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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Clinton, keeping cool and deflections

Posted: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 10:32 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
On Chuck's point that Clinton needs to keep her cool, this is something her campaign has worked on. She has been very tight, on message and she has tried to appear warmier, fuzzier. But she had managed to do that at prior debates and on the stump with deflections -- whether it was Bush-Cheney rants, that laugh or her isn't-it-so-nice-to-have-all-these-men- so-obsessed with me line. Tonight, there haven't been any clever deflection lines.

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What is "warmier"?
I'm am still curious as to why each of you are so focused on Clinton - in doing this, you are missing important aspects of what the rest of us are seeing in this debate.
she has not seemed so cool tonight.  even when chuck says she is cooler than earlier... it still is significantly more shrill than in earlier debates.  even her look is harder tonight which is surprising.   i thought she would be wearing pink tonight so that when men attacked her, it would be a softer HRC they were attacking.  compared to earlier debates, it looks like she did not make it to costume and makeup tonight.  very hard sound and look in this debate.
I am glad Hillary keeps fighting, she is a strong candidate and that is why she has my vote.
Can you actually keep your cool if everyone was coming after you to include the moderators? I think Senator Clinton came across as anyone would. She probably should have done a 360 degree turn because everyone was coming at her from all directions right after the other. let's call this one, "The Clinton Debate Part I." Good job Senator Clinton. Keep doing what you're doing.
Why did Tim Russert let Clinton skate on his question regarding the difference in her public and private positions on Social Security?  Clinton failed to answer the question, and when pressed, still avoided an answer.  And why after this did he not state, "thank you, but you did not answer my question"?  This clearly demonstrates the lack of credibility issue regarding Clinton.
I'm disapponted in some of the poor questions being asked by Mr. Russert and Mr. Williams. Instead of the hard hitting policy questions about energy, (although they finally got to one), terrorism, education,peace,climate change, loss of jobs overseas - they are asking candidates to respond to negative comments one has previously about the other, in my mind just fueling the back-biting nature of these debates. Gentlemen, get to the core issues Americans really care about PLEASE!!  
Its interesting that all the wanna be candidates for President (democrats & republicans) are focussed so much on Hillary. Its almost funny when the rest of democrats say that they are better than Hillary because they can fight republicans better.

If they can't fight a women in their midst (in terms of fund raising, campaign management...) , how can they do better against Republicans?.

These guys are jokers !!.
I'm wondering why Clinton gets the most questions and the most time, followed by Obama and Edwards. I've watched most of the debates and it's the same foremat each time-----Clinton get the exposure.  WHY?  Dodd, Biden, Kucinich and Richardson ALL have valuable ideas to share.  
HILLARY WON THE DEBATE! IT'S CLEAR SHE IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT. SHE IS SO SMART. HILLARY CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTION ON ANY SUBJECT. THAT LADY KNOWS HER STUFF.  
I think the candidates should focus on issues at hand and not Hillary, they  need to stop worrying about Hillary and worry about the election.  Within their party they should not bash each other.  After the primary is over and the general presidential race is at hand, then I hope the loosers will support the democratic nominee.  If they bash each other now and then back the nominee later then they are doing a turn around.  Quit bashing now and safe fact in the Presidential election.
This wasn't a debate. It was a gang bang. The format set Hillary Clinton up for a vicious assault like a woman walking alone at night in a dark alley. I wonder how well the other candidates would have come off if they had been exposed to the same abuse. Senator Clinton defended her positions rigorously and without losing her cool. John Edwards behaved like a pit bull in a $400 haircut.  His grasp of foreign policy is an inch deep compared to Hillary's. It's laughable that someone who sees all sides of a complex issue is accused of "double talk." As for the media bias against her, I wish someone would give Chris Matthews a saliva test to determine the cause of his rabid Hillary hatred. He seems to be suffering from a new psychiatric condition: AHHD (Anti-Hillary Hyperactivity Disorder). The side effect is losing viewers, and I'm one of them.
Anyone who would vote for another candidate who is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations is either very ill-informed or just willfully believes the military-industrial complex should be controlling our lives and policy.

Anyone who has actually listened to what Hillary said (in addition to what she's done in the past and who she is) and would still vote for her to be President has some serious, SERIOUS problems with recognizing a power-hungry liar when they hear one.

Anyone who thinks they'll get some kind of real "change" in this country- after Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, and Bush- by now voting in "Clinton" is simply an idiot.  Electing the same two immediate families Presidents for two decades is as close as we're likely to get to monarchy is this country.

If EITHER Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, or Mitt Romney get elected we are in some serious trouble.  The amount of raw truth and common sense currently being spoken by Kucinich, Gravel, and Ron Paul- contrasted with the willful ignorance and sheepishness it all comes up against- is truly frightening.
Peter paul V's Hillary is a great way to get to know her
He has a wonderful video of plain truth that even closed minded people can understand. I had changed party due to Mainstream media being busted, and spewed all over the worldwide web., the same pc I use all the time to Research, Invest, pay bills and so on. I want everyone to know 'I am Inspired Not Hired' . Go Ron Go!!
How do people support Hillary.  She is willing to sacrifice any principle for political gain.  How far gone are we as a nation when people are willing to hand over healthcare to the candidate with the most donations from pharmecuetical companies and insurance lobbies.  Would you give Driver's licences to illegals?  ITS BUSHES FAULT!!! Common this is so weak, noone likes Bush we get it, but everything isnt his fault.  Tax smokers to pay for SCHIP!!!!  Now its Bushes fault.  Somehow  Spitzer giving illegals drivers licences is BUSH's fault!!!  Not to mention her campaign finances are beyong shady.  Hillary will not end the war.  She has the same vision of foreign policy as BUSH.  Spread democracy through military, leave the borders open.  You cant run a walfare state with open borders and thats what Hillary is proposing.  A vote for Hillary is a vote for US bankruptcy.
Being as she is getting more money from the global bankers than any other candidate she is clearly the choice if you want a new world order and north American union.  If you check out how much money she is getting from the health professional and the pharmaceutical industries where she is the #1 and is right up there with insurance industry money you can guess how sold out her "national health care" is going to be. It's going to cost more than we pay now you can bet on that. When are people going to wake up and start looking at the facts of how and why these people are paid off? http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?Ind=H01  Campaign finance reform would be good but we know how far that usually gets.

Myself, I want my rights, my money and my country back from big government. I want real security as in the homeland with controlled immigration, illegal immigration is illegal. I want my president to answer questions straight up as if there is NOTHING to hide! I want my president to have a history of standing for what he believes, telling the truth and not sticking his finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. I want my president to believe that the Constitution is the contract with America. I don’t want a president that wields power to hide wrong doings.

The only choice for me is Ron Paul!

"Can you actually keep your cool if everyone was coming after you to include the moderators?"

Other candidates have. Shoot, look at Ron Paul on the GOP side. He gets a loaded question everytime. It's something you need to roll with.
Now Adrienne, that's hardly a fair comparison.  Ron Paul has the advantage of knowing what he's talking about and being consistent with the truth.  Clinton on the other hand has to deal with sending the message that her handlers tells her to in order to pander for the votes.  You must give credit were credit is due.
I agree; I'd love to see Hillary against Ron Paul: he has the self-containment of a stoic; the humility of a Greek philosopher; and the sharp mind of a seasoned scholary.


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