OBAMA COLLAPSES TONIGHT

But it may be too late- I think we are stuck with this flawed nominee. 

Hillary, thank you for continuing to fight.

Comments

Would you say he got his clock cleaned more or less than Clarke Hogan did from Joe Morrissey?

[Not Larry Sabato]

Prob less- but close!

[proudvadem]

OMG...Ben, you make me laugh so hard.
It was basically a draw...
remember the post you had a few weeks ago "Obama campaign in last 48 hours"...now that was hysterical..
Thanks for being my comic relief...
Oh, wait...you are actually serious....now that's just sad...

It is time to give it a break. You know that Hillary didn't do what she needed to do. If you scored the debate point by point she may have won. Maybe. However if you looked at who accomplished their goal for the evening it is clear the winner is Barack. So stop with the bring downs. It is time to unite the clans!

Obama looked like an amateur.

[paul vogel]

Ok Ben, sorry to say, I think every candidate is flawed. Its in the nature of humanity that we are flawed.

Given that, I know we could nominate anybody and they would beat the republicans

she beat him 8 to 1. he looked like a wookie out there scratching for answers.

beaten by a woman... he should be ashsmed

[paul vogel]

Ok Ben, sorry to say, I think every candidate is flawed. Its in the nature of humanity that we are flawed.

Given that, I know we could nominate anybody and they would beat the republicans

[Not Dick Saslaw from My Motorola Q]

McCain will clean Obama's clock.

[Not Dick Saslaw from My Motorola Q]

McCain will clean Obama's clock.

NLS it has been a while since I have read, in your opinion why he is flawed. Is it your opinion that Hillary is a flawless candidate. I think that would be a very difficult opinion to support at this point.

I agree, Obama looks like he could be in big trouble going up against the likes of a seasoned John McCain. He seemed to stumbled and duck and weave over supposedly simple answerers. Amateur hour is over, Obama.

[cal]

Obama did well, but Hillary did better.

[Not DailyKos]

I had a Barack Attack.

[JMU Duke]

I watched every single moment of that debate and I absolutely disagree with you. Hillary came off as desperate and flailing at many points, Obama appeared relaxed and Presidential. On policy it was a draw as they all have been, on style it was a bloodbath.

[Will]

Wow, the rose-colored glasses are out at the NLS household. I thought it was a flat Obama performance, but Clinton appeared to be flailing with a lot of bizarre comments that landed flat. Her pillow talk left voters limp.

Hillary came across as shrill and whiny- get him a pillow!

And when she tried to parse the difference between "reject" and "denounce," she sounded ridiculous- I don't think anyone followed it! Then when Obama just said "fine, I reject and denounce it" he made her look like an idiot.

[Grapes]

Worst answer of the night from Obama.

Terri Schiavo suffered, died and was buried.

So, Obama shut the FUCK up about her, you snivelling shit.

As an avid Byrne supporter, you should be on your knees praying that Hillary is not the nominee. She would drag down every Democrat running for Congress and for governor.

[t]

What cowardly comments from Obama, to gloat over the death of Terri Schiavo.

What a pompous, despicable ass you are obama.

Yeah, what an ass saying he should have fought the Senate from interfering with that family! What, what are we mad about again?

[Joe Budzinski]

Condolences, Ben. You fought the good fight.

Sorry to see this. I was out tonight and didn't realize that Obama had this health problem. I hope he's OK. Were they able to revive him? A little rest and he should be back in full fettle, I would think

[Will]

Obama getting his clock cleaned by McCain? The Arizona Senator's temperment and misguided policy positions make him easy fodder for Obama. Obama may be dull in a debate, but at least he appears like he drank a Pepsi before the debate compared to the flat McCain on Benadryl we have frequently seen.

[what.]

wait, is anybody here SERIOUSLY thinking that Obama collapsed tonight? I'm not saying that he did or didn't win, but what your biased view of a candidate's performance is not relevant at all; you know who you are going to vote for (or have already voted for). The issue is the undecided voters who have yet to vote, and I don't see any decisive moment for anybody. I can't thinking of a single strong Hillary moment in this debate. Let's look at what a possible Ohio voter saw:
-flip-flopping on NAFTA
-complaints about getting asked the first question and referencing SNL (most viewers have not seen the skit she's referring to)
-inability to pronounce Russia's next president's name
-dragging Obama into a semantics fight over "denounce" and "reject"

People remember negative moments much better than positive... and I really can't remember a single positive Hillary moment. I know that you want her to win, but let's be a bit more realistic about what really happened tonight.

