The First, and Earliest Post on The Democratic Presidential Debate in Nevada

The theme for tonight’s CNN debates from Nevada: “This Time, The Gloves Come Off!”.
If that’s the case, can someone please stick the gloves in Lou Dobbs’ mouth? Having to listen to his borderline racist, jingoistic, outraged Populist mess prior to this debate has been an ordeal.
If Lou Dobbs was from Mexico, he would be doing anything in his power to get into the United States.
God, I wish someone would catch him employing an illegal Hispanic Nanny.
Lou, ask your audience what is screwed up about Mexico, and try to get your audience upset over that, ok? There’s only a river separating them from us. Same oceans. Same weather. Do an investigative report.
Ok, we’re getting started….
Wulf Blitzer is singing the praises of Nevada. Hasn’t mentioned GREAT blackjack rules.
He’s brought out John “The Carolina Ambulance Chaser” Edwards.
Chris Dodd, who did ok at the last debate.
Barack Obama, who came across very well last time. He’s going to be President one day, but probably not this time.
Hillary Clinton, who will probably spend the evening at the bottom of a dog pile.
Delivered by UFO, Dennis Kucinich.
Bill Richardson, who in my opinion, is running for Vice President.
Joe Biden, who I thought won the last debate.

They’re doing a Photo-op. It would be funny to have each candidate flounce down a catwalk while an announcer describes what they’re wearing, who designed it, and how much it sells for at Wal-Mart.

Wulf Blitzer is saying that the candidates must stay “on-topic”. Good luck, Wulf.

