The Great Debate III: Round on the side, high in the middle

The National Review says Obama’s a dirty liberal.  That’s not much of a question.

Hillary gets a Putin question which she should do well on, although I think most everyone knows Putin has a severe mad on for her that I’m pretty sure is mutual.

Obama gets a chance to comment and, ostensibly, show off some international savvy.

And time for our hypothetical.  Evidently, Russia is joining with Serbia to reclaim Kosovo.

I wonder why Obama got the hypothetical question and Hillary didn’t?  I would be a bit pieeved about that if I were Hillary.

Wow, closing comments time and Hillary goes to the Iraq vote.  That’s as close to an apology as we’ve ever seen from her, I think.  She rolls right into foreign affairs, clearly something she feels she’s stronger on than Obama as she obviously has more experience.

Obama brings out Terry Schiavo which is pretty bold of him.  That’s a contentious issue to bring up, but he’s clearly trying to make the point that, even though he’s a liberal, he won’t be pushing for a government that looks over your shoulder.

And now he’s rolling into his closing comments — I don’t think Hillary’s going to get any.

Oh, surprise surprise, Brian Williams pulls out a closing comment section.  “Why is the other person deserving of being the nominee?”  Interesting choice of final question.

Obama jogs around for a bit, but eventually lands on the fact that he can bring people together to make change happen in ways that Hillary can’t.

I would imagine she’ll go to experience on this one…and there she goes.  Again, both hitting the gist of their campaigns.

I find it interesting that Hillary gets the final say again this week, although I suppose that’s to make up for the fact that she always has to open (as she pointed out).

Summary thoughts tomorrow, I think.

The Great Debate II: Cleveland Rocks

Actually, Cleveland has been incredibly tame compared to Austin.

Hillary gets a tedious question and seems to stumble on it.  I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anyone openly challenge the tax returns issue and the more she talked about it the shadier it seemed.  I honestly didn’t think much of it until now.

Now Obama is stumbling.  A simple “I reject his support” about Farrakhan would have been the best route there and Russert is clearly jumping on his weak turn here, as well he should.  It seems like he’s getting his footing back now, though, speaking about a return to a Jewish/black coalition.

Hillary jumps in to give her opinion.  I would expect her to take more of a hardline on Farrakhan, but I’m not sure why she’s giving her side, unless she’s going to call out Obama on being somewhat wishy-washy.  It would be a good point for her to make, honestly, to challenge the fact that Obama didn’t just flat out reject Farrahkhan’s support…and she just did, but I don’t know if it landed…

 …and Obama just spun it in his favor, doing as she said and saying that he both denounces AND rejects Farrakhan’s support.

More coming after this commercial break.

The Great Debate Part I: Battleground State

If the Clinton campaign needed a clear moment to point to media bias, they just got it.  Supposedly Brian Williams was going to ask Obama a question that would be introduced by video.  Instead of the video he supposedly wanted, we got a clip of Hillary making fun of Obama’s speeches.  It was a fairly easy set-up for Obama to knock out of the park.  He tried to be gracious about it, but it was impossible to ignore.

They appear to be trying to make up for that with the original video, which puts Obama on the spot about calling out Hillary on taking credit for what Bill did well, but distancing herself from what he did poorly.

Still, that accidental first clip was pretty awful.  I can’t imagine why they had it cued and while I favor Obama, he should have to answer for something similar, although I don’t know that he’s mocked her so overtly in any of his speeches.

And now Obama is referring back to that clip again.  They really did set him up.  He’s smart enough to take adantage of it without being a jerk, but still.

Tim Russert just asked a question that’s been answered dozens of time.  I can’t believe he’s even asking this, although I suppose he needs to clarify for those who don’t follow things like I do.

For the record, Obama never said he’d using only public financing in a general election.  He said (wrote down, even) that he’d work with the Republican nominee to come to an agreement that involves public financing.

More in half an hour, I’m sure…