Debate Impressions....

[scheming daemons]

Kerry...good
Kucinich...good
Sharpton...good
Dean...good

Edwards...fantastic



Alright... I'm biased. ;-) But I can't see how anyone could have watched this debate and not think Edwards is the best candidate we could possibly run against Bush.

They're all better than Bush... but Edwards is clearly the best.

[Peeance Freeance]

1. Edwards has little experience and no national security cred

Bush is going to spend every cent he has making this about national security and terror. Kerry takes it off the table so people can compare them on the economy, where voters favor Democrats.

[spooky3]

yes, for 45 years, JRE just sat around twiddling his thumbs.

Didn't do anything before he ran for the Senate. /sarcasm off/

Kerry has no experience building a business or succeeding in the private sector. JRE has. Both men's experience should be respected equally.

[AP]

8. Just looking at Edwards makes you wonder why we aren't all talking about

middle class opportunity.

Bush can try to talk about national security. But people are going to be thinking about middle class opportunity so long as Edwards is running. Being that that is a Democratic strength (unlike nat security, which is weakness) Demcorats will be way better off running Edwards than Kerry.

[DjTj]

11. Edwards can fend for himself just fine.

He is currently on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He doesn't exactly sound like a country bumpkin when he talks about Iraq or terrorism.

...people who are voting on national security and terror will make a choice based on how well Bush is doing, and there's nothing we can do about how well the Iraq elections go or an October surprise.

Edwards can hammer home the economic issues that will get people to the polls. He has much stronger appeal in the center and among voters that don't necessarily hate Bush, but are uncertain about the future.

Anybody who thinks Bush is doing a good job of keeping us safe will vote for Bush. John Edwards' campaign of hope will beat Bush's campaign of fear hands down.

[tobius]

2. Edwards really impressed me also,

his style is very engaging and he really does try and stay positive and seems to believe that the electorate can handle the truth ie; reducing the deficit. Future looks bright.

[quinnox]

3. I agree

Edwards showed some fire, and took the right balance between competitiveness and politeness.

[Punkingal]

4. Edwards was great.

You gotta love this guy. He exudes sincerity and caring. I think they were all good, however.

[Clark4Prez]

5. I was listening to the pre-debate radio discussion

and they brought up why Edwards has not been able to connect with voters. No one seemed to have a good reason for his inability to win anywhere but SC.

Oh well, I guess the next few weeks will be telling for Edwards. I predict that he will be out after Super Tuesday.

[spooky3]

6. he HAS connected with voters but has to fight an uphill battle

because of much less name recognition than Kerry has. Everywhere that he has spent significant time he has done well.

[spooky3]

9. He has also "connected" with the two most important newspapers in

Wisconsin--in Milwaukee and Madison. Both have endorsed Edwards.

[AP]

10. Was that Clear Channel or ABC which was talking like that?

[Clark4Prez]

14. WTMJ Radio

In a quick look at their webpage they don't apprear to be a ClearChannel station. Looks like their indy.

[AP]

17. Funny. I watched the local station that carried the debate and they

talked to a studio audience watching the debate. The undecided person said Edwards won. and the Kerry supporter switched to Edwards.

So they were sort of forced to admit that Edwards was getting people interested.

[AP]

18. Post-debate analysis: he connected

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEMOCRATS_DEBATE_SCENE?SITE...

* * *
Organizers of the debate watching party polled the audience and found Sharpton's support rose from just 1 percent beforehand to 10 percent afterward.

Edwards jumped from 18 percent to 35 percent, while Kerry dropped from 20 percent to 12 percent. Dean was at 17 percent after the debate, down from 18 percent. Kucinich was at 9 percent before and after.

[DebJ]

7. Edwards definitely scored one when calling Kerry on not taking

responsibility for his own voting record.

[iamjoy]

12. Kerry vs. Edwards (or Dean)

Name recognition definitely helps Senator Kerry the most, before Dr. Dean rose to prominence, people were already talking like the nomination was Kerry's to lose.

The pundits somehow have this idea that Kerry is the best one to beat Bush. This idea has gotten out there in the press, and taken hold. A lot of Democrats are now voting for Kerry for just this reason.

People say Senator Edwards doesn't have the experience, but maybe in a few years. Dean has totally gotten the short straw. He was attacked for all of of the wrong reasons.

[MurikanDemocrat]

13. Sharpton ROCKED!

:thumbsup:

[Wolfman 11]

15. I agree...

Sharpton kicks ass. He needs to be the next Secretary of Sarcasm.

[MurikanDemocrat]

16. Did you see it? He was dead serious!

Sharpton just brought the house down in laughter! He said Bush lied about the reasons for going to war with Iraq, and if he didn’t know he was lying that’s even worse. Said something to the effect that if Bush didn’t know he was lying because of some psychological condition then we are REALLY in trouble.

The interviewer followed up that calling Bush a liar was a very serious accusation. Sharpton didn’t hesitate. He said, I REALLY DO think he lied!

He went on and on and got big applause. I can’t imagine this primary without him.

[corporatewhore]

19. Sharpton brought up A good point about slavery and nafta

americans used to justify slavery because of the economy and we are doing it again w/nafta people like jefferson said slavery was bad but needs to come to end gradually same w/nafta etc(imo 18th cent cop out not 21st)