I just got home from the Debate...and I talked to Candy Crowley...

[sfecap]

ask me anything. (Except what I said to Candy...) :-)

[realFedUp]

1. tell her we'll send her good chocolates

if she just reports the facts and doesn't lean to the right.
Tell her she needs to earn some respect this election season.

[The Zanti Regent]

3. Oh give her a bunch of Krispy Kremes!

Especially the ones with the artery-clogging custard and thick chocolate on them!

[TheYellowDog]

36. I think that's mean.

No matter what you think of someone's political views, I don't think it's right to wish that harm comes to them.

[CatWoman]

37. what's mean about giving someone a box of donuts?

:shrug:

[TheYellowDog]

38. Um...

"Especially the ones with the artery-clogging custard and thick chocolate on them!"

...And wishing that harm would come to them too.

[ewagner]

2. Two questions

What was your impression of the crowd? Was it packed for one candidate more so than others?

AND

Just what did you say to Candy?

[sfecap]

5. I wouldn't say one candidate had more supporters...

The venue was completely full. Many people did not get in. Outside the two biggest support contingents were for Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich. Dean had a few hundred supporters, Dennis maybe half that. Gov. Dean attended a rally just prior to going into the auditorium, his supporters walked him to the door. Inside there didn't seem to be any favorite, but Dean, DK, and Gep got the best applause. Lieberman was not popular...

The moderators were EXCELLENT! They came out and talked to the audience before the debate, and then did a quick into run thru rehearsal about 10 minutes before show time. 10 cameras were used to televise the debate.

Even though I am a die hard and true Dean supporter, I have to tell you all that it was really great to see all of our candidates (except Al, of course) all on that stage. I had a very good seat, just left, and about 20 rows back. The crowd was VERY disappointed that Sharpton couldn't make it. They told everyone about 7 minutes before air time, because they wanted to wait to te last minute to remove his podim. Big disppointment.

I haven't read the comments here about the debate, I'm sure there are some...it does come off different live.

Did the boos and groans Lieberman got come across on the broadcast?

Crowley was outside getting ready to do her remote...I just stopped and said hello and we chatted for a bit. She is a very nice, warm funny lady. I told her to be kind to my candidate, and she laughed....said she'd be as kind as she is to all of them....really, she was very nice, gracious. I kidded her about her reports and told her I'd like her cellphone number so I couild comment to her directly in the future...got a lugh, but no number. She said she does try to answer her email, though. LOL...it's kinds funny to see these folks do these remotes, of course the shot is from the chest up, so what you dont see is the jeans and tennis shoes...did anyone see her report?

All in all a great evening...

[Cha]

6. There are mega hits on DU tonight regarding debate and yes

the groans and boos were duly noted!

Some DUers thought Dean did very well in reflecting the attacks by lieberman and Kucinich.

And Dean spoke in Espanol!

[qb]

26. I'd have said, "Okay, then just be as nice as you were to candidate Bush."

She's a whore. A warm and friendly whore, but still a whore.

[Cha]

4. This is so funny! I thought you might have gone to the debate

and have been looking to see what you thought of Dean's performance..
I didn't really get to hear too much because of my stream blacking out..
But have been reading other DUers comments all night!

Was it exciting?

Was candy being her usual buttery self?

[sfecap]

7. Candy was gracious and funny...very nice lady.

I would give the Gov. a "C". The audience really liked him and his Spanish got rave reviews. DK did well, but I have to tell you he was a bit grating. Gephardt turned in a great performance, got off some good lines. Kerry was good, but meandered, and went way over his time every time. He needs to be more concise and to the point. (I don't know if the broadcast audience could see it, but there was a red light in front of the mods on the floor that went on when the answer time was up, Dean hit it on the mark everytime, and didn't get penalized...Kerry and Gep went over and lost time later in the debate....)Edwards was very good too...he is going to be a real contender someday, but I don't think it's this one.

Lieberman was an ass. He seemed desparate, and get no emotional vide from the audience. His snit with Dean was roundly disapproved of by the audience. He really looked dumb.

