DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, TV LAND— Forty seven years ago last night, and for the first time in history, television brought John Kennedy and Richard Nixon into America’s living rooms in what would prove to be a pivotal debate. On a night with such historical implications, well, it was just another presidential candidate debate. Yet it was an opportunity for Democrats not named Hillary Clinton to gain in the polls. And John Edwards, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson were successful.
The first half of the event was far more informing than the second half. The war in Iraq and the question of Iran took up about three-quarters of the debate, with domestic reform putting everyone who wasn’t already asleep, asleep. It’s not breaking news anymore, unfortunately, when candidates gather to debate.
6:05
Edwards moves to the left of the mainstream candidates, declaring that there’d be no more combat troops in Iraq if he were president. Clinton had said that she’d leave troops to fight the mysterious “al-Qaeda in Iraq.” Edwards would, in conjunction with the rest of the world, intervene in an Iraqi genocide.
6:09
Leave it to Bill Richardson to step up and hit someone. Barack Obama should take notes. Richardson hit Congress for not doing enough to end the war, and then moderator Tim Russert cut him off. Richardson pointed out that pacifying a united Iraq is one part of a larger “regional” issue: one that has roots in the Israeli-Palestinian question and the refusal to diplomatically confront Syria and Iran. Didn’t we hear something similar in a little expose by that Iraq Study Group?
6:10
Chris Dodd says there’s no political solution in Iraq. Many Republican primary voters would see otherwise.
6:12
Joe Biden pitches his partition plan… basically the inverse of what the Bush Administration has been pulling for with the unity government. He says that partition would, among other things, “end the civil war.” But partitions can foment civil wars too, not end them, right? (See, e.g., the British partition of India.)
6:14
The boy mayor of Cleveland— Dennis Kucinich— is the only real anti-war candidate. I love his enthusiasm and commitment to the ideal. Upon taking office, he will have American troops out in three months. No more bases. Period. While other candidates fretted about whether troops will be out by Jan. 2013— the end of the next first term— Kucinich vowed to have them out by April 2009.
6:15
This was the highlight of the debate and another example of how he earned the nickname “Give ‘em hell, Gravel!” Mike Gravel is a wild man. If Kucinich speaks with enthusiasm, Gravel has a monopoly on emotion.
He was asked how Congress can go about stopping the war.
Congress ought to vote every day, he says. If they don’t reach the sixty votes required to break a filibuster, vote again. Keep voting. After forty days the American people will step up and “get [the opposition] by the scruff of the neck.”
It was the simplest answer of the night, and it’s truly unfortunate that he does not have a greater platform from which to speak, particularly when it comes to foreign affairs and civil liberties.
6:22
Clinton slip-slides a good question by Russert. Israel recently attacked what is believed to be a nuclear site in Syria. Israel felt threatened. So if Israel feels threatened by a similar situation in Iran, would she support the Israeli action? She said the burden of evidence was met in the Syria episode but repeatedly declined to comment about the hypothetical. This is classic Clinton: make everyone happy and don’t pigeonhole yourself.
6:25
Obama is asked the same question. His answer, not surprisingly, relates to the screw-ups in the rush to war in Iraq. He used to be so fresh, and he’s devolved into a one-trick pony. It’s anti-fresh.
In all the talk about Iran, why isn’t there any mention of the International Atomic Energy Agency and its Director General Mohamed ElBaradei? The guy has recently made a huge gamble with Iran that could bring about the end of its nuclear enrichment. You’d have to dig deep into the blogosphere to even hear whispers about it. International organizations? We don’t care about them. We’re Americans.
6:28
Edwards stock is rising. He chimes in on the Iranian question with a distinction between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian people. This is a story that goes completely over the heads of the mainstream media. (Nose jobs are as popular in Iran as they are in Beverly Hills!)
6:32
Richardson observes there’s no more Middle East peace process. This would’ve been a great opportunity to take a shot at Condi Rice. Alas, the only thing Democrats take shots at are their own toes.
6:50
Edwards just came in clutch again. Huge. Unlike Clinton, he is prepared to strip Congress of its healthcare plans if it fails to pass healthcare reform for the American people. There’s nothing more democratic than that.
6:52
Obama has the flu tonight, according to Newsweek’s Howard Finemen. But that’s no excuse for his poor performance. In 2004, Obama said he would not seek higher office. So why now? Three points, he says: (1) he can bring people together; (2) he can fight the special interests; (3) telling the truth is the most important job.
It’s the same song and dance. For months, critics have been almost begging him to hit Clinton. To do anything. So he made a speech about Pakistan. That’s about it. He’s punted on some controversial Senate votes lately. Much like you can tell when a hitter is begging for a walk in baseball, one has to wonder if Obama is begging for a cabinet position.
7:25
The audiences applauds as a question about the drinking age being lowered is asked. Kucinich is the only one willing to lower it to 18. He also wants 16-year-olds to vote. Woo-hoo! Carson Daly for president! (Is he even on MTV anymore?)
The drinking age should be 19. High school kids can’t have any. College kids can. And that’s how it should be.
7:32
Obama is asked what he meant about “turning the page” after Clinton and Bush years. Another missed opportunity to hit Hillary.
7:50
The most striking contrast came at the end.
Russert asks the candidates what Bible passage is their favorite. Next question: who do you like more, the Boston Red Sox versus New York Yankees. Clinton says she is a Yankees fan— Guiliani supporters everywhere are still pissed.