CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
April 17, 2008 – 1:30 a.m.
The Pennsylvania Democratic Debate: CQ Politics’ Bests and Mosts
By Rachel Kapochunas, CQ Staff
Presidential campaign wounds were re-exposed Wednesday night when Democratic Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York met on stage in Philadelphia for their first major debate in six weeks — and their only faceoff before next Tuesday’s key primary in Pennsylvania.
The debate aired on the ABC television networks, and the moderators — George Stephanopoulos of the “This Week” Sunday morning interview show and Charles Gibson, who anchors the network’s evening newscast — spent most of the first 45 minutes of the two-hour debate rehashing missteps and controversies that have plagued each of the candidates since their last joint appearance.
Obama faced a grilling over his recent remark that small-town, working-class voters in places such as Pennsylvania are “bitter” over political leaders’ failure to address their economic setbacks and “cling” to guns and religion in seeking refuge from their disappointments.
Obama said he had “mangled” the point he was trying to make but defended the premise behind his statement, that people focus on “something constant” during rough times. He said voters facing these circumstances often turn their focus to emotion-laden social “wedge issues” that detract from efforts to develop a national consensus on sweeping priority issues such as expanding job opportunities and access to health care.
Stephanopoulos and Gibson then put Clinton on the spot over a recent damaging gaffe, her claim that in 1996 — during the presidency of her husband, Bill Clinton — she had to scurry for cover to escape gunfire while on a visit to Bosnia. Clinton, who was compelled to admit that this was not true after being confronted with photographic evidence of her peaceful arrival in that previously war-torn Balkan nation, used her answer to reiterate her previous apology for getting the facts wrong. She noted that she had accurately portrayed her arrival in Bosnia in her autobiography.
The spotlight then turned back to Obama, who overall had to parry more questions about his actions than did Clinton. Asked a videotaped question from a Pennsylvania woman asking about why he does not frequently wear an American flag pin, as do many politicians, Obama said he is not opposed to American flag pins but prefers to express his patriotism in other ways. He emphasized that he loves the United States and stated that it is the only nation where he — the son of an immigrant from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas who met as college students in Hawaii — could aspire to the presidency.
Obama was also asked to justify his ties to Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the pastor of the church Obama long has attended in Chicago, who has made controversial statements about issues such as race relations and the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Obama said he was not aware of Wright’s most inflammatory statements until they “ended up playing on YouTube repeatedly” and disavowed comments the candidate labeled “extremely offensive,” though he reiterated his past defense of Wright as someone whose harsh rhetoric has been offset by many good deeds.
Obama also was pressed to explain his acquaintance with Bill Ayers, who in the 1960s was a member of the Weather Underground, a radical group that sought to bomb government buildings, but has long lived within the law as a college professor and foundation board member in Chicago. Obama, with a tone of some exasperation, said the fact that he knows some one does not means that he shares their present or past views and described the issue as an example of negative politics that distracts from discussion of important national issues. After Clinton rebutted that by implying that Obama’s acquaintance with Ayers raised questions about his judgment, Obama fired back by noting that Bill Clinton, as president, had commuted the jail sentences of members of the Weather Underground.
The tenor of the debate changed significantly after the first commercial break, with the questioners and candidates focusing almost entirely on policy issues. Clinton and Obama agreed on many major positions. Both candidates pledged to withdraw troops from Iraq soon after they take office. They took the same position that Iran should not be in possession of nuclear weapons, and both said the United States must open diplomatic channels to that nation, though Clinton restated her opposition to negotiating directly with Iran’s hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Both said they would consider raising capital gains taxes, but would do so in a way that would not penalize middle-class Americans.
On gun control, Clinton said she favored a “balance” to allow people their constitutional rights under the 2nd Amendment yet still keep guns out of the “wrong hands.” Obama said he favored both the 2nd Amendment but also “common sense” approaches to prevent gun possession by people intent on misusing the weapons.
The following are CQ Politics’ Bests and Mosts from Wednesday’s debate:
• Best attempt at coaxing candidate rapprochement (or most foiled attempt to get the candidates to break news): Charles Gibson
Gibson kicked off the debate by asking both candidates whether they would share the ticket with each other, regardless of which one of them wins the presidential nomination. But Obama and Clinton dodged the question, saying it was premature to discuss vice presidential choices while the top spot was still up for grabs. While each lauded the other as a quality candidate, Clinton called herself the better choice for president, and Obama said the same about himself.
