6:30 PM ET MON -- Democratic Presidential Town Hall Meeting -- CSPAN

Democratic Presidential Town Hall Meeting
Sheet Metal Workers International Union
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)
ID: 177759 - 08/11/2003 - 2:00 - No Sale



Gephardt, Richard A., U.S. Representative, D, Missouri
Kerry, John F., U.S. Senator, D-MA
Lieberman, Joseph, U.S. Senator, D-CT
Dean, Howard, Governor, D-VT
Kucinich, Dennis, U.S. Representative, D-OH
Sharpton, Al, Presidential Candidate, Democratic Party
Moseley Braun, Carol, Presidential Candidate, D, Democratic Party




Senators Graham and Edwards are not participating in the debate.

---

They're running a bit late....

n/t

Because his plane was late and he could not go in without addressing the 4,000 of us rallying for him on Independence Mall!

Where is the debate!!! *cries*

I beat you by a few minutes.

;-)

:hi:

just checking

:)

Just wondering why graham and edwards arent there.

They return in Sept.

I've updated the original headline to show this change.

Bill Press is the moderator! WOO HOO! :party:

Cool

All white faced in suits.

What's going on?

So I guess it all depends on the makeup of the Union.

I didn't know that. Thanks!

I also saw a black man ask a question earlier.

So smoke em quick if you got em. It's about to start for real now.

Al Gore opened the doors. Kucinich and Kerry came out HAMMERING! Kerry said Supreme Court decided the election. Gephardt is now agreeing with a George Will column, about Republicans staging an attack on the foundations of our government.

HOLY MOSES! I really think Al opened the door for these guys. They are all so far coming out like gangbusters...

Al sharpton says that he wants to Terminate John Ashcroft and George Bush ;) Says we're the victims of a hostile takeover, a "do it again until we win" methodology...

Kucinich and have been hammering away long before Gore gave his speech.

Kerry gave a great answer.

Californians should reject the right-wing attempt to discredit our elections (big time paraphrase)

Go Dean!

Be still my heart.

Sharptons "not only an attack on Democrats, but an attack on democracy" was excellent, too.

That's awesome! He had a great line at the rally...he said "we're taking up a collection for a one-way bus ticket from Washington to Crawford, Texas."

Hahahah go al!

Sharpton definetly had the top response.

it's about who's gonna weed the wargest state in amewica :)

thw w douwble whammy

"Schwartzegger is a fraud. I'm the real terminator. I'm going to terminate George Bush. I'm going to terminate John Ashcroft."

Ashcroft sounded like asscroft.

I think it was intentional...

.

I just said the same thing to my wife. It sounded like "Asscroft" to me.

...after all, he was chairing the Enron investigation, but did squat. Pfft...weak applause...so far I think Kerry's answer had the most impact, Kucinich contained the important point (Enron fraud and Bush friends responsible for criminal acts that have so damaged CA).

Oh, and as usual, Sharptons response had the WHAMMIES...

But did you notice that Dean got the applause line?

He brought in the tax cuts, but you know, I think Kucinich was more on the mark there.

That's a good one.

I only saw the end of the forum because I was at the big rally we had for Dean outside the Constitution Center. What did he say about rebuilding schools?

question what would you do?

Kerry : let me tell you what bush does

Arghhh!!!

Carol definetly surprised me with such a good response!

Kerry eventually did get to the problem but took his time for sure.

Go carol!

Invest in new industries such as environmental protection and technology!

one smart lady!

Way to go gep the best ive ever seen you!

Go Gep

Gep: Are the tax cuts working for you ?
Audience: no !

When he speaks he commands respect, IMO.

"I'm an entrepreneurial Dem... I'll tax the high end.. repeal estate tax... If you liked Clintonomics you'll like John Kerry."

even in the top 3 or 4 of them.

than Kerry, IMO.

Kerry seems like Abe Lincoln next to Dennis the Menace. They shouldn't seat them like that, for DK's sake.

I am not even sure he has said anything yet.

Dean's hair is looking a little frizzy today. Braun has worn that suit too many times.

Less superficially, I hope they narrow this field down soon. I'm getting to the point where, no offense to any of them, there's only a few I want to hear from, and in more depth.

demonstrated the point rather than arguing it. And it made him look popular. Good move.

