Live...er...DVR'ed blog: The Debate

So, fresh off drinks at some fine downtown establishments, I will now commence the viewing of the debate, which I DVR'ed earlier this evening. I will attempt to misuse apostrophes as much as possible.

• Before I even begin, as the LCD displays a freezed picture of Hillary being introduced, I must thank CNN for sending Wolf Blitzer to the store to pick up groceries while Campbell Brown takes the reins. I have fond memories of when Campbell was with NBC. I worked at KWQC, the affiliate in the Quad Cities, and Dan Pearson, who was the sports director, used to huddle around the satellite feed with me to watch a tasty Campbell deliver her report. Good times. Debate? Oh, yes, debate. Back to the debate.
• Did Bono just take the stage? Oh, no. The crowd is simply reacting to Obama.
• Thanks again, CNN, for no Blitzer.
• This debate is a chance, though a slim one, for Clinton to crawl back to relevance. Let's see if she takes it.
• Is Clinton running for Miss America or President? She doesn't stop grinning. She's also doing a great job of attempting to convince Texas that she is indeed a daughter of the Lone Star State.
• It's possible that I have the bass too high on my stereo. It's also possible that there's some kind of breeze on stage and the mics are set to sensitive levels. Annoying, either way.
• "What's lacking right now is not good ideas. Washington is where good ideas go to die." First good quote of the night, chalked up for Obama.
• Note to CNN director; why do I need to know that George Lopez is in the audience?
• What if, as they were debating, the candidates played Rock-Em-Sock-Em robots? Just a thought. They're sitting right next to each other, after all.
  
• Clinton says she would meet with the Castro regime "once it demonstrated...change in direction." Terms before talk. More holier-than-thou attitude. As if our diplomacy is some divine gift only worthy of a select few and on specific terms. What punishment! The U.S. won't talk to us, boo-hoo.
  
• Sadly, Obama agrees, but to a much lesser degree. Stresses the importance of talking to enemies as much as talking to friends. Explains how the miserable failure of the Bush administration in diplomacy makes such a push that much more important.
  
• Why does CNN have an overhead camera? This isn't a football game.
• Obama is a southpaw. -1
• Do my ears deceive me? Policy specifics from Obama on the economy? I thought these didn't exist!?!? He must be plagiarizing them.
• Wolf Blitzer; still not there. Debate; still more watchable.
• Question: What would you do differently than your opponent. Both punt, drawing out similarities, proposals, not differences. Both bash Bush.
• Jorge Ramos, you really don't need to speak in Spanish. It's not necessary. You come off as a silly prat by doing so. Stop it, Jorge.
• Both give generic answers on immigration. Yawn.
• Dems are talking tougher on fence than Bush administration.
• Civility is boring.
• Jorge talking in Spanish again = Jorge being a massive tool again. Jorge you will not be invited back. Leave your press pass at the desk and do not collect $200.
  
• Ah, the halfway point. A break. I watched the first half of this debate live, on my laptop, during a lecture. I missed nothing. This has been a snoozefest.
• Does anyone miss Wolf Blitzer? No. Not even Wolf Blizter misses Wolf Blitzer.
• And we're back. Barack seems to be writing an extensive shopping list while Clinton takes a question on Obama's credibility. C-o-t-t-a-g-e c-h-e-e-s-e.
  
• Clinton with a subtle jab at Obama. Talks about one of his supporters on TV that couldn't tell a reporter one thing he'd done. Obama deflects it well, reciting history on ethics reform and veterans benefits. Says people aren't jaded, that they know well the problems of the country.
• Campbell asks about the plagiarism claim. Obama calls the allegations silly, crowd cheers. He asks for focus on the issues, not on the garbage. "We shouldn't be spending time tearing each other down. We should be spending time lifting the country up." Clinton smiles, but you know she's thinking "F*ck."
• AND WE HAVE BOOING! Juvenile "Change you can xerox" line from Clinton is met with hisses and boos. Evidently she's got lots of experience, lots of solutions, but doesn't read the Boston Globe, or didn't in April of last year when Obama and Patrick discussed exchanging the line in question. She's really going after this hard. I smell desperation. First time in Presidential history that a candidate is citing YouTube as hard, factual evidence of an accusation. What's next? Wikipedia?
• Clinton defending insurance mandates. No one will be left out...of being fined for being too poor to afford insurance. This debate is her chance, and she is whiffing...HARD. She helps me realize that I don't have insurance because I haven't been forced to buy it, not because I can't afford it. Thanks, Hill!
• Jorge asked a question and didn't say a word in Spanish! Good, Jorge!
• Clinton dodges question on being ready to lead and runs back to insurance issue. Mandates rock! Issuing fines to poor people is fun!
• Iraq, for the 498th time in this election. Obama again points out he was against it from the beginning. This is where Clinton is fortunate that the economy is floundering and has taken over as the #1 issue with voters. Clinton with a rare moment of clarity, laying it out so simply you wonder why it hasn't been said in this way before; "It is not in the best interest of our country or of Iraq that we continue to be over there."
• Obama hits again and again all night on veterans benefits. How about Dennis Miller's proposal that veterans don't pay taxes? The debate is listed as an hour-thirty on my DVR, yet as they go to break with three minutes remaining Campbell tells the cameras they have a lot left ahead.
• Overall it had little frills. Some sparks on insurance, and a gimmicky line from Clinton on plagiarism. This was a missed opportunity for her tonight, but I'm not upset about that. Can we stop having these debates now?
• Wolf Blitzer; still a deutschebag.