The Iowa Democrat debate: Schoolmarm returns; Update: Schoolmarm is all giggles; Update: No “show of hands,” schoolmarm not amused by Hillary’s joke; Update: Obama gets the best one-liner…“Hillary, I’m looking forward to you advising me as well.”
Scroll down for updates…
She’s baaaaack. In 15 minutes, Des Moines Register editor Carolyn Washburn returns for the Iowa Democrat debate. How long before she raps knuckles? Will she ask for a show of hands? Will they waste time with more superfluous video of the candidates while the candidates stand there on stage watching themselves soaking up valuable time? Bets on hottest topics she’ll completely ignore? (Hint: Meltdown!) Who’s she voting for: Hillary or Obambi? Will anyone wonder out loud why Dennis Kucinich wasn’t allowed to join in the Iowa reindeer games?
Reaching for my No Doze…stay tuned for liveblogging. Or zzzzzzzzlogging.
***
Note: Just a few minutes into this debate, it’s clear how much more deferential Schoolmarm is to the Dems than she was to the Republicans. Deathly dull. This is not a debate. It’s a wake.
Note II: Schoolmarm is all giggles. She seems to have a particular soft spot for Bill Richardson.
Note III: Scroll down to 2:43pm update below. Hillary gets a chilly reception when she ribs Schoolmarm about her “show of hands” question yesterday. Brrrrrrrrr. It’s the only sighting of Nurse Ratched I’ve seen this hour.
***Here’s the vid.***
Note IV: All important topics covered so far: Air conditioning, wind turbines, art in the schools.
Note V: Scroll down to 3:14pm Eastern below.
Schoolmarm asks Obama: How are you going to provide change when you have so many former Clinton advisors advising you?
Laughter. Hillary cackles: “I want to hear this.” Schoolmarm giggles.
OBAMA: “Hillary, I’m looking forward to you advising me as well.”
***Here’s the vid****
Note VI: It’s over. Final question for the candidates. What have you learned from Iowa? My answer:
What I learned: Iowa newspaper editors are as condescending, biased, and out of touch with the mainstream of voters as East Coast and West Coast editors are.
***
Here we go.
2:02pm Eastern. Schoolmarm sets the rules. “I’ll try not to be a Scrooge about.” Schoolmarm is already showing her softer side. Surprise.
First question: Iowans of both parties asking – Will it be a priority to balance the budget?
Obama blames Bush and the GOP.
Richardson: I’ll be the biggest balanced budget guy you’ve ever seen!
Biden: Eliminate the war, eliminate the tax cuts, cut $20 billion out of the military….problem solved!
Dodd: Solution: Pay as you go budgets. Grow the economy.
Edwards: Create jobs!
Hillary: Fiscal responsibility!
Question: What taxes would you increase?
Richardson: Doesn’t answer. Has 60 seconds to not answer.
Edwards: Big corporations = bad. Me = good.
Just a few minutes into this debate, it’s clear how much more deferential Schoolmarm is to the Dems than she was to the Republicans. No interrupting. No jumping all over them with her stopwatch.
Clinton: Big corporations and wealthy individuals = bad.
Question: How will you pay for new programs with ongoing Iraq war?
Schoolmarm’s giving Obama like, an hour, to say nothing.
Richardson: Blah, blah, blah.
Schoolmarm gives Richardson another 60 seconds to bloviate about China.
Can’t. Keep. Eyes. Open.
Question for Hillary: What do we do about entitlements? Is it a problem? Couldn’t Schoolmarm come up with a real, focused question on this issue? Would it have killed her?
Hillary: Bipartisan commission. BOLD!
Schoolmarm politely asks Obama to keep his answer short. She seems almost sorry she has to ask. Contrast with yesterday’s snappier growling at the Republicans.
Richardson gets another hour to bloviate. I’m getting the feeling Schoolmarm is a Richardson fan.
Free Statement time! More uninterrupted bloviation time.
Obama gives his MLK Jr. speech.
Edwards flubs his Better America speech. “We should leave America better than what we made it. Leave it better than how we found it. Whatever.” Opponents cackle. Hillary is loving it. Schoolmarm giggles.
Questions on human rights. Nafta.
2:34pm Eastern. More free statements. This whole “debate” has been a free statement forum for the Democrats.
More Richardson. Schoolmarm giggles again.
2:36pm Eastern. Question on energy independence.
Bill Richardson is talking about air conditioning.
Schoolmarm: Sen. Dodd, can you try that (question) in 30 seconds. Giggle!
Dodd: Carbon is KILLING THE PLANET!
Obama is talking about WIND TURBINES.
Schoolmarm gives Edwards 10 minutes to talk about the planet.
2:43pm Eastern. Hillary interjects. “Carolyn, are you going to ask us to raise our hands? ‘Cuz the Republicans didn’t do such a good job. We believe it is a problem!” Schoolmarm: “I’m not doing that today.”
Frosty.
2:49pm Eastern. Schoolmarm so polite: “We have to move on, I’m afraid…”
More “Free Statements.”
