Warning: I'm an Obama supporter and the bias will show in this diary.
I just wanted to share a few of my thoughts, observations and favorite moments from the debate. Please feel free to discuss or share your own takes. Keep it civil, please.
- Drivers licenses - The question that pierced the armor of HRC's impeccable campaign months ago predictably resurfaced tonight. Oh the sweet irony of it too. We all know how HRC got caught up trying to distance herself from her support of this in NY and ultimately came out against the the unpopular issue. And tonight in Los Angeles, a key battleground for critical Latino votes, HRC was called on to reinforce her opposition to licenses. She tried to run out the clock by answering Obama's previous question but was finally forced to admit she is against this unpopular position, in the heart of where it is most popular - after Obama had gotten a loud applause for his immigration positions. A slap in the face to her important Latino constituency? Please let this be a hard lesson against poll-driven politics.
- I liked Obama's answer to the question of whether illegal immigrants were taking jobs from blacks. He reframed the issue as a problem with the economy that effects everyone. I was disappointed, however, that he didn't take it a step forward and frame it as more of a class issue. This was a perfect opportunity to echo Edwards.
- Rachel Maddow on MSNBC said HRC used her rebuttal on this question (#2) to drive a wedge between blacks and Latinos. I didn't see it this way, but she's the professional. Might go back and rewatch this part.
- HRC, as blatantly as I've seen, invoked her gender when she said how great it would be to have a female president.
- CNN had the most boring panel of 'experts' on the post-debate discussion. And the 5 minutes I put up with it was all talk about how nice Obama and Clinton were to each other. Why does MSM love to just hammer the most obvious things?
- Most interesting post-debate cable news moment. Rachel Maddow calling Clinton an "idiot" regarding the AUMF vote and her defense of it. It probably wasn't as bad as I make it sound, but it got my attention.
- Comment of the night: Obama's shot at Romney and the moderator from Politico struggling to supress his laugh.
- I'm not happy about the Obama/Clinton:Clinton/Obama ticket narrative. I think its got legs in the media and favors Clinton. This could really sway fence sitters as Obama, being younger, is probably most perceived as the natural #2 on the ticket.
- Best possible narritive that can come out of this debate: Obama can talk issues.
- Favorite celebrity camera find: Josh Lyman