The Philly Showdown: Barocky vs. Hillarocky; Update: Hillary spanks Obama: People “don’t cling to religion when Washington isn’t listening to them;” Update: Obama grilled on Wright (”I’ve disowned him”), Hillary grilled on Tuzla (”I’ll try and get more sleep”); Update: Obama: “I revere the American flag;” Update: Obama grilled on William Ayers connection, counters Hillary with Bill Clinton pardon of Weather Underground terrorists
Scroll down for updates/liveblogging…It’s Gaffe-a-paloooza: All lies, botches, and loons on the table–from Jeremiah Wright to the Tuzla lies to William Ayers to Bill Clinton’s terrorist pardons to Hillary’s baking cookies snipe…Vid: The Ayers attack…Vid:The Jeremiah Wright attack
***
It starts at 8pm tonight. Hillary Clinton’s message: I am not a pathological liar! Barack Obama’s message: I am not a pathological snob!
Your referees: Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulous.
I know: Graooooaan.
The ABC News pre-fight hype:
With the last primaries six weeks behind them and the Pennsylvania contest only six days ahead, Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate in Philadelphia gives Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., a last chance to settle old and new scores heading into a week that could make or break their presidential aspirations.
Watch the Democratic Presidential Debate tonight from 8-10 p.m. ET on the ABC television network.
For the first time since February 26, Clinton and Obama will take the stage at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, in the debate co-hosted by ABCNews, WPVI and the Center, and moderated by ABC’s Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.
Each candidate will try to seize the upper hand and move past the campaign controversies that have directed a negative course in the race to the Democratic nomination in recent days.
Through surrogates and spin, the two Democratic challengers have highlighted each other’s misstatements and missteps this week, each trying to seize the momentum in these final contests, and place doubts in the minds of voters and superdelegates about their opponent’s potential strength against Republican presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Appearing Wednesday on ABC NewsNow Politics Live, Republican strategist Matthew Dowd warned that the candidates’ tone on the debate stage matters more than any specific remark or exchange.
And though it’s difficult to predict what tone the candidates will strike this evening, for both candidates, the debate stakes are high: Clinton will look to build on her five point lead in the Keystone State while Obama will try to match his debate performance with the poll numbers that show him surging past Clinton in the areas of trustworthiness and electability.
Stay tuned for the liveblog here.
Allah’s dubbed it the “There will be blood” debate. Hot Air will also have live coverage and vid highlights and lowlights.
***
8:10pm Eastern. Gibson’s first question. You have each disproportionately appealed to different factions in the party. Cites Mario Cuomo’s call for the loser to be the VP. Why not join each other on a ticket? (Laughter.)
Obama: This has been an extraordinary journey. It’s premature to talk about VP ticket. In Denver, the Democrat party will come together. We have no choice.
Gibson cites Article II, Section I of the Constitution. “If it was good enough for Colonial times, why not now?” ABC has discovered the Constitution!
Hillary: I will go anywhere in the country to make the case [for whomever wins.] I’ve seen the damage of the Bush years. I’ve seen the pain.
Has she FELT their pain? Say it! Say it!
8:14pm Eastern. Gibson brings up BitterClingGate. “Do you understand that some people in this state find that patronizing?”
Obama: No doubt that I can see how people have been offended. Not the first or last time I say something that’s been mangled up. Let me be clear: People are going through very difficult times, even before the housing crisis.
People run to religion when government doesn’t function.
8:17pm Eastern. Hillary goes in for the anti-Cling kill: I am the granddaughter of a man who was a factory worker in Scranton. Went to church. They don’t “cling to religion when Washington isn’t listening to them….I can see how people would be offended at taken aback.”
8:19pm Eastern. Stephanopoulous brings up Hillary’s spat with Bill Richardson: Do you think Obama can beat John McCain? Hillary dodges.
Stephy presses here. Can Obama win?
Hillary: “Yes, yes, yes. But I think I can do better.”
Stephy: Can Hillary win?