Hillary speeds through stump speech.
Dodd plods.
2:51pm Eastern. Education question. What are your goals, timetables to set up the best education system. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
2:53pm Eastern. Bill Richardson will make us number one in math again. And Art in the Schools. Just like Huck.
3:00pm Eastern. Sorry, I tuned out to post about Nancy Pelosi’s latest unhingedness. I tuned back in to hear Schoolmarm giggling over Dodd exceeding his time.
3:05pm Eastern. Schoolmarm delicately asks Hillary about her secretive health care task force. Russert already broached the secrecy issues better months ago. Bwahahaha: Hillary is complaining about government stonewalling. She’s “committed to open and transparent government.”
3:07pm Eastern. Schoolmarm raps Biden for his racial gaffes. He explains his Indian immigration and Washington DC black students remarks. Defends his civil rights record.
Everyone claps. Obama exercises his absolute moral authority and gives his “testimony” and absolution.
Richardson gets a softball about Wen Ho Lee. “I’ve made a lot of gaffes and I’m glad you haven’t raised them.”
Schoolmarm: Giggle.
****First worthwhile question/exchange of the entire forum…********
3:14pm Eastern. Obama – How are you going to provide change when you have so many former Clinton advisors advising you?
(Laughter. Hillary cackles: “I want to hear this.” Schoolmarm giggles.)
OBAMA: “Hillary, I’m looking forward to you advising me as well.”
Biggest applause line.
3:18pm Eastern. New Year’s resolutions.
Hillary wants to exercise. Oh, and win the presidency.
Edwards pours on his treacly Two Americas rhetoric.
Dodd wants to “regain our moral authority” and wishes that Iowans will “caucus correctly on Jan. 3.”
Richardson wants to lose weight. He’s the Huckabee of the Democrat Party.
Biden resolves to remember when things were really bad so that he enjoys…when things are good. Remember where you came from.
Obama: Be a “better father, husband, and remind myself that this is not about me.”
Ugh. It’s not done yet.
Question: 20 seconds to tell schoolmarm what lessons they have learned from Iowa.
Hillary: I ate a lot.
Everyone else: We love Iowans. Iowans are wonderful.
What I learned: Iowa newspaper editors are as condescending, biased, and out of touch with the mainstream of voters as East Coast and West Coast editors are.
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No Kucinich, no Gravel, no I watch.
I’m waiting on pins and needles….. No really….
ah – let the games begin.
I am preparing the eye bleach and ear soap.
I bet she sucks up to the Dems. the charmin debate. soft.
30 these dimocrits are very, very serious, you know that..Ha, Ha…..
Show of hands….
Drivers licenses for everyone?Do you believe all little babies should be able to grow up healthy, with health coverage?
.
One she won’t ask…will you cover your hearts when you say the pledge of allegiance to the United States of America.
I can’t (won’t) watch..but I would like to know what they do differently today, in favor of the dems.
i am sure that it will be to ensure that the dems look oh so presidential versus making the republican candidates to look like fascist idiots.
will Iraq be on the agenda? cause it wasn’t for the republcans. it will be interesting to see if she mentions ‘timetable’ or ‘troops home’ which are all Iraq topics.
cut the republicans at their knees by not talking about their strong points. yep, that way republicans can make a really good choice as to their candidate. from a demoncrap perspective.
Can I watch Ron Paul on this one?
Why can’t these people answer with a simple “Yes” or “No” ?
Why can’t all questions be answered by merely raising your hand or not?
So far all I’ve heard between the lines is; tax, tax, tax, tax, then tax some more
I don’t think anyone will be seeing this debate. Major League Baseball is releasing the results of the steroid probe at the same time. I’m sure that will be all over the news instead.
Why are the democrats allowed to yak so much about the war when it was off the table for the republicans?
The woman who wanted to spend 1 million dollars on a memorial for “Woodstock” at taxpayer’s expense is talking about fiscal responsibility…
lol, jrl. NS!
does anyone know of a live feed on the web for the debate?
Plain as a back fence, does Ms. Truss britches have her yard stick again?
Thank god Biden won’t get within 100 feet of the nomination.
cut 20 billion from the military? how about we cut 20 billion from social programs first, huh?
I guess cutting pork projects are out of the question, seeing as nobody brought it up.
But here’s something that’ll help balance the budget, universal health care! Who are the kidding?
With a show of hands, who believes that man-made global warming is the biggest bunch of crap that you have ever heard?
How about we lower the pay of politicians.
swj! you make it to Colorado yet?
Cspan is live feeding – so is the DesMoines Register website
Same old liberal agenda. Cut the defense budget and spend more money on
socialvote buying programs.First I have to figure out how to tell her that we’re getting married…
thanks jrl.
I need an Caramel Macchiatto I.V. Drip – Stat! They’re losing me!
