Too bad there are so many of these things. This one was the one to watch.
It was actually funny and a pitched battle, if only at the beginning. I gave up before the real folks offered questions after the CNN journalists with their set but heard I didn't miss anything.
Clinton - easily won and looked like she had spent a fortune on her face and hair. Looked tough and presidential and slugged and stabbed the boys repeatedly while smiling and looking charming. The charge that she says one thing on the stump and another in Washington seemed to bounce off.
Obama - big loser. I wonder if he is really the candidate trying for VP or practicing for his next run. Totally flubbed the illegal immigrants with driver's license question which he should have been well-prepared for. After getting on to Clinton for waffling a minute earlier showed a bigger longer example and was called on it.
Wolf Blitzer was another big loser - made clear that FOX NEWS isn't the only conservative network.
Biden was good, loose and biting and ignored.
Dodd, who I had previously liked, was very dull and moved to the right.
Edwards tried to take it to Hillary and then realized he was only making himself look bad. As a lawyer he may have also been responding to the audience, majority for Clinton. That itself is a very troubling sign for his race - Nevada was supposed to be his state.
Richardson was typical in demonstrating how he is an expert on everything and continued auditioning for VP.
Kucinich must have been seething with the contempt and deliberate ignoring the journalists showed. He will not resign, his motive is to move the party to the left by getting his supporters to state conventions from caucuses.
Gravel must not have been able to afford a plane ticket but wasn't missed.
Prediction: by early February Biden, Dodd, Richardson and Gravel will be out of the race.
If Obama and Edwards don't stop Hillary in Iowa and New Hampshire by holding her to third it will be a very short race.
About my bias, my preferred candidates in order are Edwards, Biden, Obama, Richardson. Biden moved up tonight - Obama and Dodd down.
Another professional opinion on the debate. Another point came up very briefly in the debate which Krugman addresses here: Obama, played for a sucker.
Josh Marshall: Can we just close down CNN?
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