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THE GOTCHA DEBATE

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Deanna Witmer
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« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2008, 03:35:56 pm »

Clinton campaign gets Weather Underground questions
Posted: 02:29 PM ET
 


Hillary Clinton speaks during Wednesday's ABC debate.
(CNN) — The morning after Hillary Clinton attacked Barack Obama over his relationship with William Ayers, founder of Weather Underground, her campaign advisers struggled with questions over her view of pardons for members of that group issued by her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

On a conference call with reporters, spokesman Howard Wolfson said he did not know where the New York senator stood on the pardons, but that he would check.

The Obama campaign has responded to Clinton’s questions to the Illinois senator at Wednesday night’s ABC debate with press releases pointing to the former president’s pardons of Weather Underground members Susan Rosenberg and Linda Evans.

The group, which formed in the 1960s, sought the overthrow of the U.S. government, and carried out violent attacks including bombings.

Filed under: Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton
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« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2008, 03:36:48 pm »

Obama brushes Clinton off his shoulders—literally
Posted: 03:13 PM ET

 


Barack Obama says Hillary Clinton was highly critical in Wednesday night's debate.
RALEIGH, North Carolina (CNN)-–Democrat Barack Obama that rival Hillary Clinton was "in her element" at Wednesday night's debate, telling a North Carolina crowd she "took every opportunity to get a dig in."

He used his hands to motion brushing his shoulders off. "That's her right to kind of twist the knife in a little bit," he said, before adding that he understands why she's using what he calls the tactics of the GOP.

"That’s the lesson that she learned when the Republicans were doing that same thing to her back in the 1990s. …So, I understand it," Obama continued.

"When you're running for the presidency then you’ve gotta expect it and you know you’ve just gotta kinda let it—" He paused, brushing his shoulders off with his hands before doing the same to his knees and pant legs.

"You know, it's what you gotta do," he said, to wild cheers from the Raleigh audience.


Obama's attacks echo a theme his campaign has been hammering, as well.

In a conference call with reporters Thursday morning, campaign manager David Plouffe said Clinton's recent negative ads in Pennsylvania are part of a "relentlessly negative campaign."

But before Obama directly took on Clinton, the Illinois senator took a swipe at the debate itself, sarcastically calling the back-and-forths the two have been having lately "inspiring events." He added that Wednesday's set a new record in his book.

"It took us 45 minutes before we even started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people."

All this at a time when it remains unclear whether Obama will commit to an April 27 debate in North Carolina. Coincidentally, an audience member asked him why he hasn't committed to that one yet.

Obama, as he has in the past, downplayed the relevance of recent broadcasts.

"I’ll be honest with you," Obama started, "you know we now had 21, and look, I mean the previous three, you know, we did very well, so its not as if we don’t know how to do these things."

From: CNN Political Producer Chris Welch
Filed under: Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton



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« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2008, 03:39:13 pm »



Obama: Let's campaign, not have more debates
Story Highlights
NEW: Sen. Barack Obama expresses frustration with additional debates

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, candidates meet at the British Embassy

Obama visits North Carolina; Sen. Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania

Sen. John McCain talks economy, dismisses view he's too old for presidency

     
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday suggested he doesn't see any point in having another debate with Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Clinton.


Wednesday's debate on ABC may be the final face-off between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.



1 of 2 Clinton has agreed to a debate next week, but Obama has not yet accepted the invitation.

At an appearance in Raleigh, North Carolina, Obama said he has a lot of campaigning to do in a limited amount of time.

Obama said he had agreed to an earlier debate, but Clinton declined that one.

"I'll be honest with you, we've now had 21," he said. "It's not as if we don't know how to do these things. I could deliver Sen. Clinton's lines; she could, I'm sure, deliver mine."

Obama said he has to look at his schedule, considering the upcoming primaries.

The two Democrats went head-to-head in a debate Wednesday night on ABC.

During the first part of that debate, the candidates largely rehashed the controversies that have marked their last six weeks on the campaign trail.

Much of the fire was leveled at Obama, who once again answered questions about controversial statements by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and his own comments that some rural Pennsylvanians are "bitter."

Obama said it took too long for them to address anything substantial.

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"Last night we set a new record because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking -- until we started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people," he said.

