Tales from the Debate: It's those damn Internets fault!

[Algorem]

http://blogs.clevescene.com/cnotes/
Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 10:44:56 AM

11:40 P.M., THE SPIN ROOM -- Doug Hattaway, the former national spokesman for Al Gore in the 2000 presidential campaign, stands alone amongst the crowd of reporters. A CSU student is holding a sign above his head, but unlike David Axelrod, Obama's hired mouth, no one pays Hattaway much attention.

Hattaway now makes his living now as a consultant for politicians, and as an analyst for Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. He's been hired by the Clinton campaign this season. And it turns out he's a pretty funny dude. ...

"You what's the main difference between 2000 and 2008? The Internet. Remember, that thing that Gore invented. ... During the 2000 election we had only, like, three guys on the campaign running the website. And their only goal was to just make sure not to screw up. The campaigns now have to go 24-7. We had our staff reading the blogs during the debate to see what they were talking about so that we knew what to prepare for before coming into to answer questions.

“It's so much different. Shit, now we raise around a million dollars a day on our website. We have an entire media staff dedicated to it. It's pretty amazing."...


Democrats' debate draws supporters, demonstrators to downtown Cleveland

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1204113541284890.xml&coll=2

Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Patrick O'Donnell
Plain Dealer Reporter

The campaign circus came to town Tuesday.

The debate was the main attraction, but this show offered several rings of spectacle.

Snow depressed - but didn't halt - protests and rallies outside Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center or the many debate "watch parties."


Democratic Party bigwigs partied pre-debate high above snow-covered Progressive Field, before supporters of each candidate headed to the debate or to downtown restaurants to watch. And other groups - from the NAACP to the Stonewall Democrats - held their own parties to cheer their chosen candidates' best barbs and commiserate over lost opportunities to win votes...


Obama, Clinton supporters gather to hoot, holler during Democratic presidential debate

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1204113415284890.xml&coll=2

Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Margaret Bernstein
Plain Dealer Reporter

Supporters from the two Democratic campaigns were only a few blocks apart Tuesday night, watching the debate at downtown Cleveland parties.

But they were miles apart in their analysis of the debate.

When a tough-talking Hillary Rodham Clinton made the point during the debate that the media seem to favor her opponent, Barack Obama, a crowd of 300 supporters at Pickwick & Frolic on East Fourth Street clapped and hollered.

But nearby, at The Clevelander bar at East Ninth Street and Huron Road, where about 100 Barack Obama backers gathered, many said Clinton came off as far too aggressive. As soon as the debate began, they vigorously booed when the video of Clinton saying "Shame on you, Barack Obama" replayed on the half-dozen televisions overhead...