Democrats talk soberly about serious issues in final pre-Iowa debate
By Susan Milligan, Globe Staff
JOHNSTON, Iowa — Democrats got down to serious policy matters today at their final debate before Iowa’s presidential nominating contest, soberly trading views on domestic and foreign issues and studiously refraining from the attacks that have characterized earlier debates.
Off stage, however, the increasingly close battle for the Democratic nomination maintained an edgy tone. Hillary Clinton — now in a dead heat against Barack Obama in New Hampshire and Iowa polls — today accepted the resignation of her New Hampshire co-chairman, Billy Shaheen, a day after Shaheen suggested Obama’s admitted youthful drug use could make him vulnerable in a general election.
In a statement, Shaheen said he had "made a mistake" by suggesting Republicans might question whether Obama -- who has told campaign audiences that he was wrong to experiment with marijuana and cocaine as a teenager -- had ever given or sold drugs to anyone. Clinton has made electability a key element of her presidential quest, and Shaheen's remarks suggested Obama, who has been steadily gaining on Clinton in national and state polls, could not survive that test.
Clinton also personally apologized to her rival yesterday as the two prepared to take separate planes from Washington, D.C., to the debate.
The bitter undercurrent of the Democratic race, however, was barely evident on stage at the debate, the last gathering of the candidates before the Jan. 3 caucuses. US Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio was not invited to the debate, though he challenged the debate sponsors’ requirement of having a campaign office in the state.
Clinton took one veiled shot at her chief opponents, saying that she had the best approach to bringing change to Washington.
"Well, everybody on this stage has an idea about how to get change. Some believe you get change by demanding it. Some believe you get it by hoping for it,"’ Clinton said, clearly referring to Obama’s message of "hope" and John Edwards’ aggressive call for change in government.
"I believe you get it by working hard for change. That's what I've done my entire life," she said.
For nearly all of the 90-minute debate, however, the candidates aimed any fire at Republicans and President Bush. They went into policy wonk-mode and detailed their plans to clean the environment, expand pre-kindergarten programs to include all children, and roll back tax cuts for the wealthy and help the middle class.
And while the candidates have often questioned each others’ character and qualifications, they jumped to the mutual defense of rivals whose character and motivation were questioned by the debate moderator, Des Moines Register editor Carolyn Washburn.
Washburn -- noting that Joe Biden had made comments about Obama being the first "clean" and "articulate" African-American presidential candidate as well as the prevalence of Indian-Americans in convenience markets — asked if Biden was "uncomfortable" discussing racial matters.
"My credentials are as good as anyone who’s ever run for president of the United States on civil rights," Biden replied.
"Here, here!" his rivals cheered. Obama broke in to defend his Senate colleague and Democratic nomination foe. "I have no doubt as to what is in his heart," Obama said.
Obama passed up an opportunity to tweak his chief rival about the fact that several of former President Clinton’s foreign policy advisors were now working for the Obama campaign.
Asked by the moderator whether he could make an argument for change while he was accepting advice from an earlier administration team — especially one associated with Clinton — Obama was diplomatic. "I want to change the mindset that got us into the war" in Iraq, Obama said, noting that he was willing to hear from advisors not only from the Clinton years, but from the administration of the elder President Bush.
Clinton guffawed at the question and said, "I want to hear that."
Obama looked at her and shot back, "Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me as well."
Senator Fred Thompson is the only candidate that gets it. He makes decisions based on principles. Principles don’t change. You have to stand for something and not change who you are based on the polls. That is what Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani have done and all of the Democrats do it. Give me a leader that will stand by his principles anyday versus someone that stands for everything.
I know many Republicans and conservatives that will stay home if Rudy Giuliani is the candidate. He does not represent our values as conservatives, and never will. Millionaire Mitt Romney is a Republican-in-name-only (RINO) that simply has everything else and nothing to do. “I guess I’ll just try to buy the presidency”. The White House isn’t for sale! Mike Huckabee is for open borders, amnesty and tuition for illegals! NO THANKS!! Conservatives will simply stay home and the Democrats will pick up additional seats in the House and probably get the 60 seats in the Senate they need to completely destroy our Country. Nice picture huh?
However, I think Fred can bring America back together, if that’s even possible. America needs a rebirth of patriotism and honor. Republicans also need a rebirth. President Reagan was our last rebirth and he can never be duplicated. Fred Thompson will bring his own down-to-earth common sense to this country. If a conservative runs as a conservative, he will win!
Think of it this way: Eight years of another sleazy Clinton White House? Now if that is not a sufficient enough reason to pull together as a nation, and fight this socialist liberal takeover of our government, what is?
Folks, we are in for the fight of our lives, just as our young men and women are fighting for our freedoms in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must fight for our nation right here and now! I truly believe Fred Thompson is the one man who can pull this nation back together! Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani will just tear us apart.
Fred on the Issues: http://www.Fred08.com
Excuse me, but what, pray tell does this position paper have to do with the Democratic debate?
There are so many ridiculous contentions presented here, I don't know where to begin. I'm sure I'll miss a few. You claim that Thompson "makes decisions based on principles." OK, sir, but what about facts? These are optional, apparently, when we discuss issues like climate change? Many politicians have followed "principles" (see Bush, George W... you know, good "Christian" principles like raping the environment and wantonly slaughtering thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians)... "principles" which have dug leaders into deep graves based on their resistance to hear anyone's perspective but their own. Thompson, like all of the Repubs, is a corporate shill who will continue to glad-hand his wealthy, white male golfing buddies while the rest of the country suffers. Do we need the "principles" of the country club?