"Now I don't blame Washington for this, that's just how Washington is. ... They like stirring up controversy, they like playing 'gotcha' games. ... I will say Sen. Clinton looked in her element."

Clinton hasn't commented on the debate.

Meanwhile, all three of the White House hopefuls sat down for a one-on-one meeting Thursday with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as he visited Washington.

Brown, on his second trip to the United States since replacing Tony Blair last year, held private 45-minute sessions with each candidate at the British Embassy.

Clinton and the British leader discussed a wide range of issues, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and global warming, according to Senate aides.

Obama said he and Brown talked about strengthening the U.S.-British alliance, and "common challenges" such as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, instability in the global economy and support for democracy and prosperity in Africa.

"The prime minister has been a critically important partner for the United States, and I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead to enhance the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom," Obama said in a statement.

It was Obama's first meeting with Brown.  Watch the two have a sitdown at the British Embassy »

The British leader and Sen. John McCain, who most recently met last month in London, were heard talking about the presidential election during a photo op.

McCain said the drawn-out process in U.S. campaigns sometimes made one wish for the much shorter duration of the British system.

Brown laughed, saying his system has its ups and downs, too.

After her stop in Washington, Clinton resumed her campaigning in Pennsylvania.

The senator from New York was scheduled to hold a town hall-style meeting in Haverford and attend a rally in Philadelphia. She was also expected to appear on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report."

Meanwhile, Obama was looking ahead to the May 6 contest in North Carolina, where early voting began in some counties Thursday.

On Friday, the senator from Illinois will launch a four-day tour through Pennsylvania, leading up to the state's primary on Tuesday.

Pennsylvania, with 158 delegates at stake, marks the first Democratic contest in six weeks.

Obama leads Clinton in the overall delegate count, 1,644 to 1,498. Clinton has a slight edge in superdelegates, with 248 backing her compared with 226 for Obama.

Clinton holds a lead of 5 percentage points in Pennsylvania, according to an average of four recent surveys: Zogby (April 15-16), Franklin & Marshall (April 8-13), Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg (April 10-14) and Quinnipiac (April 9-13).

Clinton held double-digit leads over Obama until the past two weeks

McCain, who became the presumptive GOP nominee last month, had no public events scheduled Thursday.

The senator from Arizona expanded on his economic proposals in an interview with CNN on Wednesday, a day after he unveiled his plan.

"Americans need some relief," McCain said of his proposal to suspend the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel temporarily.  Watch what McCain says about the economy »

"I just think it's kind of a good thing to do so people can have a little more enjoyable summer during tough times," he added.

McCain, long an advocate of cutting federal spending, also explained his push for certain measures that likely would delay achieving a balanced budget if he wins the White House.

"The best way to have a balanced budget is to have a recovering economy," he said.


The 71-year-old senator also shot down remarks from Rep. John "Jack" Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, that he may be too old for the presidency.

"Speak for yourself, Jack. I'm doing fine, thanks," he said in response to Murtha, who's 75. E-mail to a friend

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/17/campaign.wrap/index.html
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« Reply #18 on: April 17, 2008, 03:39:35 pm »

Who can blame him!!!
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« Reply #19 on: April 17, 2008, 03:40:45 pm »

John Baer: We're still on the lapel thing? Seriously?
 By John Baer
Philadelphia Daily News

Daily News Political Columnist

MAYBE IT'S ME but last night's debate seemed too much about the "gotcha" politics that campaigns and much of the national media thrives on and not enough of the actual problems facing Pennsylvania voters.
Yeah, it was fun to hear Hillary Clinton say, even though she had to be asked twice, that she thinks, "Yes, yes, yes," Barack Obama can be elected president.

Of course, she said she can do a better job.

And, what a surprise! Obama thinks Clinton could be elected president but thinks he's the better candidate.

What I thought was: ZZZZZZZZZ.

The whole thing started with a soft opening, short general statements from each about how voters "don't feel like they're being listened to" (Obama) and "feel that their government is not solving problems"(Clinton).

Then there was a TV commercial.

That should have been a warning.

There followed a rehash of Obama's "bitter" words, of the Rev. Wright, of Bosnia and - proving there is no standard whatsoever when it comes to modern national political debate - a discussion of American flag lapel pins.

I don't know.