Talk about taking one for the team…
Gregory – try the Register’s website – everytime I use c-span the screen freezes after a time – dont’ know if it’s just my system here at work – or theirs…
No problems so far with the Register website…
Did I just hear Hillary talking about fiscal responsibility? Didn’t she want to give every child born in America a $5000 bond?
Ahhh..spoke to soon – it’s starting to freeze & skip on me….
Hey – they actually sound better that way..
The soft debate… ho hum
Charmin
Zzzzzzzzzz
Thanks. That is much better.
omg, these morons suck.
All at once, people:
“Snappier, please!”
( If she won’t say it – someone has to )
Dang, his hair looks good!!!
Regular lovefest going on here.
Too bad there’s nothing underneath it.
edwards, the timmy robbins candidate… lol, that was a death warrant for sure. what a fool.
Who is this Lou Costello look-alike?
Closest I’ve seen schoolmarm come to enforcing time limit is quietly saying “Thank you” to Obama when he was 10 seconds over.
why am I watching this…. y? y? y?
Haaaay
AbotttttOh-Bah-Maaaaaaaaaa!!!Advice for MM on how to report this:
Question: Why is the GOP ruining this country?
Clinton: Platitude
Obama: Platitude
Dodd: Platitude
Edwards: The dead have told me this-Platitude.
Richardson: Platitude
Biden: Condescending statement about nothing.
Huckabee: Platitude (oh wait, he was in the other debate).
Copy and paste as needed.
John Edwards blinks about 500 times per minute. He must have hair spray in his eyes.
Ok – just “how well” does Edwards know this “Bishop” guy? How oily can you get?
I hate politicians….
aj: I guess it’s just like watching a train wreck.
It’s the dead spirits trying to get out.
Hmmmmmmm….. no trolls so far – they must be glued to their screens, tivo’ing, and video taping all at once while sitting in their bean-bags eating cheetos…
He’s lost without the big O.
I can’t watch this.
Remember AJ, it’s not the debate we’re here for, it’s the live blogging with MM.
30! TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Since when did what the candidates say acutally influence what the trools did. They’re just waiting for the moveON and Code Pink marching orders, but the server must be down.
The obvious bias in this debate is more than I can stomach.
Lou Costello gets to talk abou the war and isn’t being interrupted by the moderator? what’s up with that?
It’s hard to hear them talk about human rights when people have to watch this debate.
Who needs waterboarding?
No kidding 30, are we sure the Mod isnt Monica?
She’ll be heralded as conducting a fantastic debate.
aj, step away from the computer…
no, nevermind, do don’t that.
Have you noticed that no one has said anything specific about how they want to achieve their Utopia?
uh oh, carbon tax.
She’s being more deferential to the dems? I’m shocked I tell you! Shocked!
[/sarcasm]
Jim C
Wow, I can’t believe Clinton talked about cutting taxes, doing a way with social security, drilling in ANWAR, and funding the troops until the war was finished…Damn it! I’m awake again.
Carbon tax?!?! Give me a break!
Excessive hot air will do that…..
Their digging it deep today.
oh good lord.
Too bad some of us have some honest work to do(?) Sounds like I could use a copy of this debate the next time I have a case of insomnia – or maybe constipation. Whatever!
I wish the Marine’s had accepted her – they would have straightened her out years ago…..
Seriously. It’s like watching the Patriots play. The commentators drone on and on about Brady.
It’s like come up for air why don’t you…
No offense to any Patriots fan out there.
Now didn’t Shrillery accuse Obama of having aspirations in kindergarten? didn’t she just say that she decided to try to change the world when she was in 5th grade? Such hypocrisy.
Or John Madden talking about Brett Favre ( for all you Frank Caliendo fans )
Edwards do the USA a break and just go home.
Favre, I actually like.
Oh Good Lord – the hand raising is brought up by Shillery…
Or John Madden talking about Brett Favre ( for all you Frank Caliendo fans )
Crops! She’s asking about crops?!
Oh, Taylor – I like him…. in moderation…. after a while, he’s like the Dems… same material, different day.
Would you buy a car from this man or woman?
Aj…I’d rather have them selling cars.
The way their going they will be. lol
Schoolmarm says she isn’t doing the hand raising thing today. But then she’s doing a lot of things different today.
Of course, none would actually sell the cars. They would just give them away and bill the government for them.
This is a Cratacular Craptastic show of Crapweasels.
How did these idiots get into the position of running for president. Gd really must be laughing.
Hillary is kissing the butts of the ‘family farmers’ – she needed to check if any where there.
They should of held the debate at a used car lot. I haven’t heard such a well rehearsed bunch of liars in a long time.
Dodd, where’s my car?
i just threw up.
I saw or heard yesterday that the Iowa Caucus turnout is something like 10% of the voters…
How is it that we have a system that gives that much power to 10% of voters from one state?
We need a national primary day.
It’s ok for the government to steal over 50% of every paycheck but they are worried about the “childrens” in other countries? What about my right to keep what I earn?
Oh how I wish I were watching this live…..NOT [/wayne's world reference]
bye bye edwards. RIP