[Chocolate Chip Cookie]

This blog is an R & R from all those smug Hillary haters over at Raising Kaine

[Dave]

I'm a Hillary supporter, and voted for her in the primary, but when I watched the debate tonight, I thought Obama won.

The pillow comment and the comment that there is a difference between "reject" and "denounce" were all you had to know about the debate. Hillary, the most polished of politicians- more polished than Bill in his hay day- looked amateurish. Other comments like, "I always get the first question" made her seem petty.

She'll lose Texas. She'll win Ohio and Rhode Island. And she can go out with an air of respectability and with a good image intact. This debate didn't change anything, and the way the polls have been moving, she just won't be able to win.

[notwaltertejada]

hillary did great!! theres still hope people...let's do this!

[Dan]

notwaltertejeda, you must be confused. Clinton is the candidate who is against hope and mocks enthusiasm. You need to rethink your 01:42 post.

[Duke]

huh? Hillary was terrible. Obama was fair, but certainly he did not collapse. He took the high road, which is what he needed to do. He did NOT gloat about Terry Shiavo. You people are sick.

11:44, I had no trouble following it. Obama only denounced Farrakhan's remarks. He did not and would not reject his support until pressed on it by Hillary. A very telling moment for Obama. He didn't do it until backed in a corner and then tried to laugh it off with the parsing of words.

[LAS]

I not only denounce above comment, but I reject it as well. No, wait...I CATEGORICALLY reject it.

I denounce and reject AND condemm!

I give said poster the evil eye and spit on his heinous ideas! I challenge above poster and his heinous ideas to a duel, where I will bitch-slap him, impale him, poke out his eyes with red-hot pokers, and remove his entrails while he still lives!

Furthermore, I metaphorically bury him and his heinous ideas and salt the earth around them, chanting and praying and yelping, "bad, bad, BAD!!!"

To which Russert (and Clinton) will no doubt persist with, "yes, but can you assure us you DON'T think this poster is the epitome of greatness?"

LAS, this one is no laughing matter.

LAS, this one is no laughing matter.

[Dan]

Ben, I see your point. This collapse is very similar to Obama collapsing by winning eleven straight primaries and caucuses by average margins greater than thirty percent.

The main stream media have not reported that event as a collapse either. Clearly this is evidence of their bias against Senator Clinton.

Can you imagine how they would have reported it if Obama had been blown out eleven straight times? Every time Clinton gets her clock cleaned the MSM repeats the mantra "don't count Hillary out". And this is bias against her? Seems more like they have been giving her a free ride. The press would have couted any other candidate in a similar situation out long ago.

[Terry]

LAS,

Thanks for the morning laugh!

Interesting -- IRS is investigating Trinity Church. It looks like there was some political promotion going on there. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/02/irs_investigating_united_churc.php

[phriendlyjaime]

I watched every single moment of that debate and I absolutely disagree with you. Hillary came off as desperate and flailing at many points, Obama appeared relaxed and Presidential. On policy it was a draw as they all have been, on style it was a bloodbath.

Posted by: JMU Duke | February 26, 2008 at 11:37 PM

I agree, you are kidding yourselves if you think Hillary looked good.

Oh, and ROTFLMAO at her bitching about the media....THE MEDIA IS THE ONLY REASON A PERSON WHO LOST 11 RACES IN A ROW IS STILL STANDING!!!

Hillary is just a sore, petty loser.

[Ann]

You MUST see this speech segment from the debate, where they showed Hillary making fun of Obama:

http://wonkette.com/361186/hillary-mocks-hope-cackles-at-debate?autoplay=true

(note: you can here a cackle at the end)

[ElectLaw]

No clear winner and losers here. Clinton did what she thought she had to do, look fierce and aggressive. She wanted to look like a fighter as her previous posture has gained no traction with voters since Super Tuesday.