Obama: Absolutely and I’ve said it before. Segues back to BitterClingGate. It would be hard for me to be condescending to people of faith since I am a person of faith. I’ve reached out more than any other campaign. The problem with politics is typical…take something and twist it and beat it to death…Obama refers to Hillary baking cookies/Tammy Wynette soundbite…and people attacked her as “elitist” and I remember watching it and thinking, “that’s not who she is.”
Hillary ain’t having it. She goes after him again on the remarks. Blathers about her “passion for empowering people” and her respect for voters.
8:25pm Eastern. Gibson moves to race and Jeremiah Wright. You say you never heard him say the things he said from the pulpit, but you rescinded his invite for his invocation a year ago. Why did it take you more than a year to disassociate yourself?
Obama: Understand. I’m talking about the comments that ended up on YouTube. These comments were objectionable, they’re not comments I believe in…the church and the body of Wright’s work and ministries were not represented by the comments that ended up on TV. And so, what I think I tried to do in the speech here was speak to a broader context…there is anger in the African-American community…true in other communities as well…my candidacy represents the opportunity to move beyond it…we have to connect people…that’s what I’ve done with our campaign…
8:29pm Eastern. Hillary gleefully gets to claim again that she would have walked out of Wright’s church. Obama can barely contain himself from rolling his eyes. Hillary: “You can’t choose your family, but you can choose your pastor.” Hey, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Stephy: Do you think Rev. Wright loves America as much as you do? And what will you do when those sermons are played again and again and again?
Obama: Doesn’t answer the first question. Re. second question: “If it isn’t this, it’ll be something else.”
8:33pm Eastern.
Obama: I’ve disowned him. Stephy: You’ve disowned him? Obama: Awkward pause. “Disowned the comments he’s made.”
Botch! Botch!
Stephy: But do you think he’s as patriotic as you?
Obama: Well, this is someone who was a former Marine.
Hillary: On the attack again. Mentions Farrakhan, the church bulletin to the leader of Hamas, these are problems. This is a legitimate area for people to be exploring.
8:34pm Eastern. Now it’s time for Hillary to be in the hot seat.
Stephy plays a citizen question about the Tuzla fable.
Hillary: I may be a lot of things, but I’m not dumb. I wrote about Bosnia in my book in 2004. I just said some things that I knew not to be true. I’m embarrassed. I hope it’s something that you can look over. Sticks by her story that it was a danger zone…I’ll try and get more sleep…I’ve said things that were not accurate…I’m very sorry that I said it…That happens…
8:38pm Eastern. Obama: “Both of us are working as hard as we can to make sure that we are delivering message that we are [best qualified] to be president…deserves the right to make some errors every once in a while…make sure we don’t lose sight that this is a historic moment….blahblah…for us to be obsessed with these errors is a mistake…
Obama doesn’t want to draw blood.
8:40pm Eastern. Citizen Nash McCabe asks why Obama doesn’t support the American flag. Major vulnerability. How do you convince Dems that it won’t be a vulnerability.
Obama: I revere the American flag. I wouldn’t be running for president if I didn’t revere this country. No other country in which my story is even possibility. Says he’s never said he would never not wear a flagpin. This is a distraction. Obsession with these things distracts from the issues. (Applause)
Stephy brings up Obama’s connection to terrorist William Ayers.
Obama’s irritated. This is someone in my neighborhood. I was eight years old when he committed his acts.
I’m also friendly with Tom Coburn. Do I need to apologize for Coburn’s statements (re abortionists and death penalty)?
The American people are smarter than that.
Hillary goes on the attack: Obama served on a board with Ayers. And that relationship continued after 9/11. It is an issue people will be asking about. She’s really going in for the kill on Obama’s electability in the general. Mwwwrrowr.
Obama notes that Bill Clinton pardoned members of the Weather Underground. Much worse than sitting on some board.
Zing!
(Applause).
Obama finally wakes up and defends himself on electability.
8:56pm Eastern. Back from a commercial break. Hillary trying to out-Left Barack on Iraq. Talking like Cindy Sheehan on withdrawing troops within 60 days of taking the White House. She states adamantly that “no one can predict what will happen,” yet she is adamant that we must pull out the troops.
