I decided to participate in the craziness of the internet debate and, to the best of my ability, turn Washington's Cousin into a look at the online democratic debate.
The first question, not a terribly unusual one... is "how are you going to be different?"
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4:09pm - Dennis Kucinich, who really does feel like one of the few people who is different, claims he has a record of BEING different. That was pretty good. THe responses from Hillary and Barrack didn't really seem to go very far.
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4:11pm - Hillary is asked what it means to be a liberal.So she has decided to take on the mantel of "Modern Progressive."
Mike Gravel, who might actually be the only real Progressive on the stage (he's the only one of them who showed up for the Pride Parade in San Francisco a month ago) has just taken Barrack to task on taking PAC money.
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4:14pm - A Bi-Partisan question - What Republican would you pick for a running mate? Joe Biden answered the question (Chuck Hagel) but John Edwards is the one who is actually taking on the issue. "Take away the power" of the people who are running things now.
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4:16pm - Will from Boston asked about reparations for slavery... as he said, "Let's see how far they can get."
John Edwards said no... and skipped into the wider economic issues. Barrack followed on the same line.
Dennis Kucinich is the only one who was willing to actually say he was for reparations... As he put it, "For repairing the breach."
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4:20pm - A Katrina question... Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson got to take a shot. Both gave relatively careful and predictable answers. Their for New Orleans... but is there something they could do? Would do? Are they still paying attention?
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4:24 - A question about HIllary and Barrack not being female or black enough. The reaction chart on the CNN site slowly proceeded up from 50 to 70 while Barrack was answering (his best answer is always about catching a cab in New York as a proof of "ethnicity"). As soon as Hillary started to answer the chart line dropped precipitously, but then gradually rose.
John Edwards, on his advocacy for women, was certainly the most articulate in answering so far.
Hillary topped it with a strong proclamation... "I'm just glad we're up here asking who will be better for women!"
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4:28pm - A question from two women about marrying EACH OTHER... Dennis Kucinich, again, answers the question directly... Yes. No beating around the bush (so to speak). Chris Dodd gave a strong response about "Civil Unions" Bill Richardson makes some practical active response on Gay RIghts in general and the response chart on CNN went all the way up toward 90.
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4:31pm - A preacher, Rev. Reggie Longreier, from North Carolina asked another question about Gay Rights. It was a good question from an unexpected source. He asked why it was seen as appropriate for someone to decide the laws of the country based on [personal belief. John Edwards responded with a comment on his lack of support for Gay Marriage while not really answering the question. .. until later... Finally, when he is asked a secnd time, he does proclaim his absolute belief in not foisting his personal beliefs on the country. That's something that seems to truly differentiate most Democratc candidates from most Republican candidates.
THAT - from the perspective that this blog is about - is the kind of thing that I want to hear about.
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4:35pm Breaktime... I'm going to the kitchen for a beer.
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4:38pm - Best candidate video so far... John Edwards use of "Hair"
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4:39pm - Two folks from a refugee camp near Darfur... asking about Darfur.
Bill Richardson answers the question first. He advocates active diplomacy. What a concept... Not violence first... TALKING first. "America needs to respond with Diplomacy."
Biden, who seems to care a lot... advocates, as he always does, fighting immediately. "We can save them!" "2500 American Troops can stop the genocide now!" Hmmmmmm... doesn't seem to be working very well in Iraq.
4:43pm - Mike Gravel responds by suggesting that "the African nations don't want us there."
Hillary suggests a no fly zone and "American ground troops don't belong in Darfur right now."
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4:45pm - Halfway into the debate and we finally get a question on Iraq.
"How do we pull out now?" - Barrack starts with his usual answer... "I opposed this war from the start." Big response on the reaction chart when Barrack spoke about the fact that the parliament went on vacation, "because it's hot in Iraq" Less response when he starts to suggesst a more detailed plan.
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4:50pm Hillary reponds to a question from a mother of a soldier, who asks why the Democrats aren't pulling us out.
Dennis - again - responds directly... This guy feels like Wally Cox, but damn if he doesn't have the right answers... every time.
Chris Dodd advocates for a specific time table and active diplomacy. Good responses... strong plan.
Bill Richardson talks about the troops... advocating the removal of ALL American troops by the end of the year.
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4:53pm - A question on dying in vain for Mike Gravel. Gravel (like Kucinich) answers directly, "There's only one thing worse than a soldier in Iraq dying in vain, and that's ANOTHER soldier dying in vain."
Barrack and John Edwards cow tow to the military monster... with comments about how no soldier doing their duty ever dies in vain.
John Edwards - "Turn up the heat on George Bush."
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4:58pm - Selective Service question... more military triumphalism from Barrack (citing The Tuskeegee Airmen)... every Democrat saying they don't agree with the draft. Mike Gravel reminds everyone that he was fundamental in getting rid of the draft.
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5:01pm Hilary - "Thank you for our service for our country..." I really have had it with the groveling to the military. Hillary makes a good point though in response to the challenge from the questioner who wants to know if a woman can negotiate with Arabs...
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5:03pm - A question, answered by Barrack, on holding talks with a wide array of "hostile" nations. Another place where ANY of these people would be better than ANY of the other guys. Hillary gets to answer the question as well. She drops back and punts. "We need to get back to diplomacy..." "I will use a lot of high level presidential envoys" (would that be Bill maybe???).
She plays (as does John Edwards) to the anti-communist lobby by using Fidel and Hugo Chavez as examples of people they would be very careful not to meet with too freely.
