(CNN) - It's 10 minutes from the end of the debate and Sen. Barack Obama's name has not come up. Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards of North Carolina got his first mention of the night when former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney blasted the slogan that there are "two Americas." Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York was mentioned multiple times, but Illinois' Obama has not received any attention from the Republicans.
– CNN Producer Ted Metzger
From CNN Politics
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'cause the YOUNG Senator from Illinois needs more EXPERIENCE ! He is either running for 2012 or wants to be the 2008 VEEP candidate !
I think that shows his strength as a candidate. Hillary is reviled, Edwards is viewed as a sissy. Mentioning them gets brownie points. They're communal cannon fodder for the pack. Calling out Obama is as likely as not to get a BOO. It proves he's the Dem they don't want to face because he's hardest to beat up on.
This shows that even Republicans (like myself) respect Barack Obama.
Duh! Because they don't want to run against him. Is it that hard to figure out why they invoke Hillary Clinton so often... because she'd be the easiest to win, followed probably by Edwards. Polls (not just the recent Zogby poll) show that Obama has a better, in fact the best chance against any of the potential republicans to become their parties nominees.
.......... well ..... I could sound like a western union telegram .... however there was nothing to say..........Obama just wasn't worth mentioning....... Clinton 08
strange that a cnn producer would bring imbalance to light by mentioning obama. care to give anderson some idea of dr. paul's exposure? what a sham? go sox! – sure glad i got rudy's take on that...
Actually, the "there is one America" thing is practically Obama's trademark, because it was the high point of his keynote address at the 2004 democratic convention.
I think this shows that Obama could win over a lot of Republican support because people of both parties generally like him. When I talk about politics to people I know, conservatives generally start hissing and freaking out about Hillary, but they say they could accept Obama.
Yes absolutely because Obama is probably the one candidate that a lot of Republicans respect. Obama understands how to build consensus and not use the tired old cliches that divide people into red vs blue.
The Republicans cannot mention the name of the person that they cannot beat in the general elections and so what they do is promote Hillary who has a lot of did and skeletons in her closet well protected by the classified Clinton Memoires. Obama has no faults and so they have no grounds on which they can attack him. However they can promote the name of the person they want to fight with hoping that she wins the Democratic nomination and then they can easily start a better version of Swif Boat veterans for truth. She has flipped a lot on so many things and there are many mistakes hanging over her shoulders. Sometimes she cannot answer a question but want to let. I feel Hillary is good as a baby sitter who would console the baby and give it whatever the baby ask for whether or not the child needs it. American should be careful because we do not need a president who will leave a press conference without giving answers on tough issues to go consult the husband and come with answers only 3 days after. Hillary is a synonym for high uncertainty. The husband set in motion the destruction of America with NAFTA and Free trade with China and now she want a chance to sign the death Certificate of this great civilization
They don't care about Obama. They can beat him easily. All these candidates are experienced than Obama with strong record. Obama said himself he doesn't have record.
Because neither one of them think that he is a threat to them. Why promote him in vain? He is a loser anyway.
Would you attack the man you want to run against, I wouldn't. The Republicans would make mince meat of an Obama candidency.
Their afraid of Hillary that's why they keep attacking her.
Hilary is a punching bag.
Not only did Clinton get mentioned several times, half the candidates made her the "star" of their 30-second video spots. Why? Do they assume she will win or do they do it because they know their fellow Repubs hate her? They can make the devil out of her.
One of Obama's better qualities is that he doesn't carry around so much negative baggage. I hope Dems realize that Obama can win the general election.
Maybe they are afraid what Obama will say. Look at how Hillary made several comments regarding his inexperience vs her experience and look at how he responds. I mean if he didn't ask how would Hillary would enforce her mandate for health care, we probably would go along – Health care for all, that sounds nice, but he pointed that out, and we have to sit back and look at the situation again. Everything he says makes sense to me, whereas I have to decipher what Hillary is trying to convey through her message. I mean the woman can say a lot and yet saying essentially nothing, whereas Obama adds a lot of substance when he speaks. In fact, I learn a bit more each time he speaks, same as Biden, and Kucinich.
Another possibility why Obama's name didnt' come up could be ... they are afraid of being labeled 'racist' if they attack him.
You Obama supporters will say anything out of your mouths in support of your candidate...I don't know why Obama wasn't mentioned, I have my opinion, but I know for sure it had nothing to do with they respect him so much or they are so scared of him that they wouldn't mention his name...but believe what you want , but you'll be in for a rude awakening if he wins the Dem nod if you guys truly believe that stuff. I doubt you really do.
Of course Osama Obama was not mentioned...why should he have been. Even brainless Republicans can recognize a loser and not waste time or energy trying to defeat the irrelevant.
They ignored President Bush as well as
Obama. However, they managed to mention
Sen. Hillary Clinton and former President Ronald Reagan. Duh! they had to mention the democratic front runner!
Were they not? She is not the perfect candidate(by the way, who is? Obama? Come on !) It can't enter in my mind that an inexperienced candidate like him can face our country's problem: 12 trillion dollars deficit; a very frangible dollar (so weak that China actually doesn't accept our currency; trillions dollars sub prime deficit; recession knocking our door;Iraq war; $100 oil barrel; 3,50 gas.Honestly,I hope she does not win this election! Only one president is not enough to solve and resolve so much. I would've never accepted this terrible will from Bush !!
The candidates should be at the debates to talk about what THEY will do for the country. why does it surprise CNN that no one talked about what there democratic rivals would not do ?
Who is Obama? Nobody cares!
He is not winning. He represents no threat to the republicans.
They dont want to give Obama any more momentum. He's riding a wave right now and they all see and now it. Obama is leading all of them in the polls so if they continue to mention hillary. there chances at winning the election is even greater. Common knowlege at this point isnt it?
I think they feel he's too easy of a target and they didn't want to waste their time. They also didn't want to isolate any black voters or other minorities.
Obama was not mentioned because the Republicans know he will not get the nomination after all is said and done. To believe the Republicans are afraid of Obama, who has only been the Senate a short time is laughable. The Republicans are trying to weaken Hillary as much as they can before the general election.
I suspect they didn't mention Obama because he could very likely be the Democratic nominee. . .and he could likely win! I hope!!