CMB was charming and delightful. I really personally like her. Graham didn't seem like he was into it. He was my Governor once, and I like him, but he's done.

Bottom line here folks, there were only two contenders on that stage...Howard Dean and John Kerry. You could feel it in the air. And both are very wary of each other. Both were much more subdued than I expected, but I think there is some strategy at play here. Let's see what happens in the next debate.

Great energy in the place. The buzz afterward was ther was no clear "winner", Lieberman is done, Gep was good, Edwards too, Kerry needs to cut his answers down to direct and concise bits...

...and Gov. Richardson made me proud to be a New Mexican tonight!

[Cha]

8. Only a "c" for Dean? Not even a b-?

It's so funny how different People can come away from the same thing with different impressions!

Wait until you read some of the comments from DUers...some thought Dean did extremely well! And others of course Not!

Anyway, thanks for reporting and you are really into this campaigning thing!

[sfecap]

10. No, a "C"...I think he could have cranked it up a notch or two..

...but I know what his schedule has been for the last couple of days, and I'm surprised he's awake...

Believe me, it is a far different experience to see it live...and the off camera stuff is VERY interesting!

[AP]

12. Give us the story -- what happens off camera?

Do you mean the audience stuff you told us about? Of do you mean the way the candidates behave when they think the cameras aren't on them?

[sfecap]

14. Oh, the candidates...

For instance, Dean and Lieberman were next to each other...obviously Joe was going after Dean, and it didn't go over very well...while Joe is dissing Dean, Howard is just grinning his ass off...kinda like ("OK...here's the rope, go for it, Joe....), Of course Dean gets the very next question, rebuts Lieberman, and gets a great response...after the program ends, they all come out from behind their podiums, and the first thing Dean does is go over to Joe, shake his hand, they have a brief chat, and Dean and Joe laugh...

However...aside from a brief handshake, Dean and Kerry don't look all that friendly...not much interaction there.

[Cha]

13. I know it's too bad Dean couldn't get some rest before a Big

Debate! But he will live to debate another day!

There's already an article out that says he "stumbled" so I'm sure he didn't do that!

[sfecap]

15. I guarantee you he didn't stumble.

Everybody is buzzing about HD. He is clearly the frontrunner, and the press is slicing and dicing everything he does or says. Coming out of the theatre, lots of people talking about how they like him. His Spanish was impressive, according to those who speak it fluently...it was appreciated because it didn't seem contrived. Apparently his pronunciation is very, very good. (That coming from a native Spanish speaker, not me....)

And you know what I really like about him? He tells me last night he's having fun!

Gotta love that.

[BurtWorm]

18. Great report from you, sfecap

Thanks so much for sharing your experience so eloquently.

:toast:

[sfecap]

21. Thanks...it was a great night!

Actually while I was sitting there, I was thinking of the threads that were probably pouring forth here at DU! :-)

[trogdor]

27. Missed you on Wed.

We had a rockin' good time. There must have been at least 60 people there at UC. I even got to get up and talk - and I didn't suck! You gotta come to the Smackdown a week from tomorrow.

[sandnsea]

9. Gee, I have to be jealous...

of you. Hmmph. I don't like that.

Kidding.

I think I'm going to have to move somewhere else. I can't stand all this great stuff happening and here I am on the Oregon Coast and I won't see a candidate until everybody's done voting. Grrr.

It's cool you got to go. I love these live reports, it's almost as good! Did you get pictures?

[sfecap]

11. No pictures...no cameras in the theatre.

Incredible media coverage, though...outside, Fuax, CNN, BBC, Univision, all the locals, tons of print journo's...25 sat trucks...

It really was a great evening...no matter who you support!

[GreenArrow]

31. just took a vacation to the Oregon coast...

why would you want to move? That place is awesome!

[Skittles]

16. CANDY - NICE, WARM, FRIENDLY??????????????

THAT'S NOT THE F***ING IMPRESSION I GET FROM HER. IN FACT, SHE VERY OFTEN MAKES ME FEEL SICK.

