THE NOTE: Alright for Fighting

abc NEWS ^ | Jan 5, 2008 | RICK KLEIN with MIKE ELMORE and LAUREN EFFRON

[Syncro]

THE NOTE: Alright for Fighting

Obama, Romney to be Targets in ABC's Saturday Night Debates

Coming out of the Iowa Caucus and into the New Hampshire Primary, Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Republican contender Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., are sure to be targets within their own parties heading into Saturday night's debates. (ABCNEWS)

By RICK KLEIN with MIKE ELMORE and LAUREN EFFRON
Jan. 5, 2008

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MANCHESTER, N.H. --

Ten presidential candidates (six Republicans, four Democrats) will pull up swiveling chairs and take to the very same debate stage Saturday night in Manchester for two of those encounters on the presidential calendar that merit circling in bright red (and blue) magic marker.

ABC's Charles Gibson has a bit of a different format in mind for the evening than we've seen in previous encounters -- more genial than gotcha, like a very chatty (and very well-lit) kitchen table. But the candidates will surely provide the fireworks: In this excruciatingly brief window between Iowa and New Hampshire, subtly just doesn't work.

The dynamics would be different even if the format was the same: We have the time crunch, of course, but we also have new frontrunners: "Barack Obama enters Saturday's Democratic debate as the undisputed front-runner with a bull's-eye on his back -- and a humbled and hobbled Hillary Clinton itching to open fire," writes the New York Daily News troika of Michael McAuliff, Ken Bazinet, and Michael Saul.

The Republicans get their 90 minutes first, starting at 7 pm ET from Saint Anselm College and broadcast live on ABC nation-wide -- good entertainment while you're staying up late waiting for returns from the Wyoming caucuses (and you know who you are).

The Democrats kick off shortly after that -- following the photo-op of all photo-ops: All 10 on stage at once, sharing handshakes and awkward conversation.

The aftermath of the Iowa earthquake wasn't pretty for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. The takeaway from the "100 Club" dinner Friday night in Milford, N.H., is simple enough to give Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., another round in the scorecard: Clinton was booed, while Obama's supporters were so energetic that organizers were worried about the security situation.

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Read more at THE NOTE

[Old Retired Army Guy]

What time (EST) does the Dem. debate start?

[phillyfanatic]

Ah , listening to the enemies’ strategy huh?? BTW, we better watch out of Obama wins. Just what strategery will the GOP use against the young, handsome, black, articulate socialist pacifist that would not offend everybody else voting?? Personally, I would rather face Hil.

[Syncro]

From the article:

The Republicans get their 90 minutes first, starting at 7 pm ET from Saint Anselm College and broadcast live on ABC nation-wide --

The Democrats kick off shortly after that -- following the photo-op of all photo-ops: All 10 on stage at once, sharing handshakes and awkward conversation.

It looks like to be between 8:30 and 9 depending on how long the Politicos hog the cameras for the photo-ops.

[Syncro]

More of the article:

"So many people pressed toward the stage that an announcer asked people to 'please take their seats for safety concerns.' By comparison Hillary was twice booed."

Clinton didn't even wait for her flight to land in New Hampshire to start changing her campaign's message. "I think everybody needs to be vetted and tested," she told reporters upon landing. And this, which Sen. Barack Obama's campaign should read as a warning: "I'm not doing this as an exercise."

Yet one Democrat with close ties to the Clinton campaign tells The Note that Clinton won't run any negative ads against Obama, out of a fear of a backlash in this hyper-politicized crunch between Iowa and New Hampshire.

So the dirty work falls to surrogates and oppo-researchers, who got off to a rollicking start, per ABC's Kate Snow. "While the senator was vague, her campaign pointed out to ABC News examples of Obama's liberal positions, including his 2004 statement to abolish mandatory minimum sentences for federal crimes," Snow writes.

"They also pointed out a statement Obama made in 2003 that he was 'a proponent of a single payer health care program,' which he no longer seems to support today."

Former President Bill Clinton tells Snow that his wife can turn things around, but adds: "I just wish we had 10 days instead of five."

He's right: Redefining a campaign inside of five days is never easy. Redefining a campaign that's the product of years of meticulous planning -- and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of (sometimes) smart strategic advice -- is a monumental task. And it's one that was not completed inside of the first 24 hours after Iowa.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

If you will notice, the GOP has been keeping their powder dry on Obama. All their attacks have been against Hillary. I think they know that if they can get Hillary out of the way in the Dem. primary, Obama will be an easy target in the General. With the war in Iraq making good progress, by the time this summer rolls around, a dope smoking pacifist with the middle name of Hussein will be an easy target.

[maica]

Logically you are correct, but if sufficient Americans join a tidal wave of voting for the rock star, we may end up with a president having the middle name of Hussein.

He would definitely outshine Thompson or Huckabee, and most probably McCain and Giuliani would also take second place in our visual world. Romney has presence which the media is desperately trying to demean by calling it stiffness.

I see Romney as the best chance we have to stand on the same stage with Barack = who woos crowds with mellifulous tones and empty rhetoric.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Just what strategery will the GOP use against the young, handsome, black, articulate socialist pacifist that would not offend everybody else voting??

How about stating facts and conservative policy?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

["Former President Bill Clinton tells Snow that his wife can turn things around, but adds: "I just wish we had 10 days instead of five."

"He's right: Redefining a campaign inside of five days is never easy."]

AND, if you have to constantly "redefine" your message, change "slogans", etc. (ala Al Gore), you are in DEEP trouble. Were she to campaign honestly around core principles, she would be handily rejected in the general election. And she just isn't a good enough liar to win the way Bill did.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Interesting how even though Huckabee won in Iowa, and even though the “conventional wisdom” was that 2nd place just about killed Romney’s chances, ABC now acknowledges that Romney is still the one everybody needs to stop.

Of course, that might in part be because they don’t want Huckabee stopped, but don’t want the conservative Romney to survive.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Kind of like how we took our Dean, and left Kerry unscathed in 2004 so we could have him in the general election.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

I think you are going to be disappointed. Romney is going to lose in NH and that will for all practical purposes end his campaign. We have a long way to go until November and if Obama is the Dem. candidate, don’t make judgements by the euphoria surrounding his campaign today. Once the General election season starts, if he is the Dem. nominee, they will begin to peel him like an onion and I don’t think he will be able to take it.