Notes on the Vegas Democratic Debate

Here we go again. Without further adieu, those pesky notes:

• If anyone missed it, Campbell Brown's husband is an adviser to Mitt Romney. Would you like a side of conflict of interest with that?


• Without the spelling of the Pavillion right in front of us, it's just funny to hear Wolf Blitzer say "Cox."


• Starts with "fireworks," and Biden nicely shuts it down with what everyone was thinking, although not necessarily as well-focused: Shut up and talk about the actual issues.


• Did Edwards just call the ticker at the bottom of the screen a "troll?"


• Did Richardson just say Give peace a chance?


• Did Edwards just allude to the controversy of Hillary Clinton's planted question with a smug chuckle? Dick.


• Dear Kucinich: I love you; don't waste your breath arguing the semantics of "illegal immigrants" when your message is so much stronger. Then again, I think PTSD should still be called "shell shock."


• Kucinich gets shut down "That's why I'm up -". The only noticed mic cut.


• Biden brilliantly answered the Pakistan question, wrapping by poking at Wolf for letting everyone else not answer the question.


• Edwards suggests that the only way to secure peace is to rid the world of nuclear weapons. By throwing them into the sun. Lettering-writing initiative to secure Superman for the task to begin tomorrow.


• Kucinich was skipped over for the "down the line" Pakistan question ("Hello? Hello? You skipped me.") and is subsequently ignored when he calls everyone to task, to take responsibility for their voting record.


• Speaking of which, I sadly shook my head as almost every other candidate sanctimoniously blubbered about how what China is doing is not what was expected. Stop pretending; we know it's not on you top 25 list.


• Campbell quaintly asks Hillary what she meant by the "boys club." I would venture to go as far as mention that the first 43 leaders of the United States had penises. Perhaps Campbell should spend some time on Wikipedia. Studying gender inequality. And penises.
  


• 
  
  
  Best eyebrow image I could find: I spent the first third of the debate wondering how she got the two-tiered "Comet" look to the eyebrows, the second third wondering why she would do that (and why, oh why the gray fitted jacket?), and the last third wondering about Botox because the lower brow is actually pronounced eyelid crease.
  
  (Image note: I must've been in the bathroom when she actually explained to Campbell about the Boy's Club.)


• Edwards? Boo! Obama? Hiss!


• The mother of a 3-tour Iraq veteran had legitimate concerns over the war drums and Iran. Wolf bastardized the question, ruining it for the mother, and Hillary sounded like a heartless monster: Your "fear is unfounded." No, it is not; anyone who can turn on a television or read a newspaper knows that.


• The Kucinich Hat-trick: voted against the Patriot Act "Because I read it," asked us to imagine having a president "who's right the first time," and ended with the delicious "Impeach them now!" Hells yeah.

Conclusions:

• No surprise, but Clinton, Obama, and Edwards ended up with the most questions and the most leeway when it came not only to avoiding directly answering the question, but the time Wolf gave them to do it.


• I've said it before and I'll say it again: With a name like Wolf Blitzer, you'd think he'd be cooler. And sexier.


• Hillary handled herself well, Obama bumbled where he should'nt've (although coming along nicely avoiding "um"s), Kucinich managed to get in a couple pops (although generally ignored), and I though Biden was the most entertaining and well-spoken for the time he did get to speak.


• Final note to Democrats: You've got less than two months to the primary, but are still spending a great deal of time talking about the one man who is not going to be on the ballot next November. Stop attacking Bush and start hitting Romney, Giuliani, and McCain. You don't have to tell us why you'd be better than Bush; at this point we realize that a sloppy drunk Jar Jar Binks with a light saber would do less damage to our national identity.


• Rush Limbaugh decided to spread lies on Friday.

Thanks for your time.

Crossposted on ATD.