The Pennsylvania Democratic Debate: CQ Politics’ Bests and Mosts
Both said the Democratic Party will come together to rally around the eventual nominee. Pressed about news reports that she had said privately that Obama cannot win in November, Clinton said her opponent could win and pledged to “do everything I possibly can to make sure one of us takes the oath of office next January.”
•Most defensive moments: A tie between Obama and Clinton
Both candidates were pressed to defend themselves on multiple issues.
Obama on the video clips of Rev. Wright’s fiery sermons: “I hadn’t seen the remarks that ended up playing on YouTube repeatedly.” Obama later noted, “The church is a community that extends beyond the pastor.” When asked how he expects to campaign if he wins the nomination and Republicans play videos of Wright in negative ads, Obama countered, “If it’s not this, it would be something else.”
Clinton, on the flap over her Bosnia gaffe and whether voters believe she is trustworthy, said, “I may be a lot of things, but I’m not dumb.” She said she does know exactly what happened on her trip to Bosnia, and regretted misstating the facts. “I’m embarrassed by it. I’ve apologized for it...,” she said. “I was not as accurate as I have been in the past.”
• Best defense of opponent (and himself): Obama
Instead of piling on his opponent over the Bosnia flap, Obama raised a defense of Clinton — and, indirectly, of himself — against the repeated focus on mistakes candidates make during the long campaign. “Senator Clinton deserves the right to make some errors once in a while,” Obama said, adding our culture is “obsessed with gaffes” in this election.
• Best I’m-the-decider moment: Obama and Clinton on Iraq
During the debate’s central discussion on the future of the Iraq war, Gibson asked both candidates what they would do if their strongly stated pledges to withdraw U.S. forces clashed with the recommendation of U.S. military commanders in Iraq. Both said that they would make the strategic decisions as president about how to proceed, based on their views that the lengthy involvement in Iraq is eroding the United States’ capability of dealing with other international problems and is damaging the nation’s standing in the world.
Clinton and Obama each issued thinly veiled criticisms of Bush’s position that his Iraq policy is based heavily on the military’s tactical needs, as expressed to him by Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. Clinton said that in addition to withdrawing troops even if commanders oppose that strategy, she would communicate to the Iraqis that “they no longer have a blank check.” Clinton said that although, “we don’t know what will happen if we withdraw,” we do know what will happen if we stay “mired” in Iraq.
Obama said he would listen carefully to tactical advice from military commanders, but would set a course to disengage militarily from Iraq, “because, ultimately, the buck stops with me as commander-in-chief.”
•Best President Bush Question: What post-presidential role would you give to Bush?
Stephanopoulos asked Clinton how she plans to utilize the services of past presidents — including Bush, who has been a target of fierce Democratic criticism and has long endured poor job approval ratings in polls. Clinton responded that she believes it was wise of Bush to call on his father, former President George H. W. Bush, and former President Clinton to address international relations, saying that when former presidents get together they “send a strong message.”
The Pennsylvania Democratic Debate: CQ Politics’ Bests and Mosts
Obama was asked the same question and said he was “more likely to ask the advice of the current president’s father than the president himself,” but noted that Democrats do not have a “monopoly on good ideas.”
•Best Pitch: How would each candidate persuade undecided Democratic superdelegates to provide their endorsements?
“We need a fighter back in the White House,” Clinton said, adding that she plans to take on special interests and redirect money from pharmaceutical companies, oil companies and Wall Street to middle-class Americans.
Obama said he “made a bet on the American people” that they would channel their disenchantment and loss of trust in their government into backing his change-themed campaign, and said his bet has “paid off,” noting that people responded in “record numbers” to his candidacy.
Comments
This debate looked like the participants were a Professor and a Student. The Professor: Hillary Clinton The Student: Barack Obama Hillary shows she is brilliant and experienced. She is ready! Barack shows great talent and huge potential. He'll be ready in a few years!
