I didn't watch it so I cannot comment on the whole, but these quotes struck me.
Obama said he would be willing to meet individually with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea during the first year of his presidency. "The notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them, which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration, is ridiculous," Obama said to applause.
This blanket diplomacy panacea is a total fraud. The candidates never tell us what they'd say in these talks, but we're to assume that it would be thoughtful and measured and the world's madmen would nod and embrace our tender leader.
Clinton immediately disagreed and said she would send envoys first to find out their intentions. "I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes," she said. Her campaign quickly posted the video on her Web site, trying to draw a distinction with her chief rival and show she has a different understanding of foreign policy.
You can see how Hilary's time in the White House has given her a much more realistic outlook in these things.
On another foreign policy topic, Biden said he would send 2,500 U.S. troops to Darfur to try to end the civil war there. It took three tries to get Clinton to answer the same questions. She finally said U.S. ground troops don't belong in the fight because they are overextended in Iraq.
Let's pull the troups out of the Middle East where the war is and create a bloodbath so we can send them to Africa to end one.
She also refused to call herself a liberal. "I prefer the word progressive, which has a real American meaning ...," she said.
What will you call yourself when "Progresive" becomes the pejorative term for more taxes and less freedom?
Obama, a freshmen lawmaker trying to appeal to the public's thirst for change, replied, "One of the things I bring is a perspective ... that says Washington has to change."
Another nonspecific attribute that he assigns himself, perspective. What perspective? Every Democrat is trumpeting change.
Clinton claimed she has a 35-year-record as an agent of change. "The issue is which of us is to lead on Day One."
Obama has perspective, but Hilary is an agent. The professor versus the operative.
When was the last time a presidential candidate was forced to promise to work at minimum wage? That is effectively what happened when a voter asked whether the candidates would serve four years at $5.85 an hour rather than the president's annual $400,000 salary.
"Sure," replied Clinton.
Think the media will hold her to this one if she's elected?
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