Oh, wait, let me throw up while Gephart panders to the audience...

ok, now, back to Dean.

Dean gave an intelligent, reasoned response. You can't have tax cuts and have health care for everyone, you can't have taxcuts and have adequate funding for schools...

This guy impresses the hell out of me. Brought up Lay's wife complaining about having to give up her mansion. Said it was insulting.

I love how he's making it personal!

real substance.

Bill press is doing a fine job!

one of the best debates ive seen so far

You cant have free trade without protecting the rights of the workers you are trading with

If al didnt have so much baggage he would be a front runner i think!

He's got to stop this shit. Nobody else does it. It only serves to divide the party.

I am glad that therse people got to respond!

Repeal nafta sounds great but trade does need to be there!

?

Give Dean this Nafta/WTO question!!!!

I am the guy that was willing to stand up for labor when nafta was being created! Against my own president.

Kudos Gep!

He's not even answering questions now.
The answer to "they're taking our jobs" is that immigrants need unions?

Wha?

:puke:

Supported a resolution with war as a last resort, which Bush handled poorly.

Good god, man.

This is what I was talking about earlier. The man is too well in possession of the facts sometimes, geez.

Oops!
Sorry, blm, this should have been a message in the main thread.

I wish she was a more legit candidate. She has a lot of good things to say and she's well spoken.

He didn't say that.

He said I gave the president the power to threaten war to hold Saddam accountable, but Bush was impatient and manipulated facts and rushed into war.

I think it was a fine, statesmanlike answer.

GO KERRY!

So what the hell am I supposed to think of that answer?

Bush rushed AFTER the resolution.

There was a whole six months Kerry could have come out against the war, why didn't he?

Said it was right to view Saddam as a threat, wrong for Bush to abuse the right Kerry gave him by not taking the diplomatic route... for not working with the international community.

Not all of us Dems are isolationist/pacifist. I know I'm not. I would never vote for anyone who is timid on national security or the use of force if necessary.

Really shallow comment, but it's looking good.

I noticed Kerry's hair is a bit smaller and wavier. Looks very good and hip, keep it up Kerry.

I agree!

.

Kerry doesn't seem to be doing as well this debate as I saw him in a town hall meeting?

Anyone else notice this. I'm a big Kerry fan but he is not doing his best I think.

Sharpton on the other hand is going gold!! Mosley-Braun is also impressing the hell out of me.

I think he's the guy.

I mean...geez, come on, the guy sounds AWESOME.

His health care plan sounds like it'll work.

And...he complimented Dean!

How about that!

I think he and Dean are getting the best applause.

when contrasted against the other candidates.

It's his whole persona - his height, the way he looks, speaks, etc.

Kerry is the Lincoln/FDR type stateman personified.

The era of big govt is over, Clinton took us out of the wilderness...

blah blah blah

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The more he opens his mouth the less i like him

I was going to make a main thread on this...
I think it's kind of creepy...as if he's *trying* to make his son's story part of the healthcare issue.


Oh lord, Lieberman's talking about the political wilderness again.

Man. I'm really missing Edwards here. I dunno about some of these other folks. They're kind of scary, LOL.

It shows that he has personal experience in the matter. His son is fine, so it's okay. He brings it up because he talked to people who couldn't get the same care. I think it's a good example to use.

Serious question. (I'm listening to his healthcare answer now.)

(holy joe)

:evilgrin:

Shut your pie hole.

we need to bring grndma home !

"We have to go to the burning Bush and let my people go."

I hope he stays in the race till the end.

OMG

There are too many lines for me to remember...

The Burning Bush (from Lieberman's line about being led out of the wilderness).

Bring Grandma Home and let our people go! (about seniors going to canada to get drugs).

LOL

This guy absolutely rules rhetorically. Somebody sign this guy up as a speechwriter! :D

it as President.

If I'd not known that he thinks it's a matter for the individual states, that's what I would have thought for sure. I would have thought he really supported this thing all the way through.

This is going to be a problem for all of the Democrats next year, the gay marriage issue.

But is it just me or is she getting more time than anyone else?

She's been short-shrifted(read: marginalized) in the past.

wow...met an 80-year old man who served in Normandy and thanked him for the civil unions bill because he was gay.