What a disgraceful performance by these two so-called newspeople. Almost an hour of tabloid journalism questioning before we ever got to anything Americans are really interested in. Gibson and Stephanopoulos epitomize all that is wrong with the MSM today. The whole event looked like a right wing talking points hit job orchestrated by Fixed News Channel. I always knew Gibson was a right wing tool. But Stephanopoulos, actually using questions from Sean Hannity of all people? And about William Ayers?? ABC needs to fire everyone at the News operation from top down. And while your at it please apologize to America for wasting so much of our time on nonsense. Yours truly, A bitter Pennsylvanian
This was the worst debate I have ever had the misfortune to watch. The two moderators sound like they came out of Rush Limbaugh's broadcast booth. And the person who made the decision to include that idiotic woman and her flag question should be fired. You have two hours for an event of this magnitude and you waste it by letting some dipstick ask why they don't wear a f'en flag lapel pin? Get real. Is it any wonder no one gets their news from broadcast networks anymore?
Hillary had a etter command of the facts and the plans for her administration.
I don't care how much Clinton and Obama attack each other or how many mistakes they have made and will make. The bottom line is that both of those bleeding heart liberals are out of touch with middle america and I find it very insulting when they both claim to be champions of the second amendment, give me a break! Sen. McCain is going to win regardless of who the Democratic nominee and a McCain victory will be the best thing for this country.
Disgraceful waste of the medias' opportunity to really delve into issues that matter to voters...more flag pins & bosnia? (By the way no one had flag pins on...This issue is the weirdest one of the season...) It seemed both candidates were stunned by the low level of quality n the moderators questions. Senator Clinton did a fine job, but the night belonged to Obama - far more thoughtful and presidential. He said what everybody's thinking - that she learned the wrong lesson from the attack politics aimed against her.
I think Charles Gibson behaved inappropriately when he asked the candidates to take a pledge on not raising new taxes. Such a remark is appropriate from the NH GOP state chair at a partisan rally. It is entirely inappropriate for a journalist to ask candidates such a question. Unfortunately the rest of Gibson and Stephanapoulous questions were equally either inappropriate or inane. The clumsiness and ineptitude of the moderators overshadowed the debate and destroyed as an opportunity to learn about the candidates.
We noticed while watching the debate, Obama didn't put his chine or nose in the air as he usually does. Hillary outclassed him for sure. He is a student wanting to show the professor he knows his lesson. Please, let him wait until another 4 to 8 years. We need some one who is ready on day one. Even when Bill went in, it was a learning process and he made mistakes. We have had Bush Jr. for 8 years and he hasn't gotten off the learning curve. We need Hillary who has bypassed the curve and can lead from the moment she is sworn in.
Did you ever think that Obama has always known Wright was a bit of nut, but just not as nutty as he has been shown in the 5 min loop clips? Which is all you know of the man and should be ashamed to already have an airtight opinion of him because of.
Regardless, though, of how much of a nut Obama knew Wright was (or any of the other handful of nuts he has had relationships with in his past), why he has not brought to the table more that the only way to unit is to engage those you disagree with and/or do not understand and to try to first understand and see from their perspective? The greatest quality Obama has is the diverse set of cross cultures and social classes he has come across in his upbringing and his ability to try to first understand and relate then to judge and isolate. My hope is that one day many more Americans will one day have the courage to challenge themselves to better understand this approach to people.
I was originally heading into the race voting for McCain, as of now, my vote is going to be for Obama... as if he can ingrain this one quality in the fabric of America, he will have done more for the country then many before him and will be a gift that is far above anything I can think of...
And just to note, do you honestly believe if any of the vial on the internet and in these blogs about Obama was true that conservative talk radio nuts like Hannity wouldn't be all over it? I do depend on folks like this to bring to light any negatives and then I weight them accordingly... and thus listen to their antics regularly... so far everything this group has brought to the table has not had a solid enough foundation for me to believe in the perspective they are spinning... They did so with Hilary, but not so with Obama... or McCain for that matter...
Though not an Obama supporter, I agree fully with his and his supporters' criticism of the ABC moderators. Their infatuation with the trivial and sensational reflects badly on the so-called moderators - entertainers, really. It also pulls down the candidates to their level of intellectual mediocrity.
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