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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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Oh and the other part of the debate that was really funny was when Brit grilled Edwards on the fact that he was sounding like he was for the Marriage Act! hahaha
2,301 posted on 01/22/2004 8:12:07 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: Dog
If Kerry had a face lift it flopped.
2,302 posted on 01/22/2004 8:12:10 PM PST by celtic gal
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To: celtic gal
...these clowns all say I'm going to do this or that but they never ever say HOW they are going to get it done...

That's what bothers me too!

2,303 posted on 01/22/2004 8:14:00 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: Fledermaus
The Lieberman who is the only sane alternative to Bush if we can't get him in the White House for a second term.

Admittedly, Lieberman isn't ideal, after all, he IS a Democrat. But when you pair him up with that nutcase Dean, that phoney liar anti-war jerk Kerry (with Kennedy pulling the strings in the background), that misanthropic midget Kucinich, that bloated buffoon Sharpeton, that idiot Edwards, and that lying Klintonista Clark, Lieberman doesn't actually look too bad.

At least he has a brain, and knows what a Muslim is, and recognizes the threat Islamofascists pose for western civilization and America - something the other six dwarfs can't comprehend.

PRAY FOR LIEBERMAN. If Bush looses and one of those other six trolls get nominated, its all over for America - no kidding. These guys make slippery Bill Clinton look like an international foreign affairs expert.
2,304 posted on 01/22/2004 8:18:22 PM PST by ZULU (Remember the Alamo!!!!!)
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To: The Wizard
Kristol just said Edwards was strong..wrong.Barone is a much better commentator...think Lieberman may hang on now because of his strong showing in the debate.Everyone but the Clark team thinks Clark's tacit approval of the deserter remark hurt him.
2,305 posted on 01/22/2004 8:19:09 PM PST by MEG33
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To: MEG33
"Jamie Rubin is agreeing with Clark on Bush could have prevented 911,brushed off his not repudiating Moore's deserter accusation..Shameless."

Someone needs to remind that smarmy ***hole Rubin that the Director of the FBI took office about one week prior to 9/11 due to the Democrat foot dragging on appointments. This country lost 9 critical months while the Democrats played their games to keep President Bush from putting together an administration.
2,306 posted on 01/22/2004 8:21:39 PM PST by Ben Hecks
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To: YaYa123
I hope I'm not indulging in wishful thinking...but no joke, Howard Dean and Judy are very appealing.

I agree. I've caught a bit of the interview. She seems very nice. His weirdness comes through some, but I don't know if an average American who hasn't been watching him closely would catch it, if you know what I mean.

2,307 posted on 01/22/2004 8:25:01 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: Ben Hecks
Greta made the point that Bush had only been in office 9 months.Rubin also said Kane said that 911 could have been prevented.Kane did make some unfortunate remarks that were interpreted that way,which he later repudiated.(911 commission.I think that's the right name)I'm going to google and try to find it.
2,308 posted on 01/22/2004 8:28:06 PM PST by MEG33
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To: Wait4Truth
' They all try to make it sound like America is a place of dirt roads and children walking naked in the streets "

I am mystified as to how any man could publicly state they are a Democrat and hope to get a date with a woman ( or guy,as the case may be ).The Democrat leaders announce to the world that Democrat men are helpless,unable to find work, can't support their families,homeless or just about to be,can't get to college unless someone else pays for it,overwhelmed with healthcare issues,think everything is a crisis and if there is ever a burglar skulking around the house- a Democrat will handwring and dither and ask that all the neighbors come and help out-otherwise they will be unable to defend their loved ones from the imminent threat. Loooosers and proud of it.
2,309 posted on 01/22/2004 8:34:22 PM PST by Wild Irish Rogue
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To: MEG33
Jamie Rubin is agreeing with Clark on Bush could have prevented 911,brushed off his not repudiating Moore's deserter accusation..Shameless.

Disgusting.

From Mr. Amanpour, yet. You can imagine the venom SHE spews.

2,310 posted on 01/22/2004 8:38:15 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: Ben Hecks
Kean said the attacks "probably" could have been prevented if we had kept the hijackers out of the country and some off the planes.He said he was talking about middle managers' mistakes about these things and said what he said was based on evidence already public.I found an old Washington Times article quoting him.
2,311 posted on 01/22/2004 8:39:33 PM PST by MEG33
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To: The Wizard
Chris mathews is making an absolute ass of himself asking if Karl Rove is doing dirty tricks......

WHAT is he talking about?

I swear, he is very very susceptible to the dem fax machine ideas, and it seems to me somebody floated that idea earlier in the week. It is ludicrous, and Matthews needs to get a grip for pete's sake.

2,312 posted on 01/22/2004 8:40:55 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: cyncooper
i remember when Kean's comments caused a firestorm and he"clarified" them the next day.
2,313 posted on 01/22/2004 8:41:11 PM PST by MEG33
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To: MEG33
Me, too.

2,314 posted on 01/22/2004 8:43:05 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: Shermy
Jennings attack about Moore...So Clark is supposed to reexamine everything anyone said on the same stage as him?

As another freeper pointed out, this wasn't the first time Clark was asked about Moore calling Bush a deserter. Yes, he should have reexamined what Moore said.

2,315 posted on 01/22/2004 8:49:33 PM PST by NYCVirago
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To: Ben Hecks
Someone needs to remind that smarmy ***hole Rubin that the
Director of the FBI took office about one week prior to 9/11
due to the Democrat foot dragging on appointments.


That would require the RNC to engage in *gasp* politics.
You're not holding your breath are you?
2,316 posted on 01/22/2004 8:52:10 PM PST by MamaLucci
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To: celtic gal
"Did the NH debate ( and I use the term loosely) scare your kitty up a tree????"

Nah...I just put him in his tinfoil hat. He's okay.

.


2,317 posted on 01/22/2004 8:53:55 PM PST by sweetliberty (Even the smallest person can change the course of the future. - (LOTR))
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To: afropick
THE HOWARD DEAN REMIX. Pass it on.
2,318 posted on 01/22/2004 8:55:13 PM PST by July 4th (George W. Bush, Avenger of the Bones)
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To: MEG33
"He said he was talking about middle managers' mistakes about these things and said what he said was based on evidence already public."

I think that is a fair assessment but it takes a lot longer than nine months to change the culture within an organization. IMO, one of the potential benefits of the Dept. of Homeland Security is that Pres. Bush won out on the issue of assigning/reassigning employees. If DHS develops a good intelligence fusion capability staffed by loyal, qualified people, there will be a better system of checks and balances and we will be less likely to be knifed in the back by a rogue Clinton leftover like we were in the Wilson/Plame affair.
2,319 posted on 01/22/2004 8:55:44 PM PST by Ben Hecks
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To: OldFriend
McCain was on with Greta Van Sistern last night......bashing the President up down and around. He must want to commit Hari Kari today when the authorization bill passed. McCain was bragging that he had republican senators with him.......Snowe, Hagel, and a few dems....LOLOL

That guy is sooooo jealous of Bush. I bet he whines himself to sleep every night, thinking about how *he* should have been president.

2,320 posted on 01/22/2004 8:58:53 PM PST by NYCVirago
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