Associated Press: Clinton "projected an air of confidence and a mastery of the subject matter."

[wyldwolf]

With a new Washington Post/ABC News poll showing Clinton far ahead of her rivals nationally, the former first lady projected an air of confidence and a mastery of the subject matter at Sunday's forum. She also insisted Democrats should focus their policy critiques on Republicans, especially President Bush.

Obama, who in the first debate in late April appeared nervous and insufficiently prepared, had a smoother delivery this time and a more detailed grasp of policy issues.

So it was left to Edwards, struggling to catch up to Clinton and Obama in most national polls, to throw the sharpest elbows, accusing them of being passive and cautious on urgent issues, like
Iraq, health care and gay rights.

"The job of the president of the United States is not to legislate but to lead," he said — a point he repeated several times.

One strategist said Edwards's approach was bold but potentially dangerous.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070604/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_debate

[liberal N proud]

1. The neocons want Hillary to be the candidate

The think she will be the easiest to bash, and switfboat and ultimately beat if they have any chance at all in 08.
Hillary is the one the republicons love to hate. They have made careers out of hating Hillary and many of them still have a deep hatred built on the constant attacks from the Contract on America group back in the 90's.

[ramapo]

2. I have to agree

I'm not thrilled with the idea of another President Clinton. I think we'd be better off with a new family in the White House. I don't like one bit that she voted for the Iraq war. I don't like her lame excuses. Hell, I knew it was the wrong thing to do and I didn't need to read the intelligence reports.

But by the end of the evening I had to say that she turned in an impressive performance. Her answers, apart from the war-related, were detailed with not much spin. She was confident.

I liked Joe Biden's quick rants on reality. It is always refreshing to now and then hear some basic truths from a politician. Obama didn't do much for me. Edwards was ok. I thought Richards would do better but I don't think he's a performer. Gravel was certainly treated as the wacky grandfather off in the corner and he pretty much acted the part. Dodd was Dodd and Dennis was Dennis.

Low point of the night was Blitzer with his inane raising of hands gimmick. It got really annoying.

[ddeclue]

3. Yawn...she projected an image of dodging the question.

Dodge, weave, make excuses and parse words - that's Hillary alright...

Edwards won among Democrats according to DailyKos. This was a Democratic debate, not a general election debate and CNN's poll doesn't speak for Democrats, nor was their reporting "fair and balanced" last night with James Carville who is such an obvious Clinton spinmeister that he should not be on there as an analyst.

Doug D.

[wyldwolf]

4. OF COURSE dailykos says Edwards won. For the last six months, they've been dailyEdwards.

[ddeclue]

9. Because HE's the REAL Democrat and she's NOT...

[PATRICK]

5. Damned AP

"One strategist". Would that be Karl Rove? This is the same typical AP framing and one has to suspect it conforms more to the opinion they want you to have than anything else. These "some" "some Democrats", "one strategist" need to be identified once in a while. We are not like the GOP, whose cloak and dagger garbage never gets reported on ever or commented on much by anonymous backroom sources, even if they solely imaginary ones.

They toss in negatives with every point they seem to make for a particular democrat. Mainly the MSM are trying to influence the race itself according to WH wishes and have been since the season started- if not before. AP as a news service is an expert in fitting as much spin as possible in a few short paragraphs or sentences. it almost sounds like required form for any journalistic piece were it not for the different treatment given even to clearly loser GOP candidates- or those not desired by the Royals.

[wyldwolf]

6. what I find most interesting is when the "MSM" expresses an opinion...

... they're "trying to influence the race." When a blog expresses an opinion, they've "speaking truth to power" and "speaking for real Democrats."

[PATRICK]

8. The blogs can be much worse

and they don't make it routinely into every newspaper in the nation like the daily fact report sheet. Blogs ARE opinion, like this one and are editorials at best.

Does it have to be more unsubtle to violate the objectivity of reportage edited down to its barest length but still containing obligatory and customary shots that are too routine to keep ignoring.

Example: "Mayor Bill, dressed in his usual expensive audacious suit, battled the flames behind his own beleaguered firemen on the hose line. After a spark hit his suit he yelped and backed off a moment before seizing the hose again a little further down. Afterward a political adviser commented that he wished Bill had taken off the suit and rolled up his sleeves which would have made for a better picture."

The difference between words framing what they want you to see and feel and opinionated analysis might be mainly where it is read but it is more likely to subconsciously pass on a bias, even a squarely dishonest and planned one. You can indeed find far more outrageous things in blogs but it is the falsity of a new media where there is never a question of response if only because the news clips are not supposed to be opinions or even lengthy enough to critique for the hidden points.

Maybe I am too sensitive by this point but this has been unrelenting with many consistent examples for years. Once you pay attention to the small deliberate details it becomes very annoying and less paranoid than it first seemed because of the mere shortness of the digests.

[TankLV]

7. I was very impressesd with Clinton.

Didn't like all her "assessments" - especially the "are we safer" crap - but overall she did good from what I saw.

Most dissapointing: Obama - more blather and obfuscation...of course the format stank with wolfies "show me the hands..." crap when wolfie didn't get the answers he was hoping to trap everyone into...

Most surprising: Biden - good points made - I don't agree with all of them, but he made them well...

My favorite so far: Kucinich - really spot on with his accessments of the war and other matters...

Richardson: "Bill who?" - feh - a non-entity...weak reaponse, weak positions, did I mention weak...?