At least we agree on Romney - how anyone could support this phony is beyond me. The man is wealthy enough to purchase a country. Hopefully folks are smart enough into not letting it be this one! When people (especially Repubs) become incredibly wealthy, thus giving them enormous power, often they look to politics to satisfy their craving for new, untested forms of prestige. This - corporate cronyism - is more than anything what destroys our country. Hmm, let's keep the people a) IGNORANT, so they have no clue what we're doing - this is in fact quite easily accomplished by slashing education, and b) FEARFUL - because nothing keeps the coffers of the war profiteers/defense contractors overflowing like a frightened public. And all the while, let's wrap ourselves in the American flag and military boosterism, so no one will dare question our "patriotism." A side of multi-billion dollar weapons of annihilation to go along with your rotting public schools, anyone We choose our priorities, and this country has voted in leaders that choose death and destruction over education, hope and human prosperity.
"Illegals," huh? There are no illegal human beings, and let's just call a spade a spade and see this as the veiled "fear of the other" that it actually is, ok? Actually, last time I checked, the only folks who AREN'T "illegals" in this country are the Native Americans. They were here when the Europeans arrived and were given a good beating, just for insisting that their land remain theirs. At some point, almost all of our ancestors were "illegals"... but then again, this is a point of subtlety, something the Repubs are just not known for believing in. Black and white, good and evil, we're right, they're wrong and if you question this we'll blow you up. Isn't America fun?
And actually I think we're doing just fine on the "patriotism" and "honor" scales, frankly. It's this stuff - this jingoism, hubris and arrogance that ONLY WE ARE THE BEST NATION ON THE PLANET - that has gotten us into the enormous trouble we're in in Iraq right now. We need to uncover what lies behind our symbols - what our flag MEANS for instance - rather than simply screaming "USA! USA! USA!" all the time. We have one of the best nations in the history of the world, certainly, but only if we hold fast to the principles that create who we are - freedom, liberty, the right to speak our peace - and if we lose sight if this, we become no different from every other nationalistic country over the course of human history who've choked themselves on their own flags.
You may find Clinton "sleazy" and it's your right to do so. The man had a very serious problem with delusional behavior and I think he got in way over his head. However, let's have some perspective here? Clinton cheated on his wife. Yucky, but hardly anywhere remotely as DEMONIC as Bush's actions - shuttling off thousands of young Americans to die for a pointless cause, so his corporate buddies can make a few more billion. Yes, I said a POINTLESS CAUSE, and one that in fact makes our situation worse. How many people are running from the war now that they see what actually goes into it? How does George Bush put out a smoldering fire? Apparently by spraying lighter fluid to it. Brilliant! Frankly I find Bush to be BEYOND sleazy... but people will defend this man as if he were Jesus Christ himself. Well as long as he is a "believer" he gets a free pass. Isn't Christianity great?
And alas, I await the inevitable, typical, tired Rebublican response... being labeled a coward, a sissy, a traitor, blah blah blah... no one holds ownership of patriotism, folks, and those of us who fiercely disagree with this admin's RECKLESS policies are just as "patriotic" as anyone. In fact, more so.
And another thing. I've got a bumpah stickah for ya - SUPPORT OUR TROOPS... Spend an hour in a junior high school! Only if you've been in one recently will you know what I mean. What glorious music it was to hear the Democratic candidates today talking about how EDUCATION should be the top priority in this country. TOP PRIORITY = GETS THE MOST FUNDING, people. Let's hope they don't cave to the living-out-their-adolescent-GI Joe-fantasy-with-live-ammunition faction during the general election. Where has our military dominance gotten us? Go talk to the 7th graders who can't write a sentence.
So it was pointless for Hillary and Kerry and all your other beloved Dems to vote to remove Saddam Hussein?
Here's a tired old Republican response - you are a moonbat
So Foon Rhee is the deputy national political editor of The Boston Globe and this person writes stuff like this? Oh my GOD!
"The final Democratic presidential debate before the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses turned out to be a whole grain kind of affair -- nutritious for the body politic perhaps, but not very tasty.
The forum began with the same sober, some would say sleepy, tone as the Republican debate on Wednesday and with similar policy-wonkish questions on the rather unsexy topics of the federal budget, spending, and entitlements."
A crummy nutrition metaphor with the declaration that budget, spending, and entitlements are unsexy topics? Foon maybe you should edit Cosmo or People Magazine! Or the centerfolds in Playboy...
Those wonkish questions and topics, I know, are not as sexy as John Edwards and his haircut, or Fred Thompson's wife, or the Kentucky Derby coverage of noses crossing a wire, and you mainstream journalists with the Martha's Vineyard Condo would find healthcare and the minimum wage debates unsexy.
In fact I would say that the UNSEXY frame for judging our politicians got Bush selected by the Supreme Court back in 2000 because journalists were not paying attention to wonkish policy questions. I know, too boring , too much work, too UNSEXY.
So you deleted my criticism of Foon Rhee's typical mainstream coverage of politics... Well here it is again..... You print the Bush crap all the time and let it pass as presidential! Goodness he got elected because the journalists at The Boston Globe did not do their jobs.... Laugh it up in your cozy condos while the nation goes to hell...
Foon be a journalist and vet what candidates say about policy, about solutions, about what they will actually do, ignore what's sexy, ignore noses crossing a wire, ignore airport family values Republicans.
See the UNSEXY frame leads to 4, 000 servicepersons dead in Iraq (I am a Navy veteran myself). The UNSEXY frame leads to lousy healthcare.
BE A JOURNALIST NOT A PORN EDITOR...
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