Posted on 02/01/2008 3:09:24 PM PST by fanfan
It was billed as "Fight Night", "The Final Showdown", and even "The Democrats' Ali versus Frazier".
But in the end, the first one-to-one TV debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton was not so much a punchfest as a barbed match of who could be the most polite.
By the end of the two hours, Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton were even agreeing to consider the other as their vice president and held each other close as they talked in one another's ears immediately after the debate.
The Hollywood A-list audience was certainly expecting blood on the canvas as it grabbed ringside seats at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles for one of the few events in town not wiped out by the Writers' Guild strike.
A gaggle of 24-carat celebrities packed the hall, with Stevie Wonder and Pierce Brosnan rooting for the Obama corner and Steven Spielberg and Diane Keaton applauding the Clinton camp. Leonardo DiCaprio stayed on the fence. Former President Bill Clinton was notably absent.
But, despite the overt politeness, at no point did Clinton and Obama shake hands - and there were enough carefully aimed jabs to satisfy the punters.
Mr Obama faced questions earlier this week about whether he had snubbed Mrs Clinton in turning away from her at President George Bush's State of the Union address on Monday.
It was their first one-on-one debate of the campaign season and both candidates said it was their chance to make history.
Mr Obama hopes to be the first African American US president, and Mrs Clinton wants to be the country's first female commander-in-chief.
"It is a testimony to the Democratic Party and it is a testimony to this country that we have the opportunity to make history, because I think one of us two will end up being the next president of the United States of America," Mr Obama said.
Mrs Clinton added that the Republicans were "more of the same" and, gesturing toward Mr Obama, she said: "We will change our country".
The debate came at the end of a day where the Obama campaign reported raising £16 million in January alone, more than enough to enable an advertising campaign to spread through the expensive Super Tuesday states next week and beyond.
As the two walked briskly together into the centre of the stage at the Kodak Theatre, home of the Academy Awards, the debate took a surprisingly conciliatory tone for an event billed as "Fight Night" by hosts CNN.
Mr Obama said: "I was friends with Hillary Clinton before we started this campaign. I will be friends with Hillary Clinton after this campaign is over."
But the pair admitted they had policy differences on a number of issues, including the provision of universal health care insurance, meeting with leaders of rogue nations and on Iraq.
And on the economy, an issue which exit polls have repeatedly shown to be key to voters, both Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton nodded in agreement as they compared Democratic economic solutions to those put forward by the Republicans.
One of the loudest and most prolonged cheers of the night was for Mrs Clinton. When asked how she could claim to be a candidate of change after decades of a Clinton or Bush in the White House, she said she wanted to be judged on her merits and, smiling widely, added: "It did take a Clinton to clean (up) after the first Bush, and I think it might take another one to clean up after the second Bush."
Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton did have some pointed exchanges - most notably over Iraq and the issue of whether illegal immigrants should be able to obtain driver's licences.
When Mr Obama's comments on the Iraq war, which Mrs Clinton initially supported, were called a "clear swipe" at the former First Lady by CNN host Wolf Blitzer, Mr Obama said: "I wouldn't call it a swipe."
The former First Lady added: "We are having such a good time, we are, we're having a wonderful time."
Mrs Clintona also repeatedly called Mr Obama "Barack" rather than "Senator Obama".
She lectured him on the nerdier points of healthcare policy along with his lack of gravitas. Obama succeeded in ever so subtly listing his rival's main flaws.
He detailed with relish how she "flipped" her stance on drivers' licences for illegal immigrants (she was for, then undecided, and is now against).
"The only point I would make is Senator Clinton gave a number of different answers over the course of six weeks on this issue," he said, ever so politely.
"Now, at this point she's got a clear position ... but it took a while."
The pair praised their former rival John Edwards in their first one-on-one debate before the crucial Super Tuesday primary elections next week.
Mr Obama called Mr Edwards "a voice for this party and this country for many years to come" while Mrs Clinton praised Mr Edwards and his wife Elizabeth as an "example of courage and leadership".
Both candidates highlighted the former North Carolina senator's policies on tackling poverty and lobbyists in Washington as they vied for his support, and the backing of his delegates, who will choose the party's presidential nominee this summer.
Both candidates appeared to make an effort to earn Mr Edwards' support ahead of Super Tuesday when more than 20 states go to the polls.
Mr Edwards, who pulled out of the race on Wednesday after a string of poor results, is yet to endorse either candidate.
Even Stevie Wonder could have seen this coming.
Oooh. I feel like hurling.
Only way this could work would with them would have to be Obama pres. and Hillary VP.
Bill Clinton's ego could never accept being (whatever they call the VP's spouse), so it's already out of the question.
OK, then don’t look at post #5.
You've got my vote for "Post of the Day"!
LWMHCMM!
(Laughing with my hand covering my mouth!)
Where are the little thought-bubbles on that photo, with each of them fantasizing about how to plunge a dagger into the other’s back...... enough of this Demagogue touchy-feely pretence, we know they each loathe the other!!!
Of course, Lyndon Johnson and the Kennedys loathed each other and he still ended up as VP candidate on the 1960 ticket, so lots of strange things are possible.
ROTFLOL.
We had to turn it off after the first five minutes.
Hillary will win the nomination and pick Bayh as her VP.
However, the big campaign attraction will be Obama, Bill and Oprah on tour campaigning for Hillary.
They will pack stadiums as if they were the Rolling Stones.
I’m sure we will see some when the photo shoppers turn up.
:)
That would be a very bad idea for Obama. Read the first sentence of Section 3 of the 20th Amendment. After that, think of Vincent Foster.
[chuckles]
"tickle, tickle!"
I know.
I’m sorry.
*hug*
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