Campbell Brown is asking Hillary about “parsing”. Hillary is happy to be here. Her pantsuit is asbestos. She’s been fighting for 35 years for her positions. She’s been specific.
Wulf is trying to start some stuff…He asks Barack to clarify his attacks on Hillary. Well, Barack is happy to be here also. He thinks Americans want straight answers. Hillary doesn’t give them.. Driver’s Liscences, Immigrants, Social Security, etc. WE NEED A DIFFERENT KIND OF POLITICS. The reason is, Washington (Hillary) doesn’t listen.
Wulf throws it to Hillary….”When it came to step up and support Universal Healthcare, he chose not to do that”. Hillary covers everyone. She’s been fighting that battle for 15 years. Republicans aren’t going to quit without a fight.
Obama: Let’s talk about healthcare….hillary thinks the problem is no one has forced them to get it. Barack thinks they just can’t afford it. Everyone should healthcare as good as Congress. GOOD LUCK PAYING FOR THAT, BARACK.
Hillary: I invented healthcare.
Big muddle. Everyone talking at once.
Barack: Hillary states that she wants to mandate it. But she’s not garnishing wages. She’s not enforcing it. The audience is yelling. This will be like the WWF if someone doesn’t quiet this Nevada audience down.
Edwards: Nobody’s perfect. Can we have a Prez that will restore trust? Edwards is now the first to dogpile. He lists all the ways that Hillary is like Bush. The camera keeps going to Hillary. She looks irked.
Hillary: I respect all my colleagues on the stage. She doesn’t mind taking hits. Edwards is taking his attacks out of the Republican playbook. (audience cheers). Edwards looks irked. We need to put forth a positive agenda for America.
Wulf: we want Biden to weigh in…
Biden: OH NO NO NO….PLEASE DON”T CALL ON ME ! List of things that Americans are worried about….Biden makes a joke, and Hillary does her cackle.
Biden asks who among us can take care of big huge problems…Biden says he has the experience. He comes across as The Adult in The Room.
John Roberts, an older Ken Doll, asks about people attacking Hillary for flip-flopping:
Edwards says it’s ok for people to change their minds. But not in the same paragraph. Nevadans are booing. I think the lights are too bright. Edwards is blinking too much. He’s listing number of poor people in America. We all have choices.
Wulf: why is John Edwards so angry?
Dodd: We have a job to do…(stay in office, funnel money to our contributors, and keep people from worrying.) People quit listening when it gets this shrill.
Bill Richardson: He gets to say something, introduces himself. John wants class war, somebody else wants generational war, Hillary wants any war. He wants to give peace a chance. The governor of New Mexico wants to be John Lennon. Let’s stop the mud-slinging. Let us, Let us, Let us, etc etc etc
Wulf: Are you ready to commit that you will support the Democratic nominee?
John: Yes All others: yes. Dennis: if anti-war. Biden: wouldn’t support any of them.
Barack, on an immigration question: Bush has done nothing. 5 million have come across the border since Bush took office. We have to state a comprehensive solution: tight borders, prosecution of employers of illegals. HE SAID “MAKE SURE THEY’RE LEARNING ENGLISH.” This will come back to haunt him.
Wulf: Do you support D.L.’s for illegals?
Barack: he advocated it as state senator from Illinois. Blah blah, blame Bush.
Wulf does another role call on D.L.’s: Barack: He’s getting hung up trying to parse his answer. Edwards: No. more elaboration. Dodd: Kinda said no. Barack: Yes. (I think) Clinton: No. Kucinich: these people aren’t illegal, but undocumented. Cancel Nafta. Give them a legal path. Richardson: Yes. He did it in New Mexico. Biden: No.
Aging Ken Doll: Asks Dodd about education….Teachers can’t get raises for excellence. Teachers Unions are a problem, aren’t they?
Dodd: Brings up poverty, not merit pay for teachers.
Wulf: Asks Kucinich if he disagrees with Unions about anything….
Kucinich: Yadayadayadayada….I don’t think we’ll ever know. When pressed, he says Teamsters wanted to drill in Alaska, and he didn’t.
Richardson: minimum wage for Teacher’s oughta be 40 grand. Kindertgartens, art, math, no huge loans, Two years tuition = 1 year service.
Clinton: She likes School based merit pay, not individual. The school is a team. (Everything has to be “group” and socialized with Hillary. It Takes a Village”) She won’t say yes or no.
Biden: An Excellent Teacher should be judged by improving him/herself by getting more degrees. (This has been proven to have no effect on teaching ability, BTW.) Who is going to judge what is excellent?
Campbell Brown: Pakistan has a state of emergency. Musharaff (sp?) is in big trouble. Should we keep propping him up?
Biden: He’s gotta keep fair and free elections going in Pakistan, (or get them going to begin with). Joe has a Pakistan plan for the Pakistan middle class. (Then he gets in a great dig at the big 3 candidates, apologizing for having the boldness to answer a question….)
Richardson: We got our principles wrong in Pakistan. Democracy and Human Rights are the most important. Put up 10 million bucks. Conditional on Liberalizing the nation. Free elections, restore the courts, etc.
Wulf wants clarification: What’s more important, Human Rights or American Security?
Richardson: It’s not about what Haliburton wants.
Edwards: Basic Goals….no extremism, dem elections, watch extremists, no nukes. Edwards is going to rid the world of Nuclear Weapons.
Obama: Human Rights vs. National Interests…They aren’t contradictory. The more Human Rights are observed, they more everyone’s national security is improved. (Good Answer.)
Dodd: National Security, (after some Bush slamming). He then says some good stuff about being careful what you wish for. There are a lot of voting extremists in Pakistan.
Hillary: National Security. Hillary isn’t going to parse a single answer tonight.
John Roberts: Asks Richardson about a unit doing it’s 13th tour in Iraq. Looong question. Is the troop increase working?
Richardson: the surge isn’t working. 3/18ths of benchmarks aren’t working. 65% of Iraqi’s say it’s ok to shoot an American. (He’s giving a long, long, long answer. Kucinich looks irked ‘cause he didn’t get to answer the Pakistan question.)
Kucinich: I’m the only one on stage who voted against the war, And has a plan to bring the troops home. Then he answers the Pakistan question. Dennis says we created the Pakistan problem.
Obama: More troops in Iraq are making a difference in some neighborhoods. He’s going to end the war in 16 months. Talk to Iraq and Syria.
Campbell Brown: what about Chinese Toys? Are your co-democrats responsible?
Kucinich: my co-candidates are responsible. John Edwards, you voted in favor of a lot of this. (much audience noise)
Edwards: America’s trade policy has been a disaster. Big corporate interests have taken over the country. Now he’s talking about NAFTA. We shouldn’t replace Corporate Republicans with Corporate Democrats.
Wulf: Asks about Bill’s NAFTA support….Was Ross Perot right?
Clinton can only remember charts. “we need to take a look at it.” Every parent should be worried about China toys, pet food, etc etc etc….
Wulf: Was NAFTA a mistake?
Clinton: It didn’t deliver as hoped. Enforce Labor and Environmental rights.
Dodd: We’re in a global economy. We have to expand those markets.
Barack: Obama supports the Peru Free Trade Agreement. On China…The Japanese send their own inspectors in. We should do the same.
Biden: We can shut this down if we want to. Bush won’t do it.
John Roberts: exposition, exposition, exposition, Obama, where should Nuclear Waste be kept?
Barack: We should work on developing safe ways to store this, as opposed to finessing our “Not In My Backyard” strategies. Obama then asks why Wulf keeps asking “assuming we can’t” questions….”Let’s assume we can”….Good answer.
Richardson: the future is renewable. Turn Yucca Mountain into a National Laboratory. Find a safe way to get rid of this stuff. Plus, we have to sacrifice a little bit.
Hillary is asked about going to Wellesley, and her statements about “the all boys club”. Is she exploiting gender?
Clinton: I’m not playing the gender card, I’m playing the winning card. I’m not attacked because I’m a woman, I’m attacked because I’m ahead. Quotes Truman. “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” “I’m comfortable in the kitchen.”
What did you mean at Wellesley when you referred to The Boys Club?
Clinton: There are some impediments. It’s the hardest glass ceiling. (She’s doing well here. Good spiel.)
THANK GOD IT’S ALMOST BREAK TIME.
Wulf: do any of you think Clinton is playing the gender card?
Edwards: We gotta have a strong candidate. We have to know the differences. He gets booed on a dig about campaign contributions.)

At this point, I’d say that Obama and Biden are doing well. Edwards is neutral. Hillary is doing much better than her last outing. Dodd, Kucinich, and Richardson haven’t screwed up, but haven’t done anything to get out of last place, either. I’m going to go ahead and post this, As Is. Hope it’s accurate.