9:04pm Eastern. Hillary’s talking “diplomatic engagement” with Iran. Refers to Mahmoud’s Trutherism.
9:07pm Eastern. Stephy asks Hillary if she’ll pledge no new taxes for those making under $200k. I’m committed to not raising taxes. She promises billions in tax cuts for middle class. Plugs her website. She’ll pay for everything!
9:11pm Eastern. Gibson asks about the capital gains tax. He cites data that revenues increased when rates were slashed and revenues decreased when rates were raised. Mirabile dictu!
9:16pm Eastern. Know-it-all Hillary. If she had been president, we wouldn’t have had the subprime crisis!
10:10pm Eastern. Sorry, got distracted. Did I fall asleep? Might as well have. Obama was lamb to the slaughter.
Will it matter? Well, he is The Obamessiah.
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 » The “Brotherly Love” Dem debate - Live drunk blog
- Dave Lucas' Notes » Viewer's Choice
- Michelle Malkin » Nutroots ballistic: We demand a stultifyingly dull debate! Or else!
- Gosh, Who Knew that a Couple Debate Moderators Doing Their Jobs Would Cause So Much Trouble! : The Sundries Shack
- politicalpartypoop.com » Blog Archive » Nutroots go ballistic over ABC and the Debate
- Michelle Malkin » Know-it-all Hillary “didn’t know anything about” Bill’s Weather Underground pardons
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
Power Line
» The Alarmists Do "Science": A Case Study
Mudville Gazette
» When the wind won't blowMudville Gazette
» Bad Weather (Part I)Legal Insurrection
» Hacked E-mails or Else!Pundit & Pundette
» About last night's voteJustOneMinute
» "Unequivocal"?
Someone will emerge bitter…
I’m going to guess that the food for tonight’s debate won’t be provided by Pat’s, Geno’s or Tony Luke’s.
Arugula and ham sandwiches, with an occasional shot of Crown Royal.
Don’t know if I can watch these morons, ABS included.
Guaranteed softball questions on Barry, with Charlie and Georgie going for the Hildabeast’s jugular.
Or Absolut.
Crap. How am I going to satisfy this craving you just created?
This should turn out to be as irritating as the Poison Oak I had last summer.
With the exception of the pleasure of watching Hillary twisting in the wind, why else spoil a perfectly good Wednesday evening?
No, I’ll just wait for the renderings, later on.
It’s not like I have any options here in San Jose.
Try Calvin’s.
I think I will skip it, I am going to watch Paula & Randy drool over some talentless wannabe. Come to think of it that will be the same as watching Charlie & George, same drool different fools.
Our elections should not last longer than a season of American Idol.
If they go into the same old tired talking points like every single other debate the two of them have had I’m going to puke.. over and over with the same ole same ole…blah, blah, yawn, blah.
Maybe on the weekend when there’s no traffic. Cheesesteak or barbecue?
Ugh… Lord, Just get me to November with at least half a brain left.
I didn’t just hear a Rocky reference did I?
Cheesesteak (with arugula of course)
interesting, they’re not even televising it here in Palm Desert, Ca … what up with that?
Hillary looked furious as she stood on stage prior to her opening remarks (at which time she pasted on the usual smile of a professional pol).
…and reeeeeeeeeach across the aisle to find bipartisan agreement on ways to…blah blah blah
I just wish they had “warm-up” videos, with Hillary in a meat locker, sweatsuit and stocking hat on, bare-knuckle, “tenderizing” some poor carcass – Bill maybe… [cue theme]
He’s heading into the bitter American field…
Obama is such a moron.
Question: Why don’t you guys run together?
Answer: Well McCain wants to continue Bush policy.
Excuse me, way to fail answering the questions.
Listening on the Radio. Can somebody help me with the visual? Does Obama have a Parrot on his shoulder repeating his answers?
How many times does SnOb-ama say “uhh”?
