Politics: Election 2008

11:53 p.m. - I’m back after a little time in the spin room, jockeying for position to be next in line to speak to the strategists and super-delegates on site.

In the room were strategists galore, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (Clinton supporter), Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (Clinton supporter), former Cleveland Mayor Michael White (former Clinton supporter turned Obama supporter), Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray (Obama supporter) and a variety of others.

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern (mentioned earlier as having been interviewed on the radio right in front of us in the press room) did his job valiantly, calling the debate “a draw.”

He said he doesn’t think the debate tonight will change much in the polls, and that the race in Ohio will definitely be within a few percentage points a week from today.

Additionally, he said he wished (of course) that the Democratic candidates would focus more on bashing Sen. John McCain.

“If I had my druthers, I’d like them to focus a little more on John McCain, who is probably right now attending an economics class at the University of Cincinnati because he has admitted he doesn’t know beans about economics,” Redfern said.

Strong words you might say, but that is his place here at the debate.

As for the other spinsters down there, well, they didn’t have much to say that was worth posting here. Hopefully you watched the debate tonight and can make up your own mind without eating up their assessments.

- James Ramey III

11:42 p.m. - Here are my impressions of the debate, in no particular order:

1. MSNBC was counting on fireworks tonight, and they did their best to make sure this debate delivered. Couching Clinton’s remarks about what an honor it is to share a stage with Barack Obama versus her “shame on you” speech ensured we’d get a show. Too bad so much of it was forced.

2. Speaking of forced fireworks, Clinton’s “Saturday Night Live” line was about as artificial as they come. The entire press filing room gasped when she said it. But I don’t think anyone was particularly impressed.

3. Obama did a better job of deflecting the bad press he’s received from his position on Pakistan and the endorsement from Louis Farrakhan than Clinton did defending her vote to authorize the president to use force in Iraq. And her attempt to shift attention to the future, not to mention her comments that Obama’s opposition to the war came without risk, were pretty weak.

4. Seems like Clinton’s will to attack Obama went away when Obama gave her credit for her sense of humor when she gave her mocking impression of his speaking style. Obama uses humor to defuse tense situations skillfully. My understanding is Clinton doesn’t like going negative against a fellow Democrat, and her discomfort doing so came through tonight.

5. Clinton’s inability to stay on topic with the moderators did her no favors. Tim Russert’s pointed questions didn’t help, either. Obama more skillfully defended himself against Russert’s attacks.

Overall, I have to score this a victory for Obama. Clinton needed to hit Obama hard, and she never scored a solid punch tonight. Obama’s momentum will be difficult to stop.

-Matt Koesters

What did you think?

Jim is currently down in the Spin Room. I just frantically finished editing Matt’s story and sent it into the office in the hopes that we will in fact make deadline.

I’m bummed that we have such limited space to run a story with my byline on it for tomorrow’s Feb. 27 issue of The News Record, but hopefully I will have one in the Feb. 28 issue.

And Jim has returned, so look for a blog update from him soon!

 - Liz Gnau

10:54 p.m. - So, the spin room, upon first entry, was relatively quaint and tame, something I wasn’t expecting. After meandering around the area for a few minutes pretty much everyone that was worth talking to was completely unaccessible.

The Hardball folks were talking it up trying to figure out who won and who had a better performance while the volunteers followed important people around with signs with large-print names on it.

And the continuing coverage presses on, on all of the networks.

- James Ramey III

10:41 p.m. - So both candidates give closing remarks trying to make the best case they can. Williams closes things out by thanking a bunch of people and end.

Off to the spin room to witness the “spin-meisters” in action.

- James Ramey III

10:28 p.m. - While there has been much discussion of the issues at the debate tonight, both candidates are still having a few laughs. Both laughing at themselves and a mis-timed clip played by NBC, they seem like they are having a genuinely good time.

Obama is excited to point out that he is the only one to beat John McCain in a general election. Right after that remark, in an answer to a Russert question on the future of Russia’s presidency, Clinton gives a fairly tame but strict response.

