First thoughts
Posted: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 9:23 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
First Thoughts
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carly Zakin
*** A Star Was Born: The star of last night’s debate -- outside the real Obama Girl and one of the actors from Entourage, who both strolled around the spin room -- was the format. And we mean that as a positive: It was a great forum and a wonderful change of pace from what we've seen before. What’s more, the YouTube questions were quite good, and CNN did a good job with timing. But, and this is a BIG but, it was not a debate. Our main criticism was the moderator and his lack of understanding when news was about to break. Anderson Cooper (who's never been mistaken for a political junkie) missed a HUGE opportunity to give all of the TV networks and political reporters a chance to air/write a Clinton vs. Obama lead when he didn’t follow up with Clinton after Obama jabbed her on her war vote. That's the down side of an event that is so reliant on a technological format: The news being made gets lost. For all the fun that this format created, the candidates never actually debated.
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Video: NBC's Chuck Todd offers his first read on last night's debate
*** Clinton: She did nothing to lose her front-runner status. Obama had to go out of his way to take a shot at her (and then the moderator didn’t follow up). The contrast between Obama's answer and Clinton's on the question of if they would meet with controversial world leaders was the difference between someone running for the Democratic nomination and someone running for commander-in-chief. She got the better of him on that one (see today’s Miami Herald for proof). But on further reflection, one could argue her answer -- at least compared with Obama’s -- also seemed like something you’d hear from the current White House. And the Obama camp has passed around news clippings with past quotes from Clinton calling for engagement with Syria, Iran, and North Korea -- especially this one: ” I think it is a terrible mistake for our president to say he will not talk with bad people.”
*** Obama: While Clinton bested him on that one question (and it was important because it exemplified her experience argument), Obama has really improved from his earlier performances -- he's much better answering questions in 60 seconds, and he did a very good job tonight of getting key parts of his biography in his answers. Perhaps more importantly, he unanimously won the post-debate instant-polls. Why did Obama do so much better in the various focus groups, but Clinton did better among the pundits? It's realism vs. idealism on display. While the chattering class watches these debates with an eye on the general election, many of us may very well underestimate the pull of idealism among Democratic primary voters. Also, Obama may have also done better in the focus groups, because the last 30 minutes of the debate were his strongest -- and last impressions can have a greater influence on these people.
Video: Gravel and Obama spar on who will affect the most change
*** Edwards: He had his moments. His story about the man who couldn't get the operation in order to talk until he was 50 was riveting. And his “Hair” video is going to get plenty of play today. Yet maybe it's just us, but the debate seemed to separate Clinton and Obama from everyone else. Also, is his campaign going to get negative feedback for suggesting that he didn’t like Clinton’s outfit (when asked what he likes and doesn’t like about her)? It seemed innocent enough, but some women may have viewed the shot as having a tinge of sexism.
Video: Candidates trade gentle barbs to wrap debate
*** The Rest: Of the candidates not named Obama or Clinton, Biden probably had the best night. He was passionate when necessary and blunt when called for -- he was the straight talker on that stage Monday night. Richardson was better but didn't get much of an opportunity. Dodd, with the limited time he got, was strong as well. In fact, everyone was better last night. Practice makes perfect.
*** Ames, Here We Come: While the Democrats were debating, the second-tier Republicans were busy beating each other up in advance of the Ames Straw Poll. There's a fascinating underground campaign going on in Iowa between Brownback and Tancredo -- but will anyone pay attention?
*** On The Trail: Brownback holds a fundraiser in San Antonio, TX; Clinton participates in a forum on energy and the environment in New Hampshire; Edwards campaigns in South Carolina before heading to Georgia for a “Small Change for Big Change” fundraiser; Giuliani meets with voters in Riverside, CA; Huckabee stumps in Iowa; Hunter is in DC, where he speaks at a Christians in Cable Breakfast; McCain hits fundraisers in Michigan and Illinois; Obama is in New York City; and Richardson campaigns in Iowa.
*** Another Super Tuesday: For coverage of these events -- and much, much more -- tune into MSNBC’s all-day “Super Tuesday” coverage of politics.
Countdown to the Ames Straw Poll: 18 days
Countdown to MA-05 Special Election: 41 days
Countdown to LA GOV election: 88 days
Countdown to Election Day 2007: 105 days
Countdown to LA GOV run-off (if necessary): 116 days
Countdown to Iowa: 173 days
Countdown to Tsunami Tuesday: 195 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 469 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 546 days
