Who won the Democratic debate?

Are voters responding to the excitemnt of the Obama candidacy and the media-driven enthusiasm, or are they really agreeing with Obama on the issues? I think it's clearly the former. Thye could just as easily be watching a football game.

Does anyone actually sit through those things other than campaign workers and reporters?

Voters should not vote just because of media enthusiasm. It is also unfair that Edwards said he will endorse Obama if he loses in the primaries. It is like he and obama are ganging up on Hillary. Does Edward forget he is also runing 4 president? Personally I am a HILLARY SUPPORTER. Do we want someone who is a "ROOKIE" being president or do we want someone with experience? Lastly I say we should all ignore the media enthusiasm for candidates and focus on the Issues at hand.

Media enthusiasm has never captivated me, nor has someone's particular oratory skill. Give me substance and values above clamor of any sort. Where most of the candidates stand, and Hillary most of all, I discount a good deal due to their ingenuinous and incongruity. One thing I will say for Hillary, though: she wants to be President just as much as Bill did; maybe more so.

If I had to vote today for one of these I would have to go with Obama. He's green in some areas, but he's smart enough and humble enough to surround himself with sage advisors. I don't think Hillary will tolerate anyone telling her anything.

Irenaeus:

The best analogy I can provide is one I made in my Beliefnet blog about Obama:

"Listen to Barack Obama's victory speech (in Iowa). It's not just a political message; in many ways, it's a spiritual and even theological message about (yes) hope. He comes across as the remarkable acolyte/pupil of a classic African-American preacher. But of course, to the extent he is (slightly -- not very much ...) modulating the message, it is to appeal to the wider audience of all colors Obama seeks to appeal to politically, but frankly by all appearances personally as well.

"Compare the speech (13 minutes) with what I consider Beliefnet's essay of the year -- one that, ironically, distances itself from the pop psychology of one of Obama's most prominent supporters, Oprah -- by Patton Dodd, Beliefnet's Christianity editor.

"And Dodd doesn't mention politics once. To my mind, quite uncanny." (HTTP://)

my.barackobama.com/page/content/iowavictoryspeech/

Also ... (HTTP://)

www.beliefnet.com/story/222/story_22246_1.html

PS -- My mother believes Obama is "pompous" like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson Sr. IMHO, this may reflect at best her anger that the first woman president may not be elected -- or at worst, her anger that the first African-American president WILL be.

A couple of Inside NH details.

The weather is going to be great on Primary day. It's shooting up from bitter cold in the single digits last Thursday to almost 50! Expect really high turn outs. There's also the issue of the NH Dems pushing Civil Unions through and having them just go into effect this past Jan 1st. (Only facts: Last spring the state dems elected a gay man cleared of child porn charges as their NH state chair. Civil Union was the first legislation he championed. The dem. governor took awhile to go along. It may cost him his job. Interesting to see if that vote changes this vote.)

Expect Civil Unions to push up the social con. vote and to sway alot of the social con. independents to vote Republican. Not saying that Obama won't get alot of the independents. Just saying I saw 75 year old women wait in line for 2+ hours in the last Presidential just to vote AGAINST gay marriage. Don't underestimate it. As Speaker Tip O'Neil once said "All politics are local." Be forewarned.

You are one of the few honest pundits out there. She did win on substance. There were enough double standards in the press coverage to sink a battleship. She is 'shrill' and she had a 'meltdown'. No, she didn't. She defended herself vigorously. It is clear who the press thinks is the better candidate. They thought the same thing in the 2000 election. They picked the likable guy. And that didn't turn out too well, did it?

"Media enthusiasm has never captivated me, nor has someone's particular oratory skill. Give me substance and values above clamor of any sort."

Well, Sassy Granny, that puts you in with probably less than 5% of the populace. The rest of mankind seems to regard purposeful cognitive effort as something akin to self-inflicted waterboarding.

You can't expect politicians to play to the 5% of us with our heads on straight. Too much money, power and influence is on the line, and the masses are far too easy to hoodwink.

"One thing I will say for Hillary, though: she wants to be President just as much as Bill did; maybe more so."

And the vast majority of the time, the one who gets elected is not the best person for the job, but rather the person who thirsts the most for power over other people. Both of the Clintons are like desert refugees scrabbling after a drop of water when it comes to power.

Happily, every once in a while we get someone like Obama who, sure, wants the power, but not in a megalomaniacal way. A populace, pushed to its limits as ours has been by the Bush machine (and the Clinton machine before them) can sense this desire; what us cognitive folks call "statemanship."

Personally, I like Ron Paul's philosophies the best. But I can live with Obama. He seems like a decent, honest fellow who is interested in fixing problems, as opposed to merely grabbing everything he can for himself. And I'll take an honest attempt to fix a problem in a way I don't agree with, over someone (*cough* Romney/McCain/Giuliani *cough*) who tells me what they think I want to hear, gets elected and then merely carries on with the current corrupt corporatocracy.