What do you think of the first half of the debate? (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina (CNN) - The first half of the debate is over - here's a few observations:
Obama was largely on the defensive for the debate's entirety. It's a role he's unaccustomed to, and at times he looked shaky and off his game - especially on the health care debate when both Hillary Clinton and John Edwards hammered him on not mandating coverage for everybody.
But he ended on a high note on one of his key issues: Iraq. He brought home the costs in a much more effective way than the other two candidates.
Clinton looked strong on health care - she made clear she's been through the fight before, and spoke authoritatively on how to healthcare passed. But her early squabbles with Obama may have turned viewers off immediately. It's unclear if she was able to win them back.
Edwards was strong throughout, though he's still struggling to be heard over Clinton and Obama. He appeared to take the high road when both of them got bogged down in petty back and forth, and seemed to successfully sharpen his differences with Obama. Viewers will likely give him a second look.
Related: Watch the candidates debate health care
– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
To boogie in L.A.
Are you kidding ??????
Are you serious ??????
The Clinton's are tearing up the democratic party – they are dividing
by race and gender and slinging mud at one of their own simply
to garner power – They remind me of Gollum In lord of the rings
ringing his little hands sighing for his "precious".
I am a registered Republican – who is fired up and ready to go for Obama
because he is intelligent, charismatic, tough, and most importantly he
has a heart for the people. In short he is authentic!
I voted for GW in his first election and for Kerry the next time. Bush cured me permanently and opened my eyes to the fact that they are only for the corrupt
and elite rich.
If Obama Loses the primary I could NEVER vote for Hillary who supported
NAFTA with Bill.
And my friend, I now know many democrats who will sit out this election
if the Clinton's win the peimary and have sabotaged the first viable black presidential candidate – How black does Bill look to you now.
Please do not let these dividers back in the white house, America!
The world is watching, do the right thing and vote for the leader whose time has
come! BARACK OBAMA
Obama did great during the debate but I must applaud Edwards for holding his own in the arena. Clinton did seem whiny at points but she is being true to form.
Obama should focus on not allowing himself to be drawn into "heated" debates with Sen. Clinton because the American people, no matter how two faced, seem to look down on politicians who defend themselves too strongly, according to the news media (just add a grain of salt). The next administration is going to have to look a lot of tough problems in the face and not squirm. We want to see these issues debated.
I think its terrible that these debates have to wait until election year when these are congressional hall debates but all of the politicians are being too fake during congressional sessions to really have it out like they should about real issues. Simply, I'd rather see heated debates in Congress with ALL lawmakers present and voting. If we could get one week of solid CSPAN debates complete with up to the minute blogs I'd be satisfied with my participation in the democratic process.
I say we need to mend the democratic process in evolutionary progress and frankly I don't want another son of the south or a former first lady to be at the helm of that process.
Kudos to all the candidates and may the best candidate win.
Voting present does not post-pone a bill for further information. The yeas/ neas are counted, bill either passes or does not. Voting present is a hem- haw and nobody does that better than Obama, gees, I don't know maybe yes or no. Can't we all just get along.
Edwards – consistent
Clinton – aggressive & disigenuous – speaking too much to hard core fans (see blogs above) – lost for that reason
Obama – forced on defensive some of the time, but always sensible and on message – clear winner overall
Mrs Clinton had her chance at Healthcare and did not accomplish much. What is so impotant to keep Clinton's records under cover until 2012?.
Give me a break. How is it petty back and forth when someone keeps lying on you. Defending yourself in this country has never been a petty past time. Obama can't afford to allow blatant distortions of the truth to go unchecked. Aren't you supposed to set the record straight in a forum where people are learning your beliefs and intentions? I'm sorry, there is nothing petty about taking a defensive stance to protect your record and beliefs when people are going to be electing you because of it.
Hillary should stop lying about her own experience. Living in the white house doesn't mean you can be president. Where's this experience changing things. She had 8 years to get the health care system hammered out and SHE FAILED! What legislation has she successfully passed? She got 9000 kids some health care? What about Obama getting 100,000 people health care.
She doesn't care about me. She just wants to be able to say she was the first woman president, the FEM BOT. I'm a black woman, who supports Obama not because of his race but because his ideas on many topics reflect my own. We need a fresh page and Hillary isn't it. She's too stained and polluted. And I don't think she'd receive any respect on the world stage. I couldn't stand her as first lady and I might just move to Canada if she becomes president.
