The Dems Yin-Yang Couple Debate in Austin
Published February 22, 2008
John King: Hillary will you reconsider building the border fence? "There is a smart way to defend our border and an absurd way to defend our border." She has been working with securing the northern border. She said that she was voting for a “physical fence where appropriate,” but she is not in favor of having a wall the entire length of the border. Moving the fence, King indicates, only moves the problem to other states and cities. Where there’s a will to cross the border inventive minds do find a way. The key is to work with local communities, Obama said. The Bush administration does not listen well. He thinks employing technology is a better solution. He said that “deporting 12 million people is ridiculous.”What’s with “just words”?
The little dust-up last week over borrowed words was interesting to me. Why? Because I would not have repeated a long quote without first giving credit because someone will notice. Barack clarified it, but should not have done it just that way. Hillary backed down when confronted with calling Barack "all hat and no cattle."
But Barack can tout achievements in the Senate, and did not back down: “The 20 million people who have been paying attention to 19 debates are not delusional, or are somehow being duped. I think that they perceive the reality of Washington clearly.” His defense was brilliant and even Chelsea Clinton was clapping. Barack gave heart here. He even had a good laugh line. “Duval Patrick is one of my co-chairs and he gave me the line. This is where we get into silly season in politics, and people get discouraged by it. I got to admit some of them [speeches] are pretty good.” Hillary’s joke: “It’s not change you can believe in, its change you can Xerox” was booed. But press crowd here did laugh. Barack looked deeply serious during this barrage of words from Ms. Pantsuit. LOL.
Barack on health care: “My [health] plan has not changed but the politics have changed a little bit.” He needs to reassure people that he was not really leaving out 15 million people out of his plan. And that the mandate for every single American to be forced to participate in that plan was wrong-headed. He blasted (nicely) how she went about getting Congressional cooperation in her failed attempt to get a universal health care plan back in the 1990’s. Hillary had the aura of a vice president when Bill Clinton gave her the reins of health care. The horse ran away with her and she kept a low profile for at least a year after that stinging defeat. That’s what I recall, but Barack gave a genteel response and praised her efforts back then.
- The Dems Yin-Yang Couple Debate in Austin
- Published: February 22, 2008
- Type: News
- Section: Politics
- Filed Under: Politics: Elections and Candidates, Politics: Government, Politics: Local and Regional, Politics: U.S.
- Writer: Heloise
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Brand New CNN GOP and DEM polls: Summary Obama now has a 4 point lead over Clinton, in the past week. She was 4 points up last week:
FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, FEBRUARy 25 AT 4 PM
BASED ON 751 LIKELY REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
5. Please tell me which of the following people you would be most likely to support for the Republican nomination for President -- Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Arizona Senator John McCain, or Texas Congressman Ron Paul? (RANDOM ORDER)
Feb. 22-24 Feb. 14-17
2008 2008
Arizona Senator John McCain 56% 55%
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee 31% 32%
Texas Congressman Ron Paul 9% 11%
No opinion 4% 2%
BASED ON 861 LIKELY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
6. Please tell me which of the following people you would be most likely to support for the Democratic nomination for President -- New York Senator Hillary Clinton or Illinois Senator Barack Obama? (RANDOM ORDER)
Feb. 22-24 Feb. 14-17
2008 2008
Il Senator Barack Obama: 50% 48%
New York Senator Hillary Clinton: 46% 50%
No opinion 4% 2%
BASED ON 861 LIKELY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
7. Now I'm going to mention a few issues and for each one, please tell me who you think would best handle that issue if they were elected President. Please feel free to name a candidate even if you may not be voting for that person. Which Democratic candidate do you think would do the best job handling: (RANDOM ORDER)
a. Health care
Feb. 22-24 Feb. 14-17
2008 2008
Clinton 53% 58%
Obama 45% 41%
Neither (vol.) 1% 1%
No opinion 1% *
b. The economy
Feb. 22-24 Feb. 14-17
2008 2008
Clinton 52% 52%
Obama 45% 46%
Neither (vol.) 2% 2%
No opinion 2% 1%
c. Illegal immigration
Feb. 22-24 Feb. 14-17
2008 2008
Obama 47% 46%
Clinton 46% 50%
Neither (vol.) 3% 3%
No opinion 3% 1%
d. The war in Iraq
Feb. 22-24 Feb. 14-17
2008 2008
Obama 50% 44%
Clinton 44% 52%
Neither (vol.) 4% 3%
No opinion 2% *
BASED ON 861 LIKELY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
8. As you may know, there was a debate between the Democratic presidential candidates on Thursday. Which of the following statements best describes you:
Feb. 22-24
2008
I watched all or most of the debate 34%
I did not watch the debate, but I paid close
attention to news stories about it after it occurred 42%
I did not watch the debate or pay attention to
news stories about it 24%
No opinion *
BASED ON: 1612 LIKELY PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 2.5% PTS
751 LIKELY REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
861 LIKELY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
9. Which of the following issues will be MOST important to you when you decide how to vote for president? (RANDOM ORDER)
February 22-24, 2008
All Republican Democratic
Likely Primary Primary
Voters Voters Voters
The economy 38% 31% 43%
Health care 22% 16% 26%
The war in Iraq 16% 10% 20%
Illegal immigration 12% 22% 6%
Terrorism 9% 17% 3%
Other (vol.) 2% 3% 2%
No opinion 1% 2% *
February 14-17, 2008
All Republican Democratic
Registered Primary Primary
Voters Voters Voters
The economy 36% 35% 38%
The war in Iraq 20% 17% 22%
Health care 17% 8% 23%
Illegal immigration 14% 19% 10%
Terrorism 11% 17% 7%
Other (vol.) 1% 1% 1%
No opinion 1% 2% *
BASED ON 2149 INTERVIEWS FOR ALL RESPONDENTS -- SAMPLING ERROR; +/- 2% PTS.
751 LIKELY REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
861 LIKELY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS -- SAMPLING ERROR: +/- 3.5% PTS.
10. We'd like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of these people -- or if you have never heard of them. (RANDOM ORDER)
ALL TEXANS
Favor- Unfavor- Never No
able able Heard of Opinion
New York Senator Hillary Clinton
February 22-24, 2008 55% 40% * 4%
Arizona Senator John McCain
February 22-24, 2008 52% 32% 4% 11%
Illinois Senator Barack Obama
February 22-24, 2008 59% 31% 2% 8%
LIKELY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS
Favor- Unfavor- Never No
able able Heard of Opinion
New York Senator Hillary Clinton
February 22-24, 2008 80% 17% * 3%
Arizona Senator John McCain
February 22-24, 2008 45% 44% 2% 9%
Illinois Senator Barack Obama
February 22-24, 2008 80% 15% * 4%
LIKELY REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS
Favor- Unfavor- Never No
able able Heard of Opinion
New York Senator Hillary Clinton
February 22-24, 2008 22% 76% 1% 2%
Arizona Senator John McCain
February 22-24, 2008 75% 19% * 5%
Illinois Senator Barack Obama
February 22-24, 2008 39% 54% 1% 6%
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/74170)
Full debate CNN transcript hot off the presses from CNN.
Largest debate audience ever!!!
Breaking News: Clinton cancels rally in Fort Worth, my home town due to officer killed in her motorcade. Bad omen for Clinton campaign.
Condolences to his family.
Heloise