Somewhere in the back of my mind is this notion that voters, whose economy is crippled by a senseless, seemingly endless war, whose personal budgets are crushed by the price of gasoline and the cost of health care and, for many, college tuition, maybe, just maybe, aren't so interested in flag pins.

I could be wrong.

And "Bittergate"?

Obama said he can see "how people were offended" by his comments that when some working-class people get frustrated with their government they cling to guns and religion.

He also called the "issue" a distraction that's "not helping that person sitting at the kitchen table trying to figure out how to pay the bills."

Clinton, who continues pushing Bittergate hard in Pennsylvania, offered a well-crafted statement about how she's the "granddaughter of a factory worker in Scranton" who was active in his church, and how neither her grandfather nor father nor others "cling to religion" when Washington isn't listening to them.

So she can see why people would be "offended."

She also can see . . . oh, forget it, we've been over this before.

Same with Bosnia.

She got a question about her discredited claim of ducking sniper fire.

She said, "I'm embarrassed by it . . . it was a mistake."

Again, little but rehash.

At one point, Obama offered the media a tip: "Don't get so obsessed with gaffes that we lose sight of the fact that this is a defining moment in American history."

It was no sale.

ABC News anchor Charlie Gibson sought to rehash the Rev. Wright - the voice of "God damn America" - forcing Obama to recount the gist of his speech on race, given in Philly last month.

Clinton, never shy about repeating campaign sound bites, repeated her sound bite that she would have left Wright's church because while you can't pick your family (wonder who she has in mind?), "You get to choose your pastor."

She added: "It is something that I think deserves further exploration . . . it is clear that as leaders we have a choice who we associate with . . . these are problems and raise questions in peoples' minds."

So, in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, the sister showed the brother little of either.

But the head-to-head at the National Constitution Center was not the brawl some expected despite conventional wisdom that Clinton, the self-proclaimed Rocky Balboa in this fight, needed at least a TKO to ensure a big win in next week's primary.

They both said they're committed to not raising taxes on the middle class.

They both said they're committed to getting us out of Iraq.

But my guess is nothing they said will change the landscape or move voters or have much impact on the outcome of next Tuesday's vote. *
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080417_John_Baer__We_re_still_on_the_lapel_thing__Seriously_.html
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« Reply #20 on: April 17, 2008, 03:42:14 pm »


Posted on Thu, Apr. 17, 2008


Superdelegate gap narrows with 3 Obama endorsements

Sen. Barack Obama picked up endorsements yesterday from three U.S. House members, allowing him to close in on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's lead among Democratic superdelegates.
Reps. David E. Price and Melvin L. Watt of North Carolina and Andre Carson of Indiana said they were backing Obama. Clinton announced the endorsement of Rep. Jackie Speier of California.

Obama now has endorsements from 91 Capitol Hill colleagues; Clinton has 94.

All told, Obama, of Illinois, has the support of 231 superdelegates and Clinton, of New York, 260, excluding Michigan and Florida, according to a tally by Bloomberg News based on lists supplied by the campaigns. Among all delegates, Obama leads Clinton 1,641 to 1,504, according to an unofficial count by the Associated Press, with 2,025 needed for the nomination. - Bloomberg News

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20080417_Superdelegate_gap_narrows_with_3_Obama_endorsements.html
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« Reply #21 on: April 17, 2008, 11:52:01 pm »

Kang/Kodos

Kodos/Kang


 Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes
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« Reply #22 on: April 18, 2008, 12:59:47 am »

ARCHIVES
Stephanopoulos Got Debate Question for Obama about 1970s Radical William Ayres from Sean Hannity
Jon Ponder | Apr. 17, 2008
In the Democratic candidates’ debate last night, the “liberal media” teamed up with fake media when ABC News moderator George Stephanopoulos asked Barack Obama about Obama’s connection to the former 1960s radical, William Ayres. Here’s a sketch of the exchange between Stephanopoulos and Fox News’ Sean Hannity, on Hannity’s radio show on WABC:
When Hannity asked about the first question below about Ayers and whether George had plans to ask such a question, George replied, “Well, I’m taking notes now Sean.” It did actually sound like he was pausing to take notes.
George Stephanopoulos was just on the Sean Hannity Radio show getting all chummy with Hannity. George told Hannity that Hannity was “absolutely right” that Obama has tarnished his image as a uniter when he “pandered to the elite San Francisco crowd about the blue collar Pennsylvania workers” (summation of George’s comments, not an exact quote, but close).

