Seriously? What about the end of the same segment where the same polling method had Clinton and Richardson at the top?

Obama realizes that with a strong showing in Iowa and a victory in NH he'll be in a strong position.

His campaign started pushing for NH with his government reform.

Even Dean following the scream chatter did very well in NH as an outsider.

I bet that a major Implosion aside, Obama wins NH.

Definitely unscientific and style over substance.

Yeah.  Clinton and Richardson beat Obama in the other focus group in Nevada.  You call this reporting?

wow Anderson Cooper's show gave a total of all the focus groups answers of who won the debate:

Obama: 33
Biden/Edwards: 18
Clinton: 8

John Edwards had the most favorable response of the night.

He hit a 90 with the instant viewer reaction on the health care question.

John,

That was a focus group in Nevada.

Obama was allowed to answer a disproportionate number of questions, given more time, and allowed to go off topic.  These results don't surprise me at all.  The media has been anti-Hillary all along.  This format allowed the media to actually have more control...There was no order of questioning or answering... Seemed like after every video question, Anderson was asking Obama for an answer...I see through you CNN..and hope the next Democratic Debate is on MSNBC.

Obama was allowed to answer a disproportionate number of questions, given more time, and allowed to go off topic.  These results don't surprise me at all.  The media has been anti-Hillary all along.  This format allowed the media to actually have more control...There was no order of questioning or answering... Seemed like after every video question, Anderson was asking Obama for an answer...I see through you CNN..and hope the next Democratic Debate is on MSNBC.

Well Obama was the clear winner in New Hampshire while Clinton was fourth and Obama was right behind Clinton and Richardson (who tied) in Nevada. So I think if you average the two out there is a consensus that pre-debate Hillary was predicted as winner, but post-debate.....she lost. This is the truth. I think Hillary has alot of great qualities but she got outclassed on the Pentagon rebuttal by Obama and just how she dodged answering certain questions with insults of the Bush Administration, instead of her own answer without pointing the finger.

YouTube Debate Won By Obama Early
An unscientific Drudge poll showed 2008 US Presidential candidate Barack Obama way ahead of all other Democratic candidates following the much anticipated YouTube event shown Monday night on CNN.  Obama received 37% of the overall vote early on.  Hillary Clinton performed second best with 15% of the overall vote.  John Edwards was among the lowest vote-getters with 5% of the vote count.  

Joe Biden and Dennis Kucinich were not trailing far behind Clinton.

Democratic presidential candidates faced questions directly from voters on Monday in the first CNN/YouTube debate.  

Voters raised the issues of gay marriage, how to end the war in Iraq, how to better education and whether race was an issue in the response to Hurricane Katrina in the form of videos they shot of themselves and posted on YouTube.

The videos came in all forms -- people facing the camera straight-on, people in makeup, people with flashcards. And a talking snowman.

Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com had Clinton a 2 to 1 favorite to become the next US President  Barack Obama was listed with 7 to 2 odds.

"I really thought he (Obama) represented the best hope for change," said one American voter who watched the YouTube CNN debate.  


Biden  12% 487

Clinton 15% 602

Dodd  5% 190

Edwards 5% 186

Gravel 8% 327

Kucinich 10% 420

Obama 37% 1,497

Richardson 9% 369

Total Votes: 4,078
---

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com

Originally published July 23, 2007 9:55 pm ET

As the result by Gambling911.com shows, I think Obama clearly had appeared to be most honest with his answers.

Hillary perhaps in my opinion was the worst. Everybody at least had something good to say about one another but Hillary never had one thing good to say about Obama. Iran is about to make a nuclear weapon. The old politics of the 20th Century says stay in Washington and act big. The world has dramatically changed. Those primitive arabs who were throwing sticks and stones in the early eighties are now making serious weapons. Hillary telling America that she sent her daughter to private school in Washington because she was advised to do so because of media attention. How does she think Americans are that stupid?

the people have spoken!  those who vote

Fighting lobbyists, I like that. Also, why don't we just call them bribesters? Lobbyist has the connotation of business as usual, along with the tacit understanding that it is legitimate. Hillary is the establishment candidate here, so she will have the corporations rooting for her. Maybe that won't be enough this time.

Clinton wins election.

That whack! Clinton obviously outshine him tonight~

Sen Obama did an excellent job in the debate. Very natural and eloquently stated his views. Hillary was her typical over-rehearsed self and really didn't add anything special.