Dean made a great point about veterans who were gay, serving their country, getting the same rights as everyone else.

Unfortunately, Dean just got a polite applause, nothing overwhelming like I expected (or hoped).

:-)

Dean is having his best debate so far...so is Kerry.

This is gonna be a horserace down to the wire

:)

The most conservative of the rest of them are still extremely liberal in comparison to him.

ABL!

on foreign policy.

connect himself with Clinton-Gore anymore?

I think he's auditioning for Monica II

:)

"Victories" in Afghanistan and Iraq? A little premature, yes?

10 years and no middle eastern oil crutch. That's a goal that needs to be set!

.

...to see so much of their message unified in attacking Bush's misbeggotten administration. With the obvious exception, they are all hammering Bush without mercy. GO DEMS!

Sharpton: I won't put Bush in charge of missing persons, because everything he seeks, he fails to find.

.

Sharpton.

My god. The man is a quote machine.

:)

This man has it!!!

Why can't *my* candidate talk like that?

;(

But dang if he isn't slapping that donkey

If Sharpton was made Press Secretary, he'd piss off the right just like Ari did to us,

"Bush can't find anything he looks for (Bin Laden, WMD, Hussein) except Crawford Texas and I intend to let him stay there!"

:D :D :D

director of the Missing Persons Bureau. He can't find Osama, he can't find Saddam, he can't find the WMD -- all he can find is Crawford, Texas. And if I'm elected president, I certainly intend to let him stay right there!"

Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!

Um...why is he there? Is Frazier a steel worker now?

His haircut makes him look 20 years older.

you were standing in the rose garden with this president suporting the war.

Ouch!

Gep in the Rose Garden...wow!

Pulling no punches here!

lies - "I'm going to have an administration that is strong on Truth!"

omg carol you are so right!

Carol's on tonight, isn't she?

Kerry and Dean are hardly getting ANY face time.

Ok Kerry speaking now.

Braun is on fire!

I'm not sure about her getting more airtime. Gephart seems to be getting plenty as well as Liberman. Sharpton and Braun are also giving memorable comments so I think they stand out more.

Dean seems to be not getting as much airtime though.

Remember hans blix said sadam was not in full compliance


Screw you kerry we know better!

at the time, Saddam was not fully complying.

Kerry, once again, stated his case clearly. You may not agree with it totally, but it's clear to me.

He wanted an international coalition for a number of reasons.

Unfortunately, his Iraq vote is his biggest weakness. Technically he was correct, but Condi also said that *'s 16 words were technically correct, too. Doesn't make it right.

The U.N. Security Council is the final arbiter of Hans Blix's reports.

I'm not so sure that was a good play on his part.... A lot of the anti-war crowd were against those actions as well. That won't help heal Kerry's rift with the anti-war Left. Just because Clinton did it, it doesn't mean that everyone in the Party liked it.

That was Kerry's first bad choice tonight, imo.

but I think he was making the point about not having to get an authorization for congress.

And many people thought the idea of Kosovo was a good one.

haiti, maybe not so much.

like the biggest ass to everyone, including the party base itself. But that line was a bit like someone pulling their nails across a chalk board.

But then again, I'm severly anti-resolution. :shrug:

that resolution pissed a lot of people off, but I do think in his heart, Kerry wanted to do this war the right way and hoped Bush would.

At least, I'd like to think that.

...we're already past that point.

but simply a continuation of his foreign policy philosophy under Clinton.

Kerry was against the Gulf War, but for the 98 strike on Iraq, for Kosovo and for Afghanistan, and for the Iraq Resolution. Clearly his 2002 Iraq vote was a continuation of his foreign policy philosophy -- the Clinton policy which stressed multilateralism. The world wasn't against Clinton. Clinton did the hard work of diplomacy. Bush could care less. Bush abused the power that Congress gave him.

Some may not agree with Kerry, but he is NOT trying to have it both ways, and this was NOT a sudden change in his philosophy simply because he is running for president.

Bush should be recalled for LYING. Bush is a LIAR.

I liked his analogy about yelling fire.

it DOES very much matter if the US puts soldiers in harm's way under false pretexts. (I wish I had the exact quote, but the delivery was thrilling!)

