Kudos to Kucinich and Biden for strong responses and for Hillary impressing critics.

[PresidentObama]

I know this thread will join 9879438393 others, but I felt these three did fairly well going in compared to what I thought. I didn't think Biden would connect, and he did. I didn't think Kucinich would impress, and he did. And Hillary shut up a lot of her critics who thought she'd fall flat on her face in the first debate. Overall, I thought Hillary did the best. Followed by Biden. Then Kucinich. Edwards was fourth, and as his supporter I felt he was too cautious at times. Obama did well, but he did not stand out in my mind. Dodd and Obama were fairly tied in my eyes.

[benny05]

1. Edwards is the man with the plan eom

[PresidentObama]

2. I agree. I was a bit disappointed though with him tonight. But this is one debate of many.

And Edwards is the best candidate IMHO!

[benny05]

3. I thought he was really good

and I thought Clinton was not very good and Obama needed some more work.

[PresidentObama]

5. I didn't say he wasn't good. He was very good. But he didn't shine like I expected him.

Which Richardson didn't either. This debate was full of many surprises. I surely didn't expect Kucinich or Biden to stand out like they did, and I didn't expect Obama to seem as (I hate to say this) a bit boring and stale as he did.

I felt Hillary did the best job of all the candidates, especially the top three.

[benny05]

8. Thanks, but Clinton did not do well

She showed her ego not about our country...again tonight.

[PresidentObama]

Everybody has their own opinion. I fail to see how she showed ego. She showed vision tonight.

She was focused and determined.

I think while Edwards did the same thing, I felt he seemed too cautious at times. Maybe a bit nervous, which is normal. But Edwards, in my opinion, is the best candidate we have running. I hope he steps it up, and seems a bit more relaxed next time.

[benny05]

15. How could anyone with 11 minutes each or less

Show the greatest courage..

But Edwards pointed out what he was doing.

[Labors of Hercules]

9. Hillary? Were we watching the same debate?

:wtf:

[wyldwolf]

11. there's a difference appreciating a good debate performance and agreeing with the words.

[Labors of Hercules]

16. true that, although I was singularly unimpressed by both.

:shrug:

[ElizabethDC]

18. I don't think this was Edwards' best performance

he's probably my #2 pick for my candidate, but I was also disappointed with him tonight. Not bad but not great.

[Labors of Hercules]

20. who's yer #1 Lizbeth?

[wyldwolf]

4. My big question is why did anyone think Hillary would NOT impress?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. She didn't impress me very much.

Her answers were too safe and rehearsed, as usual. She wasn't awful, but I sure wouldn't call her the "winner."

[LoZoccolo]

17. I agree, she sucked.

She needed to jump up and down and yell like the guy from Rage Against The Machine (I think his name is Che Guevara).

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. I didn't say she sucked; I said she played it safe and seemed rehearsed.

For that reason I was not especially impressed -- even Biden seemed less artificial. There was nothing substantively wrong with her responses, but everything she says and does seems tested by focus groups. She didn't suck. She just wasn't as compelling as some of the others.

[ElizabethDC]

19. I thought she played it safe but was strong and gave a solid performance

I think Biden was the winner of the night, but Hillary did quite well.

[PresidentObama]

7. Well, I certainly expected Edwards and Obama to out shine Hillary.

And I think neither Edwards or Obama came close. Edwards was good, but he didn't shine like I expected he would. And Obama seemed a bit stale and boring with his responses, and a bit nervous and cautious at the beginning. And Hillary seemed focused, determined, and organized.

[wyldwolf]

10. but they didn't.

[PresidentObama]

12. Yes, which is what I said. Are you trying to rub this in? LOL.

Kerry dominated Bush in three debates, and still "lost" the election.

Look, she did really good. I really thought she showed determination and focus, and she was strong. Doesn't mean she is going to get the nomination now, it just means she held her ground as the frontrunner. Neither Obama or Edwards did bad at all, but I certainly thought guys like Kucinich and Biden outshadowed them in a debate where they needed to shine and shine brightly!

[wyldwolf]

13. no, just clarifying it for the poster directly before your reply

[PresidentObama]

14. Again, everyone has their own opinion.

But let's be honest here wyldwolf, if Hillary promised America everything they ever wanted and justified she could do it....DU would still say her performance was horrible, and sucked. It's the nature of the beast in the Presidential primary cycle. I thought she did well, and I support Senator Edwards. I thought she held onto her spot as the frontrunner, and in a debate where they needed to overshadow her (while they still did VERY well) Edwards and Obama didn't impress like I thought they would.

[question everything]

22. Agree about Biden and Clinton

both expressed their stands in a simple, direct way.

Kucinich.. I suppose his followers are happy.

[Cameron27]

23. I agree, but I think Obama did a little better than you.

Biden was the best tonight, Clinton was very good as was Obama. I thought Richardson lacked energy, he seemed sluggish, but I seem to be the only one who thinks that.

Kucinich was good, Gravel was colorful, and Edwards needs to cut back on the son of a millworker a bit. He talked enough about that in 2004, IMO.

[PresidentObama]

24. I totally agree about Richardson. He looked sluggish, not focused, and at one point was sweating n/t