A telling moment for me was her claim of being the only candidate capable of truly fighting to get universal health care passed as she has fought for it in the past.

Obama's response here was a personal favorite of mine. She may be a fighter, may have fought in the past, may have attempted to look tough and aggresive to show she is ready to be commander in chief, but when she fought so hard for health care in the past, she lost when her own party was in control of congress with a greater majority than the Dems currently have.

Obama's line that she fought everybody, including members of her own party was telling. And that maybe fighting was not the best tact to take to actually get things done. A fighting posture of us v. them is what the public, specifically moderates who may vote Dem. or Rep., is sick of and doesn't want to hear. It will not get votes.

All and all, Hillary looked strong. Obama mainained his posture and this debate will not ultimately affect the outcome for many voters.

[Frank]

Actually, best Hillary moment was when she mis-pronounced that Russian's name...who doesn't mis-pronounce a foreign name now and then?

Clear winner of the debate though was Russert...he was feisty and wouldn't let either one of them dodge questions or quotes.

[Alex P Keaton]

Hillary v. Barak
Gerry v. Leslie
Barker v. Captn. Greg

It looks like a divided party to me....

TPM is angry about Russert's questioning about Jeremiah Wright and Farrakhan.

But read this speech by Wright: http://www.cmaucc.org/EMRJeremiahWright2.pdf Read about how he says 9-11 was a "wake up call" for white America, which had been ignoring blacks. THIS is the guy who Obama goes to for spiritual advice?

[brimur]

Way to take something out of context moron. Try reading the whole thing.

Alex P-

Good point, the Democrats sure have had a lot of bitter primaries. Unfortunately, it's really hurt their chances.

Oh wait -- I forgot, after the Miller-Webb primary (that was supposed to have been detrimental to the party), Jim Webb became a better candidate and beat George Allen.

And George Barker -- what happened with him again?

Democrats actually come together after intra-party fighting. That's why we'll still win in November.

At least Republicans can say the same thing about their party, right? Just ask Senator Trish Stall and the Republican Senate Majority...

The Virginia Senate, which has accomplished diddly this session, does have time to vote on a toilet racing bill today:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/politics/general_assembly.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-02-26-0166.html

[Pete in Williamsburg]

Grapes and t,

RUSSERT: Senator Obama, any statements or vote you'd like to
take back?

OBAMA: Well, you know, when I first arrived in the Senate that
first year, we had a situation surrounding Terri Schiavo. And I
remember how we adjourned with a unanimous agreement that eventually
allowed Congress to interject itself into that decisionmaking process
of the families. It wasn't something I was comfortable with, but it was not something that I stood on the floor and stopped. And I think that was a mistake, and I think the American people understood that that was a
mistake.

I think your emotions caused you to hallucinate as to what you heard.

I watched a good portion of the debate. It seemed rather tame and there were no knock-out blows from either side. A truly avid supporter might have seen one side do better, but it was the standard draw we've seen in past debates.

[ceb]

Read the article (URL).

It says everything. NLS is just another bitter Hillary supporter. Rather than see the larger picture (democrats taking back the white house), he decides to talk shit about Barack.

It’s quite sad. Hillary has run a piss poor campaign and now she is just grasping at threads. NLS, you need to get off your high horse and GET REAL. All of you delusional people above hating on Barack need to check yourselves. This is why a democrat has not been in the Whitehouse the last eight years.

[ceb]

The article is hyperlinked to my handle in the post above

brimur,
I read the "whole thing"..

hopefully, the guy is a nut

if not, then he sure is a racist, and obama's leader is an extreme radical racist. we should have much concern.

[Mike]

NLS,

You bring much more to the party when you keep your analysis here in Virginia. Maybe the Clinton cheerleading makes you feel better, and brings some traffic to your blog, but I fail to learn anything substantive from your comments or from the nasty "back & forth" that follows. This just seems to be a loosely facilitated forum for negativity.

[Pete in Williamsburg]

ceb,

Nah, Clinton ran a fine campaign. She did fantastic in every debate and raised a boatload of money. She skipped Iowa and Bill said a few clunker statements. But, every candidate makes various campaign mistakes. Her mistakes simply caught fire because 1) People were sort of gunning for her, and 2) Obama is inspiring and people simply seem to like him more.

