Dueling debates

Some thoughts from my daily journal on last night’s debates from New Hampshire:

Talked with a friend Saturday who asked, “What’s the point of watching another debate? What could they possibly say that’s new?”

One good reason: so you will know the post-debate SPIN when you hear it. Unbelievable!

Well, I managed to watch both the Republican and Democratic debates in their entirety without falling asleep or the phone ringing! I thoroughly enjoyed the format, thought all the candidates got to say so much more than in a rigidly timed debate.

The GOP candidates really went after each other with Gov. Romney bearing the brunt of the blitz. I thought McCain was like a devious little brat going after Romney with his one-line zingers. Silly. But, Romney did DISH IT OUT with attack ads in Iowa, yet moaned about the "personal attacks" during the debate. Paybacks are hell. Even Huckabee zinged him right off the bat.

Giuliani didn’t know which to bring up more often: 9/11 or Ronald Reagan, his “hero.”

I couldn't see any of the candidates in either party, but I've heard discussions this morning about how tired they all looked (with the exception of John Edwards, who reportedly got in a run just before the debate). I cannot imagine how exhausted they all are!

OK, now to the Dems. being as objective as I can be, They got into a round of verbal fisticuffs, too, but they were egged on by Charlie Gibson’s invitation to Obama and Clinton to go one-on-one over “change.”

Obama seemed tired, and his responses were flat at times. Richardson pointed out to Edwards that we need to be trying to pull together not fight everyone in sight. Hillary needs to cut the phrase “you know” from her vocabulary.

IMHO, the cutest line of the night was Hillary’s “That hurts my feelings.” One post-debate pundit said her remark drew a broad smile from her daughter Chelsea in the audience.

The “soundbite” of the entire evening will be “Hillary’s anger.” Well, hell hath no fury like a woman waylaid over her political experience.

I’m still uncertain what to do in the event of incoming nukes, though. Get under my computer desk, I guess, and “duck and cover.” As far as targets go, for my money the most important site in this area is Skin’s Hot Dogs.

Heard Charlie Gibson this morning. He loved the photo op between debates when the hopefuls from both parties came onstage and greeted each other. That I would have loved seeing.

Overall, I thought the debates were good and came away even more convinced that the Republicans in this race are elitist, holier-than-thou, hatemongering, warmongering fools who have no idea that poverty exists.

Maybe the most thought-provoking statement of the night came from Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM):

“But you know, what ever happened to experience? Is experience kind of a leper?” (Audience laughter.)

***

In my opinion, these two debates were the best so far, allowing candidates time to elaborate on their issues and their differences. If you missed the debates last night …

As the children’s song goes, “Little Rabbit Foo Foo … I’ll give you three chances, then I’m going to turn you into a GOON!”

CNN will air a replay of both debates tonight at 7 ET.

Expand your mind: Republican debate transcript

Expand your mind: Democratic debate transcript