Hannity asked George what kinds of questions they’ll be asking at the debate tomorrow and they discussed a few things. When Hannity asked about the first question below about Ayers and whether George had plans to ask such a question, George replied, “Well, I’m taking notes now Sean.” It did actually sound like he was pausing to take notes. And Hannity continued to feed him more:

1) Ask Obama about his relationship with Ayers and WeatherUnderground and Axelrod’s comments, “They’re friendly”

2) Ask Obama why he attended the Million Man March

Here’s the Q&A from the debate:


MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: [On] the general theme of patriotism in your relationships. A gentleman named William Ayers, he was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol and other buildings. He’s never apologized for that. And in fact, on 9/11 he was quoted in The New York Times saying, “I don’t regret setting bombs; I feel we didn’t do enough.”

An early organizing meeting for your state senate campaign was held at his house, and your campaign has said you are friendly. Can you explain that relationship for the voters, and explain to Democrats why it won’t be a problem?

SEN. OBAMA: George, but this is an example of what I’m talking about.

This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who’s a professor of English in Chicago, who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He’s not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.

And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values, doesn’t make much sense, George.

The fact is, is that I’m also friendly with Tom Coburn, one of the most conservative Republicans in the United States Senate, who during his campaign once said that it might be appropriate to apply the death penalty to those who carried out abortions.

Do I need to apologize for Mr. Coburn’s statements? Because I certainly don’t agree with those either.

So this kind of game, in which anybody who I know, regardless of how flimsy the relationship is, is somehow — somehow their ideas could be attributed to me — I think the American people are smarter than that. They’re not going to suggest somehow that that is reflective of my views, because it obviously isn’t.

SEN. CLINTON: Well, I think that is a fair general statement, but I also believe that Senator Obama served on a board with Mr. Ayers for a period of time, the Woods Foundation, which was a paid directorship position.

On March 10, after hearing Sean Hannity do a long segment on Obama’s purported relationship with William Ayres, we did a little research on the Intertubes and published this story, “Swiftboating Obama: A Look Inside Bogus Rightwing Claims He Has Terror Ties.” In a nutshell, their “relationship” was pretty simple: Ayres was a constituent in the state senate district Obama represented, and they coincidentally served on a foundation board together.

As the anti-Fox site Newshounds pointed out, Hannity has a much friendlier relationship to a rightwing terrorist than Obama does to Ayers:

If Obama’s relationship with Ayers is so significant, Stephanopoulos should also ask Hannity about HIS relationship with Neo-Nazi/white supremacist Hal Turner.

Unlike Obama’s insubstantial tie to Ayers, Hannity’s relationship to Turner had real substance. Turner was invited to the set of Hannity & Colmes, the two men spoke off the air and Turner had the “back door” phone number to the studio at WABC.

If you want to complain about Stephanopoulos’ using Hannity’s trumped up line of attack, this DailyKos diarist has a long list of contact numbers at ABC News.

Topics: Television, Democrats, Fox News, Campaign 2008

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2008/04/17/stephanopoulos-grilled-obama-with-question-from-hannity/
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« Reply #23 on: April 18, 2008, 01:29:01 am »

In Pa. Debate, The Clear Loser Is ABC



ABC News moderators Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos seemed to be playing a game of gotcha at last night's candidates' debate. (By Matt Rourke -- Associated Press)
By Tom Shales
Thursday, April 17, 2008; Page C01

When Barack Obama met Hillary Clinton for another televised Democratic candidates' debate last night, it was more than a step forward in the 2008 presidential election. It was another step downward for network news -- in particular ABC News, which hosted the debate from Philadelphia and whose usually dependable anchors, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos, turned in shoddy, despicable performances.

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For the first 52 minutes of the two-hour, commercial-crammed show, Gibson and Stephanopoulos dwelled entirely on specious and gossipy trivia that already has been hashed and rehashed, in the hope of getting the candidates to claw at one another over disputes that are no longer news. Some were barely news to begin with.

The fact is, cable networks CNN and MSNBC both did better jobs with earlier candidate debates. Also, neither of those cable networks, if memory serves, rushed to a commercial break just five minutes into the proceedings, after giving each candidate a tiny, token moment to make an opening statement. Cable news is indeed taking over from network news, and merely by being competent.

