9:08: Brian Williams gets right to it with statement about the focus on race in recent days and asks Hillary "how we got here." She replies that she and Obama agree that race and gender should not be a factor, argues that everyone has supporters who are "uncontrollable" and may make awkward statements. Obama says, "I think Hillary said it well."
9:12: When Tim Russert asks a followup, Obama says, "Our supporters and staff get overzealous and say things I wouldn't say." Asked if he lost votes in New Hampshire when people got "into the privacy of the voting booth," Obama says no, he thinks Hillary just ran a good campaign.
9:13: Russert quotes Clinton saying earlier that if anyone said stuff that she didn't like she would get rid of that supporter. So what about big backer Robert Johnson's apparent reference this week to Obama's youthful drug use? Will she still let him speak for her anymore? She answers that she accepts Johnson's farfetched explanation that he was merely referring to Obama's community organizing. Oh, really?
9:20: Brian Williams asks Obama about his "you're likable enough Hillary" in the last debate. Obama says he truly regrets because it was not received as it was meant, that he was trying to just give her props. Says he regrets focus on those things when all three candidates are qualified and fine people.
9:25: Heckler seems to be charging that hosts are asking too many "race" questions. Then Hillary, after saying she qualified to "lead" from day one, declines to say whether Obama and Edwards are also so qualified, saying it is up to voters.
9:35: Brian Williams asks about emails they get all the time claiming Obama is Muslim, took oath of office on the Koran, etc. Obama, of course, denies the "lies." But as in the controversy over a recent Washington Post, Williams did not introduce this himself as false rumors, as he should have done, and hung it out there for Obama to respond. Then they go into a commercial break.
For rest of blogging the debate, go to E&P:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003696839
2 comments:
Boring debate. Love John Edwards. Felt like Hillary talked more than anyone else (don't know if that's factual; maybe I just got tired of her). Obama better than in the last debate.
If there's one thing this loooong campaign needs, it's fewer debates. They've become nothing more than showcases for the massive egos of the newsreaders hosting them.
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