Absolutely Senator Obama won tonight!   He was focused, clear, and incredibly thorough with each and every question.  

I honestly feel that Governor Richardson came in a strong second to Senator Obama.    Sadly, CNN chose not to ask the governor as many question as the so-called "top tier" candidates.

The media was quick to crown Senator Clinton as the winner.     Yet when you take a look at the polls from the focus groups and from John Q. Public, once again, we are telling the media that THEY ARE WRONG.  

That was the Nevada focus group.  In Nevada - Clinton and Richardson tied for 1st in CNN's focus group.  MSNBC just doesn't like reporting Nevada political news.

Come on, now...was it the cockroach, the body louse, or the earwig who had the best line of the night?  Generally speaking, all these clowns tonight appear more as pathetic adolescents seeking a last chance position in some podunk high school prom court.  Surely the rest of the world is smiling a sardonic grin.  Great way to instill awe and respect for our Nation???  Better yet, call Baraboo, Wisconsin to see if Barnum and Bailey needs full-time idiots in big yellow shoes filling part-time jobs cleaning up after the animals.

John Doe,
Richardson and Clinton did well in Nevada. Obama won according to voters in New Hampshire and according to this voter in Tennessee.

John Doe - The Nevada focus group had Clinton and Richardson tied for first, followed by Obama in second.  The New Hampshire focus group is the poll being discussed here, where Obama won with 33%, and Clinton came in fourth with 8%.  Obama also won a third CNN focus group as well as a Fox News focus group; it appears he is winning the majority of these post-debate polls.

John - That was the Nevada focus group.

Well you know, I think a focus group in NH is more important. Especially as they had a lot of independents there. Iowa is one thing, but I think Obama is a perfect fit for NH, with all the independents who can vote in the primaries. Next comes SC... game, set, match, Obama!

The polls are a bunch of BS.  The Clintons have connections at these companies and they are pumping up her numbers.  Every Democrat I know wants Obama as the nominee yet she's somehow up in the polls....  

I don't know why people don't see how unelectable Hillary Clinton is. She is a powerful force on the democrat side but to win the general election you need to be a force on all sides. Barack has it!

All of this live, instantaneous commenting, reacting, judging, attacking, defending, parsing, sniping and analyzing is what is wrong with public and political discourse in these times.  Thoughtful, considered opinions are the rarity.  How about we all listen carefully to the candidates, watch their speeches, read their positions, study their backgrounds, consider their policies, understand their motivations, recognize their attributes and THEN offer our supporting or opposing judgments?

I thought Obama had another lackluster performance, while Hillary Clinton showed that no question phases her.  Even though I don't think she is nearly liberal/progressive enough, I can't deny she's the most skillful and informed speaker of the bunch.  Her answer about the 28 years of Clinton/Bush rule was priceless.

Joe Biden and John Edwards also had strong performances, and Biden's passionate comments about Darfur was the highlight of the night.  I think if I had been asked to vote immediately after this debate, I would have gone with Biden simply because of this answer.

My question is: are the Democrats getting war fatigue?  I felt the candidates in this debate showed very little substance and passion when discussing Iraq.

Simply, these debates are a sharade! Mary Snow said there are 24! people she was speaking to! My God! Well, quite a statement in regard to the popularity of these events. If 2,400 people showed up, I'd be impressed, but still not convinced that the opinion of that few no. of people would represent even the smallest of factions of our Nation. But that is the beauty of our Nation...we don't all think alike, and we're not likely to change our views based upon what only a few people would say.

I  think there's a ringer in the wash, John Doe.

This article is discussing the New Hampshire focus group.  The poll you are referring to - which was mentioned moments later - was a focus group in Nevada.  Regardless, both were an extremely small sample which were by no means scientific indicators.

What are you talking about?  The important part of this article is that Obama is making it a platform plank to reform the lobbying of our the government.  No one else is stepping up and trying to better our government by correcting that most fundamental and vital flaw.  Spend less time talking nonsense about the ratings and get to something important.

First Obama come-back was when he said this to Mike Gravel who tried a jab:
"And the bundlers -- the reason you know who is raising money for me, Mike, is because I have pushed through a law this past session to disclose that.
And that's the kind of leadership that I've shown in the Senate. That's the kind of leadership that I showed when I was a state legislator. And that's the kind of leadership that I'll show as president of the United States"

In a desperate attempt to distinguish herself from Obama, Hillary shot herself in the foot by saying she doesn't want to meet foreign leaders because she's concerned about being used for propaganda.