Gibson sat there peering down at the candidates over glasses perched on the end of his nose, looking prosecutorial and at times portraying himself as a spokesman for the working class. Blunderingly he addressed an early question, about whether each would be willing to serve as the other's running mate, "to both of you," which is simple ineptitude or bad manners. It was his job to indicate which candidate should answer first. When, understandably, both waited politely for the other to talk, Gibson said snidely, "Don't all speak at once."

For that matter, the running-mate question that Gibson made such a big deal over was decidedly not a big deal -- especially since Wolf Blitzer asked it during a previous debate televised and produced by CNN.

The boyish Stephanopoulos, who has done wonders with the network's Sunday morning hour, "This Week" (as, indeed, has Gibson with the nightly "World News"), looked like an overly ambitious intern helping out at a subcommittee hearing, digging through notes for something smart-alecky and slimy. He came up with such tired tripe as a charge that Obama once associated with a nutty bomb-throwing anarchist. That was "40 years ago, when I was 8 years old," Obama said with exasperation.

Obama was right on the money when he complained about the campaign being bogged down in media-driven inanities and obsessiveness over any misstatement a candidate might make along the way, whether in a speech or while being eavesdropped upon by the opposition. The tactic has been to "take one statement and beat it to death," he said.

No sooner was that said than Gibson brought up, yet again, the controversial ravings of the pastor at a church attended by Obama. "Charlie, I've discussed this," he said, and indeed he has, ad infinitum. If he tried to avoid repeating himself when clarifying his position, the networks would accuse him of changing his story, or changing his tune, or some other baloney.

This is precisely what has happened with widely reported comments that Obama made about working-class people "clinging" to religion and guns during these times of cynicism about their federal government.

"It's not the first time I made a misstatement that was mangled up, and it won't be the last," said Obama, with refreshing candor. But candor is dangerous in a national campaign, what with network newsniks waiting for mistakes or foul-ups like dogs panting for treats after performing a trick. The networks' trick is covering an election with as little emphasis on issues as possible, then blaming everyone else for failing to focus on "the issues."

Some news may have come out of the debate (ABC News will pretend it did a great job on today's edition of its soppy, soap-operatic "Good Morning America"). Asked point-blank if she thought Obama could defeat presumptive Republican contender John McCain in the general election, Clinton said, "Yes, yes, yes," in apparent contrast to previous remarks in which she reportedly told other Democrats that Obama could never win. And in turn, Obama said that Clinton could "absolutely" win against McCain.

To this observer, ABC's coverage seemed slanted against Obama. The director cut several times to reaction shots of such Clinton supporters as her daughter, Chelsea, who sat in the audience at the Kimmel Theater in Philly's National Constitution Center. Obama supporters did not get equal screen time, giving the impression that there weren't any in the hall. The director also clumsily chose to pan the audience at the very start of the debate, when the candidates made their opening statements, so Obama and Clinton were barely seen before the first commercial break.

At the end, Gibson pompously thanked the candidates -- or was he really patting himself on the back? -- for "what I think has been a fascinating debate." He's entitled to his opinion, but the most fascinating aspect was waiting to see how low he and Stephanopoulos would go, and then being appalled at the answer.
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« Reply #24 on: April 18, 2008, 05:19:12 am »

This was certainly a textbook case of how not to have a debate.  The moderators presented themselves as representing the voters.  Okay, so what burning questions did the voters have on their minds? A hopeless war that's costing America billions a week?  An economy that's in shambles?  The greatest foreclosure rate since the depression?  The loss of millions of jobs to outsourcing?

No!

Apparently the voters really wanted to know what days of the week Obama wears his lapel pin!  I'm surprised they didn't ask Hillary how often she goes to the hairdresser and how much it costs.

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« Reply #25 on: April 18, 2008, 10:37:28 am »

Superdelegates Unswayed by Clinton’s Attacks



George Stephanopoulos, left, and Charles Gibson, the moderators, wrapping up Wednesday’s debate broadcast in Philadelphia.

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DiggFacebookMixxYahoo! BuzzPermalinkBy PATRICK HEALY
Published: April 18, 2008
Throughout their contentious debate on Wednesday, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton tried again and again to put Senator Barack Obama on the defensive in a pointed attempt, her advisers say, to raise doubts about his electability among a small but powerful audience: the uncommitted superdelegates who will most likely determine the nomination.