Just war...the Iraqi people are better off...what an asshole.

sorta knocks Kerry, saying Kerry authorized his rush to war.

Hey, it's his opinion.

Braun said it well, too, that Congress punted. Would have been interesting to have Graham there tonight.

He was a little shaky with his answer, though.

crap

Oh is Holy Joe done yet?

BWHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

best line


EVER!

Classic Al!

That was good to see. This was the best debate yet, in my opinion.

until it kicks George Bush out of the White House!

"slap the donkey!" "turn on the voters" Sharpton gave one of the best closing comments I've heard in a debate as well as using sex to sell it. ;)

SLAP THE DONKEY! You wanna move the Donkey, you gotta SLAP THE DONKEY! Donkeys are stubborn. Haha, INDEED! SLAP THAT DONKEY!

This has been a great debate, very unified in message, only a few departures into attacking the other candidates (and those that did only sullied themselves).

he had to follow Sharpton.

That's extremely hard to do and Dean looked flat compared to Al.

Sorry Howard, it wasn't your night.

except for "He Who Must Not Be Named". HWMNBN just looks more and more out of place with each and every debate.

Joey Republican?

We wouldn't want to summon his followers.

:evilgrin:

the minions, the minions!!!

Dr. Dean, you did good, too, but how do you follow "Slap the Donkey"?

Woohoo, Kerry skewers Bush on the jumpsuit show on the aircraft carrier!

Very strong closer from Kerry.

Kerry again comes out looking like a winner in this debate.

Not withstanding Al Sharpton's great zingers.

:)

His number-filled healthcare answer was all jumbled and confused, but his closer was solid. He's improving. (They all are.) Presidential campaigns do help.

He was flat all night.

His answers were good as usual, but his focus wasn't there.

I guess everyone is entitled to a bad night.

Maybe he yelled too much at the rally before the event.

Kucinich seems to be attacking a lot of the canidates by name or not in this debate! Is this usual for him to do?

He sure is p-oed.

When you're not as sharp as Sharpton or as charming as Braun and still trolling the bottom of the pool you have to go negative.

That's Kucinich.

I wouldn't say that. Dennis was within the bounds. I think Lieberman was much more negative.

This is neither tactful nor good for the party. He's being divisive. He may have good points, but it ultimately hurts us.

too bad he's the only viable candidate outside Braun and Sharpton

Don't know about that. Kerry and Dean are the only viable candidates, imho. Dennis makes great points and has a lot of passion, but he simply would not make a good president. He's too idealistic and not very practical.

simple question

and she's smart as a whip :) It's too bad that she was demonized out of the senate :)

Dennis has gone to great lengths to avoid negativity. He is merely calling to the front the obvious differences between him and the other candidates. Nothing negative about that at all.

It is called debating...bringing out the differences so the audience, in Philadelphia and nationwide, can properly assess the candidates. What's the matter? A little scrutiny on positions bother you??

what time?

Later tonight.

that's 7:45 my time :D

with the yellow notepad pestering Dean about his energy policy?

that was funny!

LOL

He was asking Dean percentages. lol I think Dean said he din't have the figure on the top of his head, but would get back to him.

The guy was very serious. lol

C'mon everybody!

SLAP THE DONKEY!!!

touting his environmental record, lol, as he announces a nomination for the EPA.

The contrast b/w him and the Dems before him is pretty startling. He's stumbling over his prepared speech, which he doesn't understand.

And he's shaky, too. In David Broder's ridiculous column comparing Bush to FDR, he cited Bush's "confidence." Bush has always struck me as someone who knows as well as Broder and all of us that he's nowhere near fit for his job.

and I'm smiling. I thought they all did well. I think they all could beat *.

I would like to throw a sop to Joe; I respect him for staying consistent and sticking to his position even when he is out of step with the voters he is trying to court. And, after all, he is our rightful VP. I keep trying to figure out his campaign strategy; he must be counting heavily on our desire to undo the 2000 debacle, and he must think he can pull in the disgruntled repubs. Ah, well. On to more hopeful candidates.

Gep was on and did a good job tonight.

Dean was tired and seemed cranky, but spoke well.

Mosely-Braun and Sharpton...what can I say. I really like both of them every time I hear them speak. Whoever gets the nomination, I want Carol for VP and Sharpton for campaign speech writer.