Hotline: Don't expect HRC and Obama to show up at the next debate

[draft_mario_cuomo]

==April 27, 2007
DNC: No Way We'll Sanction June Debate

Sen. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama won't commit to the first Democratic debate in New Hampshire in early June.

Their excuse: the debate isn't party-sanctioned.

Last night, we asked DNC executive director Tom McMahon if there was any way the party would endorse the New Hampshire debate?

"Our debates start in July."

Period?

"Yes."

So -- barring a miracle, don't expect to see Clinton or Obama in New Hampshire.

Posted at 02:35 PM==

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/04/dnc_no_way_well.html

[Colobo]

1. Obama should take this chance

to regain some of the momentum he apparently lost last night!

[snowbear]

3. Didn't lose no mojo Katz..

He won every single poll there was to win after the debate last night.

The media might be trying to burst his bubble, but like Chris Matthews even admitted, the public doesn't seem to agree with the political pundits; they say Senator Obama won"

Earth to Matthews: Look at what Democratic polls on Daily KOS, My DD, etc., have been saying for eons. They've shown us that our choices NEVER match what the pundits are saying.

As far as that debate goes, I'll bet that if either one of them (Obama or HRC) cave in and go, that the other one will follow and also attend.

Just a hunch.

[youngdem]

4. Obama should stay away from debating, and do it only when absolutely necessary

The man is just a poor debater, and when asked something he isn't prepared for (like the health care question the other day) he looks TERRIBLE.

I hope he improves, especially on specifics. He is all platitudes at the moment. If he doesn't, we're gonna end up with Hillary as the nominee and Guiliani as the president.

What Obama needs to do is put some high dollar, schmaltzy commercials together that can familiarize the public with who he is, and perhaps some mild attack ads showing the pro-war pussyfooting that Hillary is doing.

But he needs to steer clear of Q & A's for a while. He really shows his lack of depth on many issues.

[Captain_Nemo]

7. so, " He really shows his lack of depth on many issues." but you want him for President?

Wouldn't a lack of depth spell disaster for the three issues that are putting our world/country in crisis right now?

Global Warming
Iraq
Economy in the US

[youngdem]

8. Over a pro-war AIPAC stooge? Yes.

I would take the person I trust and who has the right basic idea rather than the 'informed', glossy AIPAC, DLC puppet.

You have to pick from what you have. I would prefer Dean, Feingold, Gore and Clark in that order, but our best aren't running this year.

So, we have John, Barrack and Hillary. Of the three, I pick Obama....But I ain't maxed out on my contributions for the primary for anyone like I was the last few elections.

Obama has a chance to grow into something really great, and great people will want to work for him.

Hillary is what she is, and I don't like it. And she will be surrounded by the DLC crowd, and the thought of that does not excite me.

And John just doesn't have the 'it' factor needed to build a winning campaign. His failure in the backseat last go round has people disillusioned a bit about his chances.

So, I back Obama. I don't have to worship him though. He's just our best chance. I just wish it were ten years from now, when he has some accomplishment and depth on the issues in his past.

[Captain_Nemo]

9. For the sake of our country - I will wait the 10 years for Barack. n/t

[draft_mario_cuomo]

5. Obama came out the best of the big three, although Biden was the overall "winner"

The polls on who "won" the debate seem to be tracking the candidates' numbers in the polls before the debate. The only slight difference, from the few polls I have seen about the debate, and I admittedly have not looked at many thus far, Obama gets slightly more points (i.e. 37% instead of the roughly 30% he had in polls prior to the debate) than he did in polls previous to the debate.

[snowbear]

6. I agree. Obama was great.. but Biden did a surprisingly amazing job!

Whodda thunkit??

And it wasn't just that one word answer. All of Biden's responses were thoughtful, intelligent and to the point.

Kudos to Biden!!

[patrice]

2. At minimum, they're afraid of Kucinich.

And Kucinich + Gravel, if he makes it in, will be even more of a problem for them.

'08's going to be an interesting convention.

[Clarkie1]

10. Good for them. They aren't really "debates" anyway. nt