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Candidate Topic PagesMore Politics NewsYet despite giving it her best shot in what might have been their final debate, interviews on Thursday with a cross-section of these superdelegates — members of Congress, elected officials and party leaders — showed that none had been persuaded much by her attacks on Mr. Obama’s strength as a potential Democratic nominee, his recent gaffes and his relationships with his former pastor and with a onetime member of the Weather Underground.

In fact, the Obama campaign announced endorsements from two more superdelegates on Thursday, after rolling out three on Wednesday and two others since late last week in what appeared to be a carefully orchestrated show of strength before Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary. Obama advisers said that one of the pickups on Thursday, Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. of the District of Columbia, had initially favored Mrs. Clinton, but Clinton advisers denied that, and a Thomas aide said he had been neutral before Thursday.

In interviews, 15 uncommitted superdelegates said they did not believe that recent gaffes by both candidates would carry any particular influence over their final decision. They said they had particularly tired of all the attention, by the Clinton campaign and the news media, on Mr. Obama’s recent comment that some Americans were “bitter” over the economy and chose to “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them” as a result.

And if there were some moments of concern reflected in the debate — the talk of Mrs. Clinton’s high unfavorability ratings, Mr. Obama’s flashes of annoyance — they all doubted that those moments would be deal-breakers, either. Instead, most of the superdelegates said they wanted to wait for the results of at least the next major primaries — in Pennsylvania on Tuesday and Indiana and North Carolina two weeks later — before choosing a candidate.

“I feel like we’ve heard a lot about gaffes as they relate to electability, but what really matters to people is how to deal with the economy and create jobs,” said John W. Olsen, an uncommitted superdelegate from Connecticut and president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. there. “I also want to wait and hear from all of the Democrats in the primaries and caucuses who haven’t had a chance to choose and vote yet.”

Clinton advisers acknowledged that they had not seen short-term evidence that their attacks on Mr. Obama were winning over many superdelegates, and they acknowledged that he had picked up more in recent weeks — though she maintained a narrowing overall lead in them. They predicted, however, that the mounting scrutiny of Mr. Obama would lead superdelegates to cool to his candidacy and come to see her as more of a known quantity, battle tested, and shrewd about the best ways to beat the presumptive Republican nominee, Senator John McCain, in the fall.

“When it comes to picking a candidate, automatic delegates don’t want to guess about what lies behind Door No. 2, they want to know,” said Phil Singer, a Clinton spokesman. “The debate raised more questions about Senator Obama than have been answered, and that means that automatic delegates are likely to keep their powder dry as the process moves forward.”

In response, an Obama spokesman, Hari Sevugan, said Thursday: “Since Feb. 5, Senator Obama has garnered the support of 80 superdelegates to Senator Clinton’s 5. We’ll let the results of Senator Clinton’s ‘kitchen sink’ strategy speak for themselves.”

Some Clinton advisers also said that the focus on Mr. Obama’s “guns or religion” comment was a way to put him on the spot with so-called values voters — in part to offset Mrs. Clinton’s baggage in this area. According to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, conducted March 28-April 2 with 1,196 registered voters nationwide, 60 percent of them believe Mrs. Clinton shared the values that most Americans tried to live by, and 34 percent did not. Both Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain fared better, with Mr. Obama performing best — 70 percent said he shared those values, and 21 percent said he did not.

Some of the uncommitted superdelegates interviewed said they were concerned about whether Mr. Obama reflected the values and interests of voters in states that Democrats aim to carry in November or hope to steal from Republicans, like some Southern states that they typically do not win in a general election. Yet they said they had had these concerns for some time — and Wednesday night’s debate had not intensified them.

“Obama argues that he will put more states in play, but I haven’t seen him put the coalitions together as strongly as we need to,” said Joe Turnham, an uncommitted superdelegate who is chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. (Mr. Obama won the Alabama primary in February; Mr. Turnham has known the Clintons for many years.)
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« Reply #26 on: April 18, 2008, 10:37:59 am »

“You have to put together blue-collar workers, veterans, seniors and swing evangelical voters and compete in states like West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania,” he added. “I feel like Hillary has shown more strength there.”