[sfecap]

17. No...really she was very nice to me...

She was getting ready to do her remote and took the time to chat. Very personable, great sense of humor...I gigged her for not being nice to my candidate...all good natured. Wish I had more time to chat, but she was going on in a couple of minutes...

[RichM]

19. sfecap - What building at UNM was the debate at? I visited the campus

about 5 weeks ago, & walked around it a lot -- I'm just trying to visualize it!

Thanks for your observations & reporting!

[sfecap]

20. It was at Popejoy Hall.

Seating for 2000 people, 3000 or so showed up.

Never let it be said that Democrats aren't interested in our country's future!

[CMT]

22. thanks for the update

I agree that Gep did fine. I just wish he had the same passion as Democratic Leader of the House. I think Dean also came across well. I agree he was a bit tired but he got his points across well and his speaking spanish was a huge plus. To take the time to learn the language and to do as well as he will resonate in the Latino community imo.

Lieberman has a mission which seems to be to bloody Dean up enough so that if he is the nominee Bush can pick it up from where he (Joe) left off. One wonders why Lieberman put so much more into this debate and trying to hurt a fellow democrat than he did into his 2000 debate with Dick Cheney? they acted like a couple of golfing buddies in that one.

The rest of the field did pretty well too.

[oasis]

23. Interesting report. Here's hoping Candy turns over a new leaf.

Again, good report.

[Neecy]

24. well...

If you had seen Crowley's slanted, biased report yesterday afternoon where she tried desperately to give the impression that Latinos were flocking in droves to the Republican party you might not have found her so delightful.

This piece, obviously heavily edited, was a disgrace. Not a single Democratic Latino appeared in the piece explaining why they support the Democratic party. Instead, the only "Democrat" they found was prompted by Crowley to give her opinion of Bush - the woman bobbed her head and beamed and said she 'really likes him'.

The way Crowley slanted her report would make one think that there isn't a single Latino in New Mexico who would actually vote for one of the candidates at the debate last night. I'm so sick of CNN's propaganda - and Crowley is a big part of it - that I want to vomit.

[CatWoman]

25. Thanks, Neecy

Candy Crowley is a low-life POS.

She contantly knifes Democrats, and praises Republicans.

I remember all too well her sickening cheerleading for *, always telling us how "presidential" he looked.

The sorry bitch.

[Neecy]

29. yep

I truly see Candy Crowley as an Enemy of the People...a media whore who feeds the sheep just what her corporate masters want them to hear.

She deserves our contempt and not fulsome praise for her charm. The woman is a snake disguised as a "Senior Political Correspondent".

Her coverage of Bush in 2000 was stomach-turning - her standing on some airport tarmac whispering in reverent tones about Bush, like she was covering the second coming of Christ. It was totally over the top, the worst media coverage of any candidate in history. We shouldn't forgive OR forget.

[blm]

30. I wouldn't trust a word out of her mouth.

If she even says something positive about ANY Democrat, you know there is a greater reason for it that eventually benefits the BFEE.

[trogdor]

28. Check out my lead story at republicansareidiots.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=280498

The GOPpies are wetting their pants over seven dozen defections over three years.

[grasswire]

32. I could not have joked with Candy Crowley

I would have tried to earnestly tell her how much I despise the fact that she set aside her responsibility to the American people in order to whore for George. Her behavior vis a vis the Bushes has been craven and nauseating.

She isn't doing her job. Why flatter her ego? This makes me mad.

[sfecap]

33. Neecy...I agree that Crowley is regularly biased...

But I wasn't going to embarrass myself or her by unloading on her. It was a brief chat, she was very cordial and friendly, (could have just ignored me as she was prepping for her live feed.)

I'm sure you understand...

[robbedvoter]

34. Regularly biased? She practically campaigned for bush in 2000

with a microphone in hand, impersonating a reporter. She is one of the major reasons I stay off CNN!

[Neecy]

35. I wouldn't have unloaded on her either...

I would have simply flipped her off and kept right on walking...

She was pretty gleeful today that the debate coincided with the kickoff of football season...that big moon face was shining so brightly she could have signaled ships with it.

Being cordial with her only allows her to think of herself as a credible journalist. We've all seen enough of her to know better.