Who Won the Debates?

[smiley_glad_hands]

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. They all had there ups and downs, but this debate was civil and they began to push back on the media and the republicans---and begin to frame the debate to the American People.

[adamrsilva]

1. I agree, all won

All helped themselves.

[Walt Starr]

2. DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!

This debate was refreshing. It's almost as if the candidates rallied around a common foe and Brit Hume became the George W. Bush proxy.

Damn straight the Democratic Party won this debate!

[genius]

3. Dennis won. He had all the facts. Kerry, Edwards and Sharpton also

did well. Clark did pretty good. Dean is pro-NAFTA and pro-WTO. Hopefully his job will go overseas.

[ozone_man]

6. And Dennis was truthful

about trading his ideals for a few delegates. At least he was honest about that.

[LWolf]

8. Uh...no.

He did not "trade his ideals." He didn't do it, he didn't say it. He was quite clear. He said there wasn't another candidate in the race he agreed with on the issues. He said that he and JE are friends, and that they agreed that they both wanted more delegates. Nothing else. He didn't change his platform, promise to support war, or give up a single "ideal."

Dennis is quite open and honest as a rule. I believe he spent most of that answer on his "ideals;" and he didn't trade them away.

[ozone_man]

10. How is it not selling out his ideals?

To trade supporters away to someone that represents very different views, against your own ideals, for a few delegates. You can rationalize and say that it's just part of the process, it's how they do it in Washington. Keep in mind that this type of thinking is going to get an IWR candidate into office, and there's not a heck of alot of difference between them and Bush.

[LWolf]

12. <sigh>

First of all, as he made quite clear, he didn't "trade" away supporters. His supporters were free to make their own choice. Secondly, if his supporters stepped over to Edwards in the caucus, they were doing it for the specific purpose of supporting Dennis. They were helping Dennis get delegates. They were helping Dennis continue in the race; continue to keep his message in the race, which is really important to us. Supporting Dennis is not abandoning our ideals. Third, the agreement was not with Kerry, who already led in the polls, or with Dean, who was crowned "front runner" a lifetime ago. It was with a candidate who could help keep the race close, helping to deny more premature "nominations" until the rest of us get the chance to cast our vote. Fourth, if you noticed, all campaigns were wheeling and dealing with other campaigns. If a campaign negotiating in the effort to win delegates is "leaving ideals behind," then all the candidates represented in Iowa did the same. Because their supporters were all wheeling and dealing. With or without comment from the candidate himself.

You can spin all you like; it isn't honest. It's just convenient if you're disgruntled because other campaigns and Iowa voters interfered with the victory you figured your candidate had already "won."

[madmax]

4. Hume, Jennings and some guys cousin from NJ n/t

[Nashyra]

5. * loss this debate

because they brought up him being a deserter.

[smiley_glad_hands]

7. Democrats need to continue to challenge the media and

republicans on the issues and not get flame baited into divisive politics.

[LWolf]

9. I agree.

I was proud of 6 out of 7. The seventh is getting a post-debate interview on Faux as I type. Isn't that special. Even he did a good job tonight. He belongs on Faux; they know how to show him at his best.

[frank frankly]

11. correct, but they have to go after the media question by question

and take back the terms of debate

Brit Hume is hell on earth

[underpants]

13. Edwards with Kerry a really close second

Kerry's slam on the Bush foreign policy was dead on and getting a lot of airplay this morning.