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Candidate Topic PagesMore Politics NewsMr. Obama sought to allay concerns about questions of his electability on Thursday. At a campaign stop in Raleigh, N.C., a woman told Mr. Obama that he was “really pummeled during the debate.” She continued, “What is your strategy to beat the Republicans in November?”

“That was the rollout of the Republican campaign against me in November. It happened just a little bit early, but that is what they will do,” Mr. Obama said. “They will try to focus on all these issues that don’t have anything to do with how you are paying your bills at the end of the month. There’s no doubt that I will have to respond sharply and crisply, then pivot to talk about what exactly are we going to do for the economy and what are we going to do about the war in Iraq.”

Until the nominating fight ends, Mr. Obama said, he is “trying to show some restraint.” He added, “I won’t have as much restraint with the Republicans."

Supporters of Mr. Obama have expressed concern about the bitter ferocity of the Democratic race, particularly with Mrs. Clinton and Mr. McCain sounding similar themes of criticism against Mr. Obama. They used Wednesday’s debate as the latest example to superdelegates that the prolonged nominating fight could be damaging to the party.

“And I have to say Senator Clinton looked in her element,” Mr. Obama said, speaking to an audience of North Carolina voters. “She was taking every opportunity to get a dig in there. You know, that’s all right. That’s her right. That’s her right to kind of twist the knife a little bit.”

Indeed, several superdelegates said they had been put off by negative moments in the debate.

“What I’m hearing from voters in this state who have been uncommitted or not solidly behind any candidate is that they are increasingly frustrated with the negativism going on, mostly on her side,” said Patricia Waak, the Colorado state party chairwoman. (Mr. Obama won the Colorado primary in a landslide.)

“In general what I heard this morning was just negative, negative, negative,” Ms. Waak said. “As far as Obama’s comment on guns and religion, mostly what I’ve heard from people in general is, ‘it’s true.’ ”

One superdelegate, Reggie Whitten of Oklahoma, endorsed Mr. Obama on Tuesday because, he said, he believed the candidate needed a new public vote as the Clinton camp was battering him daily over the bitter remark.

“I don’t think all of this divisiveness is helping him, so it was a good time to send a signal of support from a conservative state like Oklahoma that we believe in him,” said Mr. Whitten, a lawyer from a suburb of Oklahoma City.

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Garrell Hughes
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« Reply #27 on: April 18, 2008, 10:41:13 am »

This was certainly a textbook case of how not to have a debate.  The moderators presented themselves as representing the voters.  Okay, so what burning questions did the voters have on their minds? A hopeless war that's costing America billions a week?  An economy that's in shambles?  The greatest foreclosure rate since the depression?  The loss of millions of jobs to outsourcing?

No!

Apparently the voters really wanted to know what days of the week Obama wears his lapel pin!  I'm surprised they didn't ask Hillary how often she goes to the hairdresser and how much it costs.



Well, if there is one upside to it, it's that everyone but people in the Clinton campaign are panning the debate.  I can't remember when I ever saw this kind of a backlash against a network.
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Tom Hebert
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« Reply #28 on: April 18, 2008, 11:44:08 am »

My guess is that the Clinton campaign thought the debate was a joke, as well.   However, they are withholding their criticism because the last thing Hillary needs is negative treatment by the media a week before the primary.



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Monique Faulkner
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« Reply #29 on: April 18, 2008, 11:57:16 am »

Clinton: Obama 'complaining' about debate

Posted: 09:45 AM ET
 


Clinton said Obama is complaining about Wednesday night's debate.
 
PHILADELPHIA (CNN) — In her first comments about the Wednesday evening’s controversial debate, Hillary Clinton accused Barack Obama of “complaining” about the broadcast and hinted her rival might not be equipped to handle the rigors of the Oval Office.

“I know he spent all day yesterday complaining about the hard questions he was asked,” she told an interviewer Friday morning on WTXF in Philadelphia. “Being asked tough questions in a debate is nothing like the pressures you face inside the White House.”
In campaign stops in Pennsylvania and North Carolina yesterday, Obama criticized both his rival and the debate format, accusing the moderators of focusing on trivialities and saying Clinton was “in her element.”

Seeing an opening after what some pundits regarded as a poor performance by Obama, Clinton used the morning show interview to make the case for her own toughness and determination.
Read the rest of this entry »

From: CNN Producer Peter Hamby
Filed under: Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton
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