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5:07pm Bill Richardson is the only candidate so far who is willing to put down a clear and definitve call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq.
Joe Biden makes a practical claim and plays the "support the troops" card.
Hillary has a "comprehensive three point plan.... a brigade a month."
Kucinich... "text 'PEACE' to Congress. "we cannot wait until the next president takes office." Again a VERY strong, very clear... and I really have to say, very "Presidential" answer from Kucinich.
I have not been particularly fond of him in the past but in this (and the previous) debate. He's impressing the hell outta me!
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5:11pm
"We need to stop killing Americans and Iraqis..." from Mike Gravel's campaign video, a sort of rapid fire laundry list of wha the believes in. Mike Gravel has wonderful views, but he always seems scattered, a little not quite there. Kind of a liberal version of The Gipper.
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5:14pm - more commercials... need more beer.
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5:16pm - who was your favorite teacher and why... Good question... this was then followed by a rock and roll video asking about No Child Left Behind...
Bill Richardson answers - clearly and strongly... "I would SCRAP No Child Left Behind." $40,000/year minimum wage for teachers... Major federal program for arts in the schools... Good proposals!
Now we're back on the question for all these senators who voted for the program and now want out.
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5:21pm - Public school or Private School for Candidates kids... People got pretty defensive over this question.
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5:24pm - A woman from Planned Parenthood wants to know if the candidates have taught their children "appropriate" sex education. Somehow this got diverted to a discussion of child abuse... That's really not the questions folks!
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5:26pm - Does that hurt y'alls feelings?
The introduction to the Global Warming topic.
"The Connection between Global Warring and Global Warming... " Kucinich again...WGA (Works Green Administration).
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5:28pm - A woman in Berkeley talks about her CFLs and asks how candidates will get people to conserve.
Mike Gravel proposes changing the tax structure
Dodd - advocates a 50 mpg standard and a corporate carbon tax
Anderson Cooper asks who took a private flight to the debate... everyone reluctantly raises their hand like little sheepish junior high school debaters.
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5:31pm - and advocate for nuclear power asks the question... Edwards say no and is as direct on that question as he can get. He also opposes liquified coal.
Barrack suggests "exploring nuclear power" because "there are no silver bullets" I really WANT to like this guy, but I'm sorry, his answers are not making me happy.
Hillary wants to spend $50 million on "what America does best..." She is "agnostic about nuclear power."
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5:34pm Melissa from SLO (I wonder if Lia knows her) wants to know about standardized voting... She lobbies for a job in the process.
Bill Richardson wants "verified paper trails"
But the question wasn't what would you do... the question was Why?
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5:40pm - Cecilia and Ashanti want to know about the minimum wage... specifically... would the candidates be willing to be President for the minimum wage.
John Edwards and Hillary say they would work for the minimum wage... Barrack says well, "we CAN work for the minimum wage... we're RICH!"
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5:43pm - The Third Rail finally arrives... what would you do about Social Security
The backing and filling follows.
Next we're into a complaint about taxes... It seems like there are an awful lot of questions on this show from people who are probably Republicans. Isn't this PRIMARY season???? Shouldn't the questions be FROM Democrats?
Dennis Kucinich promises not to raise taxes, ending NAFTA and the WTO, and more overwhelming and clearly answered, questions.
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5:47pm - A montage of you tube videos on health care.
Barrack is the first up to defend his plan for universal coverage. The debate response graphs heads for 90!
John Edwards insists that Barrack's plan doesn't provide universal coverage because Edwards believes that the only way to do it is to mandate the coverage. He tells a great story about a man who had a cleft palate for 50 years.
Good Answer... Hillary goes out on a note taking limb, thanking each person in the montage. "Uiversal Health Care is an American Value" That's her best answer of the night!
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5:53pm - Health Care and Undocumented Workers
Chris Dodd... Falls back to previous questions, he pulls the rug out from under Anderson and insists on answering all the questions. Bill Richardson fights for a plan that will cover everyone, including undocumented workers.
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5:55pm - Hillary is asked about a Bush - Clinton - Bush - Clinton dynasty. She answers well... "I thought someone else actually was elected in 2000." Good answer... funny answer... another good moment for Hillary.
Mike Gravel goes after the Clintons and the Wall Street support of the Democrats (my friend Zach will be happy with that declaration)
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5:58pm - God...
"What do the words on a quarter... Liberty/In God We Trust... mean to you, but the only person given the chance to answer was Biden.
Steven, an atheist from LA, wants to know if he should be afraid of an overly religious administration. Didn't we already address this question about an hour ago????
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6:01pm - Jered Townsend pulls out his AK47 and calls it his baby.
Bill Richardson says "instant background checks" is the key. I've got a problem with someone calling his gun his baby and Biden addresses it with "If that's his baby, he needs help."
That would be my question... It would seem that this guy not only shouldn't be owning a gun, perhaps he shouldn't even be able to vote!
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6:04pm - Last question
Look to your left and tell one thing you like and don't like about the candidate.... Good question. Mike Gravel advocates "follow the money."
Bill Richardson offfers some great compliments on Joe Biden while John Edwards dislikes Hillary's jacket.
Dennis Kucinich points out that there is no one to his left and Anderson Cooper agrees.
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Like bookends on a shelf, Mike Gravel on one end and Dennis Kucinich on the other, were really the only two candidates in this debate who showed the actual courage to answer questions directly, uncompromisingly, and with a clear and committed advocacy for principles. 
