PHILADELPHIA - The Nest has picked up operations and landed here in raucous Philadelphia, where tonight’s Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton debate has not only attracted zealous, sign-toting supporters, abortion protesters, a anti-Chinese rally, the best journalists in the country, but Obama Girl, too. Who says this isn’t a party?
Clinton and Obama will meet for this debate, the first one in seven weeks, inside the National Constitution Center’s main theater, while all the journalists will feel the tension from our tables in the facility’s loft watching the match from mounted televisions. As we wait, I might have to see if Obama Girl, wearing a very Hillary-like pantsuit but with that Barack twinkle in her eye, is interested in the city sites (my fiancee, I’m sure, knows it’s all platonic).
Keep refreshing your Internet browser as we attempt to bring you thoughts and analysis from the debate.
8:00 p.m. Game on. ABC’s opener makes me feel like we’re watching the finale of Survivor with all this melodrama, but I guess that makes for good TV.
8:05 p.m. A collective groan from the press gallery as Charles Gibson announcing a commercial break right after the least impressive opening statements I’ve heard in a long time. Neither really had much to say that was new, perhaps saving ammunition for the later rounds.
8:17 p.m. Story headlines tomorrow: Clinton admits Obama can beat McCain.
8:21 p.m. Clinton’s on message tonight, hammering home the experience sell. She’s going to go back to that time and again during the debate. Obama brings up the 1992 baking cookies backlash by Clinton and throws it back at her. Quite an end-around.
Anyone catch the stern look Clinton gave Gibson earlier when asked about her conversation with Bill Richardson regarding his endorsement of Obama. Wow!
8:30 p.m. Is George Stephanopoulos really asking whether Rev. Wright loves America? What kind of question is that?
Clinton’s trying to keep this alive, now bringing up Farrakhan, Hamas.
8:35 p.m. So voters should forgive Clinton for misrepresenting her Bosnia trip but should not forgive Obama for the “bitter” remark?
8:41 p.m. You know, we’re almost halfway into this debate and ABC has yet to ask a question of campaign substance, going for Bosnia and Wright and Bitterpalooza right away. No health care, Iraq, economy, housing crisis …
8:46 p.m. The message right now is this: For Clinton, I can withstand all the attacks, I’ve taken them before, I’m prepared. For Obama, I’m taking yours pretty well.
8:50 p.m. Neither has really gained an advantage over the other, but the testiness is starting to grow. Commercial break came at a time for both to regroup and not let emotions get the best of them.
8:54 p.m. Strong message by Clinton on sticking to her Iraq withdrawal plan. Said with conviction. Get ready, though, Obama’s about to point out how troops are in Iraq because, in part, Senator Clinton approved the 2002 resolution that created the war.
8:58 p.m. He’s avoided the 2002 resolution, which he hasn’t done before, BUT saying he won’t listen to the military brass is going to be on a GOP mailer this fall, count on that!
9:02 p.m. A weak, long-winded answer by Obama about whether an attack on Israel deserves a military strike by the United States.
9:07 p.m. Pledges by both not to raise taxes on the middle class.
9:12 p.m. Both get wonkish on taxes and the economy, and both have targeted Bush and McCain rather than one another because they have similar plans in this arena. Obama, though, tripped by admitting that raising the capital gains tax could result in lower revenue rates for the government
Ooops, so did Clinton.
9:27 p.m. Wow, well-crafted answer by Clinton on guns and what she wants to do about illegal guns. That was another strong moment for her - assured, conviction, structured.
9:30 p.m. Obama stumbled along during his response, which provided some but not anywhere near as much detail as Clinton on the gun issue.
9:35 p.m. Clinton has much better command of policy here at the end of the debate and shows it by tying together her proposed investments into education and relating it to a question about what she would do to reform affirmative action. Obama’s been talking in more generalities since the policy questions started.
9:41 p.m. In the first half, I’d have to say Obama performed better than Clinton with how he handled controversial subjects like Wright and Bitterpalooza by saying, look, we’re getting bogged down in the things that divide us.
Clinton, though, showed her skill on policy in the second half when the debate moved to Iraq, the economy, guns and alternative energy.
Will this debate change anything in Pennsylvania? Probably not. No real memorable moments (although the final question is coming), no meltdowns, both candidates showing their strengths and weaknesses equally.