Opening VP question was asinine. Of course, I don’t mind seeing Dems on the spot, but it is ridiculous. Candidates do not make big, major commitments off the cuff. They’d be stupid to do so. And ABC knows that. ABC is just showing off.
Now that parrot sounds like Edwards
Still defending Bittergate… what an idiot. A “skilled” politician would go out and say I was wrong, forgive me: like McCain and his vote against MLK Jr. Day. That was a great move and the media moved on. With Bittergate, Obama sees the need to act all elitist and pretend like he knows all. Typical liberal snobs.
Already bored.
Hillary with her clown face.
Bama with his snob face.
Same ole crap, blah, blah, blah.
I wanna see a fight by golly!
Red? Bloodshed? We wish.
As much as I fear the prospect that either of these clowns could become President, I have to say that Gibson’s lame gotcha question – “Mario the Pious sez that the loser of you two should commit to being Veep. How about it, kids?” – right off the top was childish and of little use other than to reveal the sheer terror the Treason Media has that Operation Chaos will leave both Hill and Barry unelectable.
Then Charlie serves up opportunity for Obama to lie about his inadvertent speaking of the truth of his Marxist elitism. Did Hillary’s grandpa work with John Edwards’ dad?
Why is George Snufflufagus, former water carrier for the Clinton Regime, still allowed to pretend that he’s an objective journalist?
“It’s not my first “Mangled Up” statement and won’t be my last.”
Keep ‘em coming Glowbama!
Odd, the font color was red for a few seconds.
WHO did this?!?!?!
Bama does not sound sure of himself tonight.
Difficult to lie to cover lies.
anyone know if streaming video is available? for some reason the buttheads in the desert arent airing this debate…. unreal.
Wow. Obama is lucky he doesn’t have Pinocchio’s nose cuz the string of lies he just told about his faith and belief in gun rights would’ve poked right thru my TV screen!
I’m wagering that the fur begins flying at just past the halfway point– 47 mins or so.
aj, you’re not missing much, believe me.
Kissing each other butts and smiling.
They bore me to death. I can’t stand listening to their Marxist rhetoric.
I loved how Hilldabeast said “Yes, yes, yes I think John can win..” – made me feel great!
I’ll pass on watching the debate. Got some good classic rock going (80s), which is infinitely preferable to anything either of those clowns could possibly say. What I really need is a link. While I was deployed, I read over and over about Hillary cackles, and couldn’t open any of the links provided. Could someone provide one?
Thanks,
His Ears Grow everytime he lies. Look at them.
We need LESS of you both to feel better about ourselves.
Do they think that THOSE TWO can make us happier?
Ask my bank.
Worked six days a week, twelve hours a day at the Dunder-Mifflin plant.
Speaking of plants…
John, there pointed.
In the 2nd stage before horns.
They’re…..dang.
That figures I just dont get why it isnt on here? typical of time warner here though, I shouldnt be so surprised.
LOL Gayle #42
Watch it here…
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/livemedia?section=news/politics&id=6083174
Doesn’t work with FireFox, only IE.
Listening to these two reminds me of that scene from Aliens… Any scene from Aliens.
Hillary is milking this!
No, you were at the mosque.
thank you tusk…
Can Bama finish a complete sentence without pausing so much???
I was watching the wonderful White House ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI this morning and then the newschannel reminded the viewers about the debate tonight in Philly. I almost gagged.
I’m going to watch reruns of the ceremony instead.
LOL..Hilldog’s getting nailed!
tonights menu:
crow and arugula.
These two make me ILL!!
So he’s equally as patriotic as Lee Harvey Oswald?
you need a snooper scooper.
ramble, ramble, ramble.
Just answer the question Brock.
Hill just BUSTED Bama. LOL!
make that crow, arugula and toast for Oblama.
MM,
Thanks for the live blogging!!!!!!!!
Hillary wishes the GOP would run nobody. LOL. That was her plan. Too bad it didn’t work out for her. So close to President Hillary Clinton. And yet so far.
Really now, does anybody believe Obama reveres the flag when he isnt directly being called to task on it?
The sickening stench of self-ritcheousness
is filling the auditorium.
