U.S. Presidential Democratic Debate

( photos of tv set) MSNBC footage

I caught parts of the U.S. Presidential Democratic Debate last April 30, 2007 on MSNBC (this article is really old, i embargoed it because i wanted to write about the killings, vote-buying, disappearances, etc). The eight or so presidential aspirants, MSNBC footagemost of them senators, were asked to stand behind a small, narrow, glass podium (one each) on a big stage, theatre-full, in South Carolina State University- Orangeburg. The news anchor stood at right stage facing the aspirants with his back to the audience, so the focus was on the aspirants, he read a question each for every candidate (i’m guessing all the questions went through the news staff before they were finalized) on topics that ranged from the Iraq war, abortion, the Virginia Tech shooting, the health care program. MSNBC footage

Some of the questions were hypothetical (“what would you do on your first day of office?) and some were immediate (“what/ whom do you consider are the three most important allies of this country?”)

 

The candidates were all snappy, fast-talking, gave quick short answers, used simple ordinary words, spoke from the top of their heads, and had to think fast on their feet before a live audience. MSNBC footage

There was a hidden stopwatch and the host cut them off with “ time has expired…”

 

Senator Hilary Clinton was asked MSNBC footage

“your numbers aren’t that good and the Republicans say they would be happy if you were the standard-bearer, etc. what can you say about that?” and she said something like, they’re mistaken, etc.. She came across as intelligent, certain, strong-willed but she doesn’t turn on her charm button (all of us, i think, have a charm button that we can turn on if we wanted to please someone).

 

Some questions required just a show of hands (“do you believe in the global war on terror, etc.?”)

 

Some just required a name (“name an American Supreme Court justice you hold in high regard, etc.?”), some played it safe by giving the names of dead people, so the news anchor specified, only those living.

 

Answer with just one sentence: what would you do if, God forbid, two American cities were hit by terrorists? MSNBC footage

 

Barrack Obama said something like, i would find out from intelligence where else there would be strikes, and protect those facilities and cities, then i would find out who struck us and retaliate without alienating other countries not involved, etc (i’m typing this from memory)

 

Hilary Clinton said, when we find out what country attacked us, i would order an attack on that country, but we should not divert our attention on other countries that have not attacked us, etc.

 

The debate ended with (second to the last question): for Senator Hilary Clinton: Is Walmart a good thing or a bad thing for Americans?

 

She laughs and lights up. That was the charm button. She never turned it up except on that one.