Nancy Pelosi didn't have a problem with being used for propaganda when she went to Syria. She just did the right thing. Hillary should've exercised this caution before voting to authorize the Iraq war, killing more Americans than 9/11.

Obama also questioned Hillary's judgment when he said it was terrific that Hillary was asking the Pentagon how we were going to get out of Iraq, but that those questions should've been asked before we went into Iraq. In order words, Obama is saying four things to Hillary:
"Don't authorize the war and then start fighting to stop it"
"Don't get us into a war without figuring out how we're going to get out"
"Quit making a mess and then trying to clean it up"
"Don't act stupid and then think later"

Well I watched the whole debate and I though that Hillary actually came out as the biggest show stopper. She answered many of the questions directly, but still managed to put her own thoughts in on related topics. I thought the most striking thing about her responses is that she appeared to show more emotion and genuine care about the issues than she normally does which I think the voters have been waiting to see from her. I think the candidates who did the best were the ones able to quickly adapt to the everyday atmosphere of the questions and answer them in creative, complete, and spotlight 'youtube-esque' ways. These would include Hillary, Biden, and Edwards. I think Obama had a few good moments, but all in all his talk seems to be getting too repetitive. He is always saying the same thing and I think in the setting of this debate it was necessary to show off some new responses and emotions that truely responded to these amazing questions.

The folks at Daily Kos seem to regard Edwards' anti-triangulation statement as the best moment of the debate.  They've pushed it to second place on the recommended diaries list, way higher than any other debate-related diary has gotten:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/23/225651/723

There is no way that a black Muslim can be president.  Period.  

Just because your last name is Clinton, doesn't mean your going to win it all, Hillary

this is scary.  Obama is hiding the fact that he is Muslim..we, US, should look at this connection

Polls are not reliable right now; regardless if they are focus group reactions after watching a debate or simply opinion polls carried out in the early states. With that said, it's not surprising that the focus group liked what Obama said in tonight's debate. As more debates unfold and the Iowa Caucuses get closer, more people will understand, appreciate, and then eventually support Obama's message(s) of hope. He's the only one who can change politics as we know it in this country. Hillary can remain in the lead in the polls....for now. However, the tides will soon be turning.

JJ

Far away Mrs Clinton show  why she will be the next President.
Mr Obama, needs to learn more.
The Republican Party is pushing for Obama, because they know, they going to lose the election easily if Mrs. Clinton wins the primary.

Senator Clinton was clearly the winner in this ddebate.  Her exceptional knowlege on all major topics was clealy articulated.  She was poised and confident in all her answers.  Her experience is clealy evident and she has a good command of the issues related to health care, the Iraq war, economic matters and national security.  The clear winner.

I easily thought OBAMA was the best... Clinton doesnt seem like a leader she seems fake ... OBAMA!!!

If American need realy change with good internatianl relationship the man to do it is Barack Obama.

The bad relationship the American have with country like Cuba will long be gone. American you need a person like Obama to do that Ithink he believe in winning people over rather than forcing people to follow your(American)way.

Who cares about the focus group.  Its the voters that will decide whose program is best for the country.

Joe Shyster

They were all excellent, even those I disagree with.

Virtually every one of them would make a superb President (except Kucinich whose liberal views, I believe, are often naive).

But Joe Biden won. His honesty, experience and sound reasoning are both refreshing in light of the idiot jerk who currently holds the nation's top job, and BADLY needed.

That "same polling method" was in Nevada, not Manchester, Hampshire like the one addressed above.  Obama led New Hampshire, and Clinton/Richardson led Nevada, with Obama coming in third.

I think Clinton made the most knowledgable comments.
And, she went far enough to explain her comments so that everyone knew exactly what message she was giving to the voting public.

The only people whose opinions should matter in a Democratic debate are those of Democrats, since only they vote in the primary.

I pretty much agree with Richardson with just about everything, but I wish he could string a few sentences coherently.  It reminds me of the same problem Gen. Clark had in the last cycle.  I'm for Richardson (I live in Nevada, a caucus state), but fear I'm going to have to make another (i.e., more popular) choice.

Hillary won. Next question.

Will we ever know more about the questions CNN were not worthy of being asked the candidates?

Especially the ones for Clinton, and Obama?

I imagine there wre some good, legitimate, ones in the bunch, that deserved to be asked, even if they were not answered.

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