Good evening, Kossacks! As you all should know, there is a debate between all of the declared Democratic candidates for the presidency tonight on CNN, beginning at 7 PM Eastern time (which is in about 15 minutes). As usual, we'll need folks to help liveblog this - after all, it's more fun doing this in the diaries than front page, right? :)
A couple of reminders: first, no images or other things that could make the folks on dial-up weep at the slow load times that will follow. Second, please recommend the current liveblog diaries - and then unrecommend them when a new one goes up (which will occur around the 300-comment level).
Below the fold, you'll find a (currently short) list of people who have said they'll liveblog tonight. If you are interested, please post below! I will update the list, along with commentary of the debate, as it goes along.
Hat tip to nhcollegedem for pointing out a live stream over the 'Net.
Liveblog #1: PsiFighter37
Liveblog #2: John DE
Liveblog #3: DemocraticLuntz
Liveblog #4: peace voter
Liveblog #5:
So far, nothing much going on. Lou Dobbs mainly chatting it up. I was pissed when they have a panel of Donna Brazile, James Carville, and J.C. Watts and act as though this is some sort of independent-minded panel of experts. The group on now with Dobbs is marginally better. Kind of sick of everyone talking about Clinton.
Alright, Lou Dobbs and company are done blowing smoke. Hopefully, Wolf Blitzer will ask better questions than Brian Williams (which shouldn't take much effort).
Note about layout: interesting to see they've put the so-called 'fringe' candidates - Kucinich and Gravel - on the outside. Probably deliberate.
1-minute responses; Blitzer says hopefully some will be less. Toolbag.
One sentence to introduce everyone? Lame.
Obama gets first question about September 11th - related to JFK bullshit yesterday. Is Bush administration right? What a shitty question. Talks about needing to refocus on Afghanistan. Blitzer asks if they've done anything right; Obama says financial work has been good.
Edwards gets a question about calling GWOT a 'bumper sticker'. Blitzer asks if he really believes we aren't at war. He's calling it a political slogan used to justify everything that has been done. Word.
Clinton asks she agrees with Edwards; she does not. Hoists up 9/11 (fucking hate that. Fuck that.). God, she's as bad as Giuliani on this.
Kucinich gets a question about his opposition against the Patriot Act. He says that it should be repealed.
Question to Biden about funding the troops. Asked why everyone else was wrong to vote against it. Avoids the question and says that he wrote the language in the vetoed proposal. He's talking about needing to get armor and stuff to the troops. Wolf asks why he doesn't judge them. Biden says it's not his position to judge them.
Clinton gets a question about why she voted against it. Says 'enough is enough'. What a liar. What a goddamn freakin' liar.
Obama gets the same question. 'Everyone supports the troops', Obama says. It's about how we feel about a continuation of what hasn't worked. Brings up the Korea comment by Bush, which is good.
Edwards gets a question about where he disagreed with any of them. Edwards says it's about leading and following; Congress should be leading. Mentions Dodd and hits Obama and Clinton. I like it. Like it a lot.
Wow. Obama just called Edwards out for being 4.5 years late on this war. That's some pretty direct stuff. I'm sure this won't help calm any tensions within the blogosphere.
Clinton doesn't respond directly to Edwards; she's talking about bringing in the troops. It's clear that her strategy is to blur the differences between her and the others on the war.
Edwards is talking about standing on this war and it being important.
Chris Dodd thanks Edwards for the plug and now talks about why it's important to have timetables.
Blitzer asks Richardson if there's a moral responsibility to stay in Iraq if genocide occurs. He's talking about the need to withdraw by year-end; Blitzer presses on the issue of genocide possibly. Richardson says he would keep troops in Kuwait but not in Iraq.
Question for Gravel about where he disagrees. Calls out Edwards for cosponsoring AUMF. Says that Vietnam didn't quite turn out that way.
For Kucinich: is mission in Iraq worth it? Says he honors the troops, and he keeps talking about needing to bring the troops home.
Biden says that Democrats should be telling the truth - basically that we don't have enough votes to get us out. Plainly speaks that the war won't end until we have a Democratic president.
Clinton asked if she regrets her vote without reading NIE. Says she was talking with people at the time. She said she felt she was briefed. Full of shit.
Edwards gets a question about not reading the NIE. Says he read the summary and got enough info. Says that difference between him and Hillary is that he admitted he was wrong. Gives Obama props for being right; gets some light applause.
Obama gets a question about being against it without being in the Senate. Says that there is some fearmongering back in 2002, talks about what we need to do from hereon out.
Gravel gets same question: should people who voted for it be president? Says no; points out remarks by Durbin and Shrum (in his new book) that there were clear political considerations. They don't have moral judgment.
Clinton says that she wouldn't have voted for it if she knew what she knows now. The claim that she trusted Bush is a joke. Unbelievable. Full of crap. Full of motherfuckin' crap. It was a wrong judgment, Hillary! It was wrong!
Richardson is getting a question about legalizing the current illegal immigrants. Why is it not amnesty? (stupid GOP framing; I hate it) Says what his beliefs are, he wouldn't tear families apart. Emphasizes standards; I don't think Wolfie can gets his thick head around it.
Biden gets a question about his support for the fence. Again avoids saying Richardson is wrong. Points out the idiocy of rounding up people and sending them home. Gets a laugh for saying he's got to be practical. Voted for the fence with regards to drug trafficking.
Obama gets a question about building the fence. Mentions Canada and TB (WTF? Does not compute). Doesn't really talk about why he voted for the fence. Wants to let people who have abided by the law to become citizens.
Raising hand for questions: should English be official language of the U.S.? Only Gravel raises his hand, says that it is English. He does get applause. Obama cuts in to say that people living here will learn English; says the question is just a way to divide people - gets more applause for that. Clinton starts distinguishing between the legal consequences.
Dodd gets the question, framed with polling numbers. Says that we need to learn more languages; apparently, he speaks fluent Spanish.
Question for Edwards: can fund health care without raising taxes? Richardson and Clinton says that we don't need to raise for taxes. Compliments Obama for details and criticizes him for not being universal. Elaborates on taxes (repeals what has been cut). Says that we need to be truthful.
Obama says that there's a difference (missed it, aside from what Edwards said). Not too impressed. Only includes mandatory health care for children.
Clinton gets a question about her failed plan. Says that she's now happy. Says the plan isn't important (WTF?!). What is her plan? There's got to be political will - a broad coalition.
Next diarist, please create the next liveblog thread!