!!
The question for tonite is “Who let the dawgzzzzoutt….whooof whoof!!!”
aHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!
Some seriously bad karma comin back to bite Barry in the butt. If he’s smart he wont perjure himself.
and the yanks signed a-rod for 275 million…
“manning up” Forbidden. Que, pasa? Me thinks it’s the vast right wing conspiracy.
About issues? But no one can ask questions about issues??? What the hell good is a debate with nothing important debatable???
To bad one of the other Candidates wifes name isnt Monica, he could just keep bringing up and saying that name, Monica, Monica, Monica over and over in his answers. meanwhile smoke coming out of Hillary’s ears the entire debate.
Pouring a drink and opening my popcorn now.
Intern intern intern.
Oh, but if the Republicans go after Hillary Rotten Clinton, it will be another “vast right wing conspiracy”. This woman is pathetic. She has NO legs to stand on…I still can’t believe people in this country are stupid enough to vote for her. Someone PLEASE tell me what on earth qualifies her for the most important job in this country?
A spit up my drink moment. Just read this on The Hill:
Ummm…what has Mark Penn been smoking today?
#47 BlameAmericaLast, I think they meant Hillary did a 360 on her campaign stance.
Top 10 Questions?
10. Are you for governors that are against driver’s licenses for illegal aliens?
9. Who said, “You want to be treated like a man and when you are, you cry!”?
8. Can you spell capitalism?
7. The worst natural disaster, Katrina, hit Mississippi and Louisiana. Explain how the Republican state is recovering faster than the Democratic state.
6. If the U.S.A. has more oil reserves than any other country in the world, why are we dependent on Chico and the Arabs?
5. How come the only way the public knows that we are winning in Iraq is when the main stream media doesn’t say anything?
4. What trait is most important in a president: honesty; openness; knowledge; or experience? Since you have not one of these, do you expect to be elected?
3. Half the voters say they will not vote for Hill. How can she win?
2. Since Mr. Clinton is not 100% loyal to Mrs. Clinton, how can she expect anyone else to be loyal?
1. How do you win an election with a bumper sticker that says, ‘Hill ain’t Bill’?
Oops didn’t finish it, one foot nailed to the floor and she keeps going around in circles.
B A L #46: Let me think about your question for a minute.Uuuuuum, Sorry, can’t think of anything.
well its close….wonder what this one will bring to the table?????
Tried to get everything done early but still in my office. I’ll just have to catch it later and see what’s going on here.
their in vegas trying to promote this like a prize fight …sheesh
Did Barrack get a boo from the crowd?
well, we know who the crowd fav is.
Betting windows closed. Sticking with “B” and I’m not even watching.
What is this a FUN Raiser…with all this waving and smiling.
Timing on Drudge putting up the “Timing on Iran” header is suspicious to me. Bet a side dollar it’s brought up to Killery tonight
It’s all about Hillary!
Good, got it on radio. Don’t have to look at the witch
They should have held it here,
Circus Circus
The neighbors used to have a pet donkey thay brayed all the time.
I swear when she screamed, HELLO, HELLO, HELLO EVERYBODY it reminded me of that annoying donkey!
Ugh!
I really was hoping for entrance music when each candidate came out.
…like wrestling, with pyro and valets.
Wolf loves to hear himself talk.
What’s women and children have to do with Illegals getting DLs?
Everything. What, you didn’t know?
Straight answers as opposed to gay answers?
Did she answer that question or not? Que Pasa?
LOL 68
Barrack is going after the Jugular. Did she clear her throat?
Can you say prepped?
Why are people clapping about the fact that some people can’t afford health care?
Is this Barak Hillary debate?
I can’t see, is Edwards crying?
Hildogs leveling with us…riiiigghhht.
I’m sure her tax credit is worth about $5
why dont they just kiss and get it over with.
what’s that going on in the background?
Taser that guy.
This has turned into a barrack vs hillary thing. she’s getting shrilling.
Jerry Springer!!!!!!
I wonder if Edwards will say that his hair is perfect.
Edwards “No one claims to be perfect, but we can claim to have perfect hair.”
beat me to it 83
hillary: what the people need is straight answers, lol…did she really say that?
It is very nice looking hair. But is it $500 hair?
Senator Clinton cutting people off.
There is the angry Hillary
Still waiting for an actual solution, other than making me get health care.
Throwing mud? How about flinging peas?
on no, she’s laughing
gag/ the cackle
Biden asks us, who among us…. The answer, no one up on stage.
Ahh the John Edwareds platitudes. All sounds, no substance.
I congratulate you all for having the fortitude to sit through this. I barely could stand 3 minutes.
Jon Kerry’s legacy is going to be ingraining the “for it before I was against it” statement in our political discourse.
i don’t think i can stomach anymore..there needs to be some tough policy issues asked and wolfie is not going to do this.. yuk
Way to say nothing Dodd.
I would just love to see all this proof of her “vast
experience” that makes her “the most qualified
candidate” for president on the democrat ticket. She
could not even get elected governor of Arkansas!!!!
If she isn’t qualified for that job and couldn’t get
elected, how can she be qualified to be president and
would she carry Akansas in the election? (Shades of
Al Gore and Tennessee.) I guess she just absorbed
her qualifications from Bubba whenever they shook
hands.