Please don your BS gas mask.
SLAP SLAP HUG – by both candidates tonite…like always!
C’mon Hill, keep jabbing!! Something is bound to stick!
They each have such deficits in honesty and experience they really can’t go after each other in those areas. It’s humorous to watch.
#46 TuskAmerica
Sure seems that when Hillary speaks the green line drops….
I don’t understand what I am seeing. Obama is twice as feisty as Hillary. She gets her licks in, but they are very measured. Obama is edgy and combative. This is like the guy at the poker table near the end of the evening with all of the chips in front of him yelling, “Deal! Deal!” It seems to me that an uneventful debate would come close to sealing this nomination for Obama. Yet he is the one trying to heat it up.
Never in a million years did I think someone could be worse than Hillary, then BAM! up pops
ObamaBozo.“People run to religion when government doesn’t function”
if that indeed is a verbatim statement, it is perhaps the most concise summation of the statist, collectivist garbage that is the modern left.
It is almost one hour into the debate and we have the first question on policy and substance. All before has been nothing but an effort to prod the candidates into a scrap or put them on the spot (which is not to say that I don’t think questions about Rev. Wright, etc., are legitimate).
“No other country in which my story is even [a]{sic} possibility”
then pls. do us a favor and stop hating said institutions that enabled it, k?!
/that goes double for your wife!
Funny, she’ll listen to military leaders re Afghanistan but ignore them on Iraq.
Hillary just assured the Islamofascists that she is firmly committed to overruling the Pentagon warmongers and surrendering and fleeing from Iraq in order to reassert our moral authority. (WTF?) So has Obama.
Didn’t they used to put people up against a wall and shoot them for these sorts of treasons?
paul, exactly.
Promises a specific withdrawl within 60 days? Mc Cain will eat her lunch on this. Let’s go ahead and telegraph our moves. Some alleged Commander in Chief…
Exactly.
Bet Iran just marked the calendar.
el skanky doesnt have a clue.
They just can’t say it can they? An attack on Israel is an attack on the United States.
Sorry I’m late in the discussion, I see that pot head George Stupidnopolis trying to act normal…
Here’s an idea.
Why don’t you get rid of illegals?
Then you wouldn’t have to worry about taxes.
Obama says soc sec tax is our “most regressive tax”. Jeez. It’s supposed to be a supplemental retirement plan. You pay in, you take out when you retire. When did it become the job of the higher income earners to pay for the retirement of the middle income earners?
Even the Arugula?
Right. I believe her. /sacr off
Gibson must has been surfing some conservative websites to come up with that stat that Republicans already knew.
Showing his ignorance now.
Bush’s fault though.
Where did Charlie steal those glasses? off the set of John Adams?
Just caught up with you all! Mrs. Boomer won’t let me watch the debate she says the veins on my temples start to stick out when I have had enough of the lies from either one of these pandering lying crapweasels. So I thank Michelle for live blogging what I can’t bear to watch.
Wonder what RUSH is doing with his cigar?
If she cuts our taxes how does she expect to pay for everything? How about by deporting the illegal invaders that suck our public services dry or better yet doing away with some of the useless branches of the Federal Government for a start.
Same boat!
and all the lame grants… sheesh,
Obama…there he goes again. An unprovoked attack on Hillary for saying something when she thought she was outside camera range that was different than what she said in front of the cameras. He has repeatedly hit her but she declines to take the bait.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! Aren’t the strong arm tactics of the last Clinton Administration responsible for forcing the lending industry to give loans to unqualified people part of the reason we have a subprime crisis?
“We’re gonna have to capture some revenue in order to stabilize the social security system”.
So we’re gonna ubertax the heck out of those who already pay 90 something percent of all the taxes already. And create jobs for the rest of the folks.
I can already hear the funds circling the drain for much needed defense spending.
Change – it’s what’s for lunch, because there sure won’t be anything else in the mess hall for the troops.
Dumb and Dumber.
Somebody needs to tell Obama that Bill isn’t running re-election for president. It was President Bill Clinton who done the pardons not Hillary.