I am a African American Male. Up until last night I was an Obama supporter. Trying my best to keep race and gender from being an issue to sway my vote. But, after the remarks made by Obama about letting me see Bill dance I couldn't help but think what a racist remark. I have been watching this Demorcratic race closely and somehow I don't see the same things that the media keeps putting out. They continuely say that Clinton attacks Obama, but when I watch the debates and the commentarys from the candidates I see more attacks coming from the Obama camp than the Clintons. I don't blame Bill for standing up for his wife. Oprah is standing up for Obama. I wonder does she really think Obama has what it takes to run this country of ours or is she doing what CNN reported about. Deciding to vote her choice on race and gender. There is no doubt to me that we are no different than the whites. We do definitely vote for color like they do. So how about us getting by that if we want to have a United really United States. I am undecided now who I will vote for. I am going to set down and give this one considerably thought as to who has our best interest at heart. We certainly didn't have it too bad when Bill was President before. If he has any influence on Hillary then good. Right now at this moment I am sick and tired of all the bickering. Barack and ,SHUT UP! AND DEBATE THE ISSUES WITHOUT LOSING YOUR TEMPERS. You know it would not be bad to see a Clinton-Obama ticket or vice versa. But, for this to happen you two need to unite as this country needs to unite. We are all one people here. LSTS ACT LIKE IT.
I am a African American Male. Up until last night I was an Obama supporter. Trying my best to keep race and gender from being an issue to sway my vote. But, after the remarks made by Obama about letting me see Bill dance I couldn't help but think what a racist remark. I have been watching this Demorcratic race closely and somehow I don't see the same things that the media keeps putting out. They continuely say that Clinton attacks Obama, but when I watch the debates and the commentarys from the candidates I see more attacks coming from the Obama camp than the Clintons. I don't blame Bill for standing up for his wife. Oprah is standing up for Obama. I wonder does she really think Obama has what it takes to run this country of ours or is she doing what CNN reported about. Deciding to vote her choice on race and gender. There is no doubt to me that we are no different than the whites. We do definitely vote for color like they do. So how about us getting by that if we want to have a United really United States. I am undecided now who I will vote for. I am going to set down and give this one considerably thought as to who has our best interest at heart. We certainly didn't have it too bad when Bill was President before. If he has any influence on Hillary then good. Right now at this moment I am sick and tired of all the bickering. BARACK and HILLARY, SHUT UP! AND DEBATE THE ISSUES WITHOUT LOSING YOUR TEMPERS. You know it would not be bad to see a Clinton-Obama ticket or vice versa. But, for this to happen you two need to unite as this country needs to unite. We are all one people here. LETS ACT LIKE IT.
WELL IT IS ABOUT RACE. HOW IS IT THAT ONE INDIV CAN SAY HE HAS TO SEE A WHITE MAN DANCE TO SEE IF HE IS A BROTHER. IF THE TABLES WERE TURNED AND MRS. CLINTON MADE THAT REMARK THE SPARKS WOULD FLY.
IF WE WANT AN ELECTION ABOUT RACE THEN DO NOT TRY AND BE CUTE.
I am a African American Male. Up until last night I was an Obama supporter. Trying my best to keep race and gender from being an issue to sway my vote. But, after the remarks made by Obama about letting me see Bill dance I couldn't help but think what a racist remark. I have been watching this Demorcratic race closely and somehow I don't see the same things that the media keeps putting out. They continuely say that Clinton attacks Obama, but when I watch the debates and the commentaries from the candidates I see more attacks coming from the Obama camp than the Clintons. I don't blame Bill for standing up for his wife. Oprah is standing up for Obama. I wonder does she really think Obama has what it takes to run this country of ours or is she doing what CNN reported about. Deciding to vote her choice on race and gender. There is no doubt to me that we are no different than the whites. We do definitely vote for color like they do. So how about us getting by that if we want to have a United really United States. I am undecided now who I will vote for. I am going to set down and give this one considerable thought as to who has our best interest at heart. We certainly didn't have it too bad when Bill was President before. If he has any influence on Hillary then good. Right now at this moment I am sick and tired of all the bickering. BARACK and HILLARY, SHUT UP! AND DEBATE THE ISSUES WITHOUT LOSING YOUR TEMPERS. You know it would not be bad to see a Clinton-Obama ticket or vice versa. But, for this to happen you two need to unite as this country needs to unite. We are all one people here. LETS ACT LIKE IT.
Coming from an independent: All Democrats are looking pretty bad about now.