February 21, 2008
Live From the Democratic Presidential Debates!
8:45:
And we're done. Stay tuned for our post-debate analysis on Friday morning.
8:40pm:
Brown: What was the moment in your life when you were tested the most?
Obama: Talks about his childhood, learning to take responsibility for his own actions. Organizing people in his neighborhood to fight for their beliefs.
Clinton: Hints at Lewinsky affair. All of the challenges she's had are nothing compared to those in the lives of Americans she sees everyday.
(Ben Reed's money was on her mentioning 9/11.)
8:35pm:
King: You've been responsible for $90M in earmarks.
Obama: Denies the allegations, and will publish records soon. Talks about Google for Government (to see where federal spending is going) -- open up the process so American people can see where taxpayer money is going (ie, Halliburton?)
Clinton: ...We borrow money from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudis. That's not a responsible policy.
8:25pm:
Is Iraq better off today than it was one year ago, because of the surge?
Clinton: There's no doubt that inserting extra troops helped, but the Iraqis haven't taken advantage of the opportunity to restore the infrastructure. Would reduce troops 1 to 2 brigades a month.
Obama: Praises first calvary out of Fort Hood.
The fact that we're spending $12B in Iraq every month means that we can't spend it here -- on veteran services, etc
8:20pm:
Ramos: "Let's try this again, and this time I won't ask in Spanish." (laughter) Asks if Obama is suitable as Commander-in-Chief.
Clinton: Lists off her accomplishments. Talks about Serbia, Kosovo, Cuba. Says she'd be ready from day one. But what about Obama?
Obama: Wouldn't be running if he didn't think he was prepared. Talking about under-equipped soldiers going into Afghanistan -- looks like he's maybe lost his train of thought.
8:15pm:
Obama and Clinton have stopped listening to Campbell Brown! They've taken over the debate!
8:12pm:
Ramos: Asks about whether Clinton thinks Obama is a suitable commander-in-chief.
Clinton: Brings it back to healthcare discussion! Has she lost the plot? Campbell Brown seems displeased.
Obama: Brown attempts to return to the discussion, Obama decides to respond.
8pm:
Brown: Asks about Duval speech.
Obama: Words matter. Duval is of his national co-chairs, and actually gave him the line, so a suggestion of plagiarism is absurd. This is taking us into the "silly season" in politics.
Clinton: If a candidacy is about words, then it should be your words! "When you lift whole passages, that's not change you believe in -- that's change you can Xerox."
The press room has just collectively gone, WHOOA. This fight is getting good!
Every major newspaper in Texas has endorsed him.
(Camera cuts briefly to Watson)
7:55:
Clinton just brought up Kirk Watson!!!
7:40pm:
King: Asks about border wall.
Clinton: Current plan is absurd (though she and Obama both voted for it) –UT Brownsville would have part of its campus cut off because of the fence! Would talk to those living near the border and see what they think.
King: Does that mean that what you voted was wrong?
Clinton: Turns this into some talk about how fencing technology has come a long way.
Obama: Agrees.
7:35pm:
Ramos: Would you consider stopping raids on undocumented immigrants?
Clinton: “Leaving children at home is against American values.” Huh? Suggests a path to legalization — paying fine for coming illegally, learning English, paying back-taxes. Would implement all of this within first 100 days of Presidency!
Obama: "We need to tone down the rhetoric associated with immigration debate... We are a nation of laws, and we are a nation of immigrants, and we can reconcile the two things." Stronger border security, cracking down on employers exploiting undocumented workers. Fix the current system, which has a backlog of years to apply and has fees that keep increasing. Improve our relationship with Mexico.
7:30pm:
King: The economy is the dominant issue. How are you two different?
Obama: End Bush tax cuts to the wealthy, shift to working-class, middle-class Americans. Senior citizens shouldn’t pay income tax on Social Security. Strong safety standards, creating a “green” economy. Invest in solar, wind, biodiesel energy. Brings it back to removing special interests in Washington in order to make any of this happen.
Clinton: “The wealthy and the privileged have had a President for the last seven year.” Talks about a trade timeout – enlisting a “trade prosecutor” to decide what is good or not. Wants a much more vigorous enforcement of safety standard.
On foreclosure crisis, asks for moratorium on home foreclosures. 85,000 homes in Texas, 90,000 in Ohio. Citizens getting hoodwinked!
Would create “clean green jobs” – a $5B investment in jobs, infrastructure (roads, bridges, tunnels).
Need to end GB’s War on Science. (huge applause) America is an Innovation Nation. Talks about UT Austin being a great university.
7:20pm:
Ramos asks if the candidates would sit down with Raul Castro, or whoever will become the new leader of Cuba, at least once?
Clinton: People of Cuba deserve to have a democracy. "They have a chance to change direction." Suggests she’s looking for changes in the regime first, and if Cuba moves toward democracy and freedom, the US will welcome that. But there “has to be evidence."
Jorge asks her to clarify whether she would or not.
Clinton: Remains firm on answers, saying they’d have to demonstrate evidence of chance first.
Obama: Important for US not just to talk to its friends, but also to its enemies. (same thing mentioned in Backyard rally). Loosening restrictions for family members to visit relatives in Cuba as a start – but would not normalize relations until saw the same progress that Clinton mentioned. Quotes Kennedy, “Never negotiate out of fear, but never fear to negotiate.”
7:10pm:
Obama's opening remarks. Talks about "defining moment" in history. Touches on war in Iraq, predatory lending, healthcare, universal access to college, jobs lost to international competition (mentions people who have been "literally seeing equipment unbolted from the factory floors and shipped across to China"), lobbyists and special interest groups ("Washington has become a place where ideas go to die").
7:05pm:
Clinton just brought up Barbara Jordan and Ann Richards as her role models in her opening remarks, to enormous applause.
Check out this photo that Austinist photog Romain Nayalkar snapped earlier today:
7:00pm:
Campbell Brown's introducing Jorge Ramos (Univision) and John King (CNN Chief Nat'l Correspondent). Obama and Clinton both walked on stage; local photo-ops now. Boyd Richie looks ebullient.
6:55pm:
Chelsea Clinton's walking around the debate floor, schmoozing with the crowd. Photogs are at the ready; the candidates haven't yet arrived.
6:45pm:
"Please, seriously, turn off the electronic devices."
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