She is concerned with how we’re going to deal with Russia going forward, especially given that the successor to Vladmir Putin will be hand-picked. And note another funny moment of Clinton trying to pronounce the name of the successor to the Russian Presidency, after attempting a few times she says “whatever” to laughter.

To this point there hasn’t been much pandering to the youth vote directly, other than part of the discussion of healthcare. Odd, isn’t it, that there isn’t much talk directly targeting younger voters given the debate is at a university and the Unviersity of Cincinnati Ohio poll released Feb. 25 shows the candidates neck and neck among 18- to 29-year-olds.

The chaos is about to ensue in the spin room, down four stairwells from the press filing room. Members of the press are already begining to assemble in the hallway on their way to cover all of the spin downstairs.

We picked up a copy of The Columbus Dispatch on the drive in today, and I was particularly fond of the debate watching advice they gave. They advised viewers at home to turn off the television to make up their own minds, not to let the spin doctors on T.V. influence what they should think of the candidates.

- James Ramey III

So, the debate’s getting pretty intense, huh?

 Jim has been diligently posting updates, as Matt and I are busy transcribing the stuff we’re watching.

Tons of the journalists just left to smoke at the commerical break.

 And now we’re back!

 - Liz Gnau

9:30 p.m. - I find it particularly interesting to be able to gauge the reaction of the independent press (or more often than not, the highly criticized “liberal” media) while watching the debate tonight.

After moderator Brian Williams successfully changes the topic from health care (after an opening 16 minute discussion)  to NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) Clinton takes another poke at Obama. She points out that she has frequently received the first few questions and has been required to answer first for the last few debates. She says she doesn’t mind, but asks if Obama might need an extra pillow in reference to a Saturday Night Live skit.

The resulting “oohs” and “aahs” in the press room with a few chuckles gives a good sense of the press’ opinion on who is taking jabs at whom. Clinton and Obama each continue with a fairly civil exchange on NAFTA.

Once the questioning is turned over to Tim Russert, the NAFTA discussion gets a little more in-depth. Clinton then says she will renegotiate NAFTA and that Russert doesn’t have all of the record. She then takes back to defending her positions on NAFTA and charging Obama has attacked her unfairly with his NAFTA mailings.

Clinton has been talking for a few minutes now and Obama hasn’t gotten much of a word in on the NAFTA debate. Finally Obama gets a word in and agrees with Clinton that he will renegotiate NAFTA if he is President. Obama stays completely positive in his answer, stating NAFTA and other free trade agreements can be beneficial if negotiated correctly.

All of this is happening with the undertone of hundreds of fingers typing away on lap tops in the press room.

9:12 p.m. - There is an audible laugh in the press filing room - I guess it was more than audible, it was loud - when the debate began with a video clip of how Clinton’s campaign rhetoric has changed.

They first show a clip of how Clinton buddies up to Obama at a previous debate followed by a clip of her at Cincinnati State, with Gov. Ted Strickland at her flank, bellowing “shame on you Barack Obama!”

After the clips are played, the camera pans back to the candidates with Obama maintaining a stern look and Clinton smiling.

Once Clinton gets her two-cents in stating the people need to know the facts about her health care plan and the mailings Obama’s campaign has sent out, Obama tries to straight talk out the differences.

As of the first few minutes of the debate it doesn’t seem to be treading too much toward the slug fest many in the media have predicted it to be. It is a much more pointed exchange and the tension in the room is clear. We’ll see how much this holds true through the rest of the debate.

- James Ramey III

8:45 p.m.  - It’s Liz again.

Matt and Jim are busy working on assignments for tomorrow’s paper, so I have the welcome task of updating our political blog.

 Here are some of the pictures Jim took from the recent trip outside:

The exterior of the Cleveland State University Wolstein Center, where tonight’s Democratic debate is being held (below).

Here’s a shot of the snow that’s still accumulating in Cleveland (below).

Here is a picture of some of the demonstrators outside, who are protesting against Kosovo’s recent declaration of independence (below).

Stay tuned for the debate, which is scheduled to start in approximately 15 minutes.

 - Liz Gnau