Ah, the classic battle between Communism and Socialism. I don't know who wins, but we all lose.

Obama is a flawed candidate, but Ben will vote for him anyway. Eventually, his ties to terrorists, racists, and their apologists will become more public knowledge, and Ben (not to mention the resto fo you lefties) will make all kinds of excuses.

As far as last night was concerned, all Obama had to do was not blow it badly. He probably achieved that goal. American Idol was better entertainment.

[LAS]

US magazine dares to ask Obama the question even Russert is not low enough to ask:

"Boxers or briefs?"

And, FINALLY, a candidate who gives the correct answer: "I don't answer those humiliating questions."

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Senator Obama!

Obama then added, just so he didn't look too standoffish: "But whichever one it is, I look good in 'em!"

Brilliant!

If voters base their decision on who they can stand to look at and listen to for the next four years, Obama has it in the bag. It's hard to find anybody in public life as easy on the nerves.

This answer was almost as good as his truthful reply re his "faults." He was, if you recall, the only candidate to answer sensibly and truthfully, (i.e. NOT "I want to help people too much" or "I'm too impatient for change."

Obama admitted to having a messy desk. He deserves to win the nomination for that alone. For kicking the "boxer or brief" question to the curb, he deserves to win, period. Here's to bringing back dignity and decorum WITHOUT peevishness and stuffiness!

[AO]

Obama is the Chair of the Afghanistan oversight committee and has not held one meeting in 13 months! Outrageous! I guess we now have and example of his commitment toward our troops and his responsibilities. Once again he is consumed with his celebrity, and so are his followers. When he can't answer questions he looks to Hillary. Where are his original ideas? He has exercised little to prove his worth as the leader of the free world. He needs not to get a free pass. He needs to be accountable.
I fear for America.

[AO]

Obama is the Chair of the Afghanistan oversight committee and has not held one meeting in 13 months! Outrageous! I guess we now have and example of his commitment toward our troops and his responsibilities. Once again he is consumed with his celebrity, and so are his followers. When he can't answer questions he looks to Hillary. Where are his original ideas? He has exercised little to prove his worth as the leader of the free world. He needs not to get a free pass. He needs to be accountable.
I fear for America.

[imfuckignpissed]

you fucking hillary supporters are nothing but selfish self hating greedy republican-lites WE NEED TO GET THOSE FUCKING TROOPS HOME RIGHT FUCKING NOW forget about YOUR fucking needs and think about our soldiers over there dieing. SHE FUCKING LICKED BUSHES ASS CRACK AND VOTED FOR THAT FUCKING WAR!!! and she's nothing but a corporate WHORE who will do anything and say anything to get elected. SHE'S ONLY THINKING OF HERSELF AS HER SUPPORTERS ARE ONLY THINKING OF THEMSELVES, SHAME ON YOU. YOU SHOULD BE THINKING OF OUR TROOPS AND EVERYTHING ELSE SHOULD BE SECOND TO THAT FACT. we can't trust her to get our troups home because she's a SNAKE! she's just like nancy pilosi and those other bush butt lickers!

[not an obamalemming]

10:34
you must have been an English major during your special ed. training.
If you really believe that allahbama will be bringing the troops home immediately you are about as nieve as they come. Step outside into the real world and use what little brain God gave you to THINK. Put down the kool aid and pick up a book or newspaper, you will be glad you did.

[not an obamalemming]

question: president obama, to what do you owe your victory?

answer: i owe it to las and all of those out there who took the time to look at the most important issue of this election..... my messy desk...

thanks for your support.. (idiots)

[partisandwich]

"Ah, the classic battle between Communism and Socialism. I don't know who wins, but we all lose."

Have we been winning all this time? How about we tally the score from the past seven years? We've got: a tepid economy; a catastrophic foreign policy; a dysfunctional health care system; a near-bankrupt government; a President who couldn't give two shits about the problems of the average American, unless he happens to wear a uniform--I'll tell you, that sure looks like losing to me.

Or maybe I should pick up a book or a newspaper and stop being so "nieve."