General Impressions of ABC Debate Tonight

Overall Winner/Loser
Winners: Thompson and Edwards
Losers: Romney and Clinton


Republican Debate Overview

Thompson comes across as the adult. Steps in with acerbic answer then steps back while the others fight. Reminds me of his Law and Order role

McCain – boring monotone voice that puts me to sleep and even when he is defending his position he still never sounds excited or angry

Rudy – smiled when introduced, only one to do that, makes him seem friendly. Talked knowledgeably, rattled off facts and figures, came across Presidential. Invoked Reagan a lot

Romney – whining when others attacked him and by the end he didn't seem like his normal cool collected self – seemed rattled. As governor or CEO not used to people talking back or being that critical and he sure didn't like it

Huckabee – Fell back on constitution and God and expected to see flags waving and hear Sousa in the background when he spoke but otherwise he was a no show and seemed to disappear in the second half.

Rudy and Fred only ones to try to lighten up the debate

Ron Paul a total waste of time will be glad he isn’t in the next debate

When camera is on a candidate who is listening to someone else talk:
- Thompson looked asleep
- Rudy looked amused
- Huckabee looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights
- McCain looked blank
- Romney looked pissed off
- Ron Paul looked ….oh who cares?
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Democratic Debate Overview

Obama – looks Presidential – tries to be above the attacks from Clinton, only one who's message is to give people the power to choose, and again showed likability and that unlike Hillary he is just one of the guys by mentioning watching the football game tonight

Clinton – initially sounded/looks exhausted – comes a bit alive when attacking Obama – and more alive, even pissed when Edwards attacked. Talked a lot about Bush and his policies – talking about the past, vs Obamsa/Edwards talk of change. In second half she seemed human when accused of not being likable, and overall better performance in the 2nd half defending her record

Edwards becomes passionate about middle class – also came alive when he turned against Clinton and aligned himself with Obama as agent of change vs. Clinton, Could now understand how he beat Clinton in Iowa

Richardson like Ron Paul, he is wasting his energy and taking time from the legit candidates

When camera is on a candidate who is listening to someone else talked:
- Obama looked thoughtful but tired
- Clinton often looked like she ate a lemon
- Edwards – looked eager to jump in and talk
- Richardson looked confused or angry

Iowans Vote their Hearts and Values

Once again the voters didn’t listen to the media and instead voted their hearts and their values. There will be a lot of speeches about comebacks in New Hampshire but what happened tonight is historic.

On the democratic side an untested young black senator beat a senator who had previously been a Vice Presidential candidate and had been campaigning non stop in Iowa with his own and union funds. Barack Obama also beat the front runner, the wife of a two-term President and a two-term Senator herself. Obama appealed to Iowans hearts and minds and the want for someone other than the old tired choices plus managed to win in a state that is something like 95% Caucasian.

On the other hand I am currently listening to some talking heads discuss Huckabee’s win and they still don’t get it. They are saying this is a repudiation of Bush. No, it is a validation of what voters have been saying for the past eight years – they want candidates who share their core moral values and yes, religion. Sorry, Mitt, but not even your money can get past that fundamental truth.

It is interesting to note that this also played out in the second tier of the Republican candidates. In spite of Iowa’s The Register nominating McCain, Thompson, the candidate who some joked never showed up for his own campaign, still managed to run neck and neck with McCain. Again it boils down to values.

In addition Barack, Huckabee and Thompson all share another common factor – likeability. No matter how hard Clinton and McCain will try to spin it – people simply don’t like them. But you know those two old campaigners will have the big guns out starting with the early news shows Friday morning trying to explain how it “really wasn’t a loss”. And the media will go along with it as evidenced by the following quote from Roger Simon’s Politico column today: “Several times we have been declared dead,” McCain said. “`It’s up to you (i.e., the media) who the winners are and who the losers are in the Iowa caucuses.”

I can only hope the voters continue to bewilder the media by continuing to vote for their values and with their hearts.