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LIVE THREAD: New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Debate
Fox News | January 22, 2004 | Carl Cameron/Major Garrett

Posted on 01/22/2004 3:58:25 PM PST by Howlin

Dems to Face Off in Debate

Thursday, January 22, 2004

By Liza Porteus

MANCHESTER, N.H.  — The seven Democratic contenders for the nomination to go head-to-head with President Bush in November will face off Thursday night in the last public debate before the New Hampshire primary.

The debate could be a make-or-break event for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (search) and retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark (search), in particular, leading up to Tuesday's first-in-the-nation Democratic primary. Clark's campaign seems to have lost a little momentum to Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (search) and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (search), whom many politicos see as a potential up-and-comer.

"I think if you're looking for an upset, look toward John Edwards ... there still could be a late break," said Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review.

Dean has seen his poll numbers spiral downward quickly and Clark's chances of getting one of the tickets out of New Hampshire could hinge on his performance in the debate, sponsored by Fox News Channel and scheduled to air at 8 p.m. EST.

According to a Fox News New Hampshire Primary Tracking Poll released Thursday evening, Kerry, still riding the "Iowa bounce" from his caucus victory in the Hawkeye State Monday night, is leading the race to win the New Hampshire primary. Dean continues to drop in the eyes of Granite State Democrats, according to the poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center (search).

Dean has dropped 7 percentage points in the last three days while Kerry has gained 6 percentage points. There was a potential sampling error of 4.4 percentage points.

Click here for the N.H. Tracking Poll (pdf).

Meanwhile, Fox News has learned at least one New Hampshire tracking poll to be released Friday will show Dean has slipped as far as third place.

The pollster, who requested anonymity, said, "Dean is done, he shot himself in the foot with his scream and has not done anything to stop the bleeding. Dean is going on Letterman next? He's crazy."

That "scream" was in reference to Dean's post-Iowa caucus outburst, in which he screamed red-faced into a microphone — a move that still has a lot of people shaking their heads.

"Not only are we going to New Hampshire ... we're going to South Carolina and Oklahoma and Arizona and North Dakota and New Mexico, and we're going to California and Texas and New York," he yelled. "And we're going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Michigan. And then we're going to Washington, D.C., to take back the White House. YEAHHHH!!!"

Late-night talk shows are using the impassioned speech for comic relief, and remixes of the speech featuring the rock band Guns 'N Roses and house music are flying around the Internet at warp speed.

"There's something that happened in Iowa Monday night that I don't think you can undo," said Fred Barnes, co-host of Fox News' "The Beltway Boys." "The 'yeahhh' heard around the world."

Based in part on that incident, added the other co-host, Mort Kondracke, "the danger is, this guy will go postal in the middle of a world crisis."

Thursday, Dean made light of his political blunder, saying, "I still have not recovered my voice from my screeching in Iowa."

For more campaign news, click to view Foxnews.com's You Decide 2004 page.

The Debate

The presidential contenders campaigned their way into the final debate Thursday.

"It's an important moment," said Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman (search), trailing in the polls behind Clark, Edwards, Kerry and Dean.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (search) and Al Sharpton (search ) also rated spots on the debate stage at Saint Anselm College.

Dean and Clark supporters arrived at the debate locale more than four hours early.

Dean's voice is still hoarse from his Monday night outburst. He wouldn't discuss his debate strategy if he had one, he said, "because I wouldn't like to make that public before we actually do the debate."

A large number of Democrats see Dean as the least consistent candidate in the field. Rival campaigns expect the doctor-turned-politician to take the edge off of his Iowa performance with self-deprecating humor.

"I think he'll take the risk. The question is, is he too cute?" asked Tony Coelho, former campaign manager for Al Gore and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. "If he's too cute and you add that to the hotness of the other night, it's not presidential."

The potential big winner of the night could turn out to be Edwards — whose poll numbers have been gradually rising — if he comes across as positive and upbeat as he has in recent weeks.

Clark's selling points have been his military pedigree and his southern roots, but Edwards is increasingly popular in the South and Kerry is also a respected military man. Clark spokesman Bill Buck said his boss won't launch verbal attacks against other candidates except Bush.

New Hampshire voters will be drawn to "Gen. Clark's very positive view of the possibilities of America's future," Buck said.

Kucinich told Fox News he plans on being completely honest as part of his debate strategy.

"It's really a matter of being true to yourself … it's important to focus on the purpose and my purpose in the presidential race," the congressman said in a pre-debate interview, adding he will focus on proving the Iraq war was unnecessary, pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq and inserting U.N. peacekeepers.

"It's so important we have a president that will lead this country to peace and prosperity and the only way to do that is to tell the truth," Kucinich said.

To continue and even further his lead, Kerry advisers told Fox News that the senator will try to stay above the fray in Thursday night's debate and look presidential and electable. He will not to attack and will try to respond gracefully to attacks against him.

"Kerry does not want in any way to get negative and he's going to have to deflect people who come after him," Coelho said. "So he's going to have to try to keep it calm. No mistakes, Kerry will win."

The Polls

Of the 489 likely New Hampshire primary voters who were interviewed from Jan. 19-21 in the pre-debate Fox News poll, 30 percent of likely Democratic primary voters support Kerry, 25 percent support Dean, 19 percent Clark, 8 percent Edwards, 7 percent Lieberman, 3 percent support Kucinich and 7 percent remain undecided.

An earlier Boston Herald poll of New Hampshire voters showed Kerry with 31 percent to Dean's 21 percent, while Clark had 16 percent. Edwards garnered 11 percent and Lieberman 4 percent.

A previous Fox News New Hampshire tracking poll taken from Jan. 18-20 showed Kerry and Dean in a virtual dead heat.

Fox News' Carl Cameron and Major Garrett contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections; US: New Hampshire
KEYWORDS: 2004; democratdebate; dnc; dwarves; livethread; nh
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To: Dog
What I loved was when Dennis said we should turn over Iraq to the UN .. ROTFLOL! The UN won't even go to Iraq and this idiot wants to turn things over to them .. this guy is in la la land.
1,581 posted on 01/22/2004 6:26:48 PM PST by CyberAnt ("America is the GREATEST NATION on the face of the earth")
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To: Delphinium
Compared to Kerry, they are all doing a fine job......isn't that pathetic.

Please show mercy and pull the plug on these morons........they're boring us to death with their bumbling babbling incoherent answers.

1,582 posted on 01/22/2004 6:26:52 PM PST by OldFriend (Always understand, even if you remain among the few)
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To: Dog
Clark is the big loser here.
1,583 posted on 01/22/2004 6:26:58 PM PST by Poser
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To: OldFriend
Did Edwards happen to mention that Clark was a lobbyist until last week. About the time he decided he was a demonrat?

LOL.........very LOL.

1,584 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:12 PM PST by Howlin
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To: OldFriend
Let's all chant together for Clark:
Meltdown!
Meltdown!
Meltdown!
1,585 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:22 PM PST by TalentOnLoan (--We are his workmanship, created for good works in Christ)
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To: LisaMalia
Brit Hume is nailing Clark..
1,586 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:23 PM PST by Dog ("America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our Country")
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To: Lil'freeper
Oh yeah.
1,587 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:28 PM PST by sauropod (Graduate, Boortz Institute for Insensitivity Training)
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To: Dog
Brit's getting Clark but good! Yea, Brit!!!!!!!
1,588 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:32 PM PST by Quilla
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To: Poser
Go for it, Brit!!
1,589 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:33 PM PST by Fresh Wind
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To: YaYa123
I thought Imus (who claims to be Republican) was going all out for Kerry? Wasn't that long ago that Imus refused to have Liberman on his show because of his flip flopping on issues during the 2000 elections.
1,590 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:38 PM PST by StarFan
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To: Poser
GO BRIT!!!! This is what I've been waiting for.
1,591 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:38 PM PST by LisaMalia (Buckeye Fan since birth!!)
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To: Fresh Wind
Clark may be worried about the phone call he will be getting later tonight from the Wicked Witch of Chappaquah.

LOL! He's such a loser.

1,592 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:45 PM PST by Jorge
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To: Dog
Go Brit! Nail the Hypocrite.
1,593 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:48 PM PST by Democratshavenobrains
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To: Poser; cyncooper
I agree. Clark is doing terribly.
1,594 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:51 PM PST by EllaMinnow (I plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.)
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To: sauropod
LOL! Brit asks Clark....When did you first notice that you were a Democrat?????
1,595 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:53 PM PST by ConservativeMan55 (You...You sit down! You've had your say and now I'll have mine!!!!)
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To: All
Britt just nailed Clark
1,596 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:53 PM PST by The Wizard (Saddamocrats are enemies of America, treasonous everytime they speak)
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To: ConservativeMan55
Brit just ZINGED Clark.
1,597 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:55 PM PST by jmstein7
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To: Quilla
But he should have asked him instead when did you decide you were against the war in Iraq.
1,598 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:56 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons have pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: Dog
Clark got nailed....
1,599 posted on 01/22/2004 6:27:56 PM PST by Dog ("America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our Country")
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To: Quilla
Brit to Clark: "When did you first notice you were a Democrat?" LOL!!!
1,600 posted on 01/22/2004 6:28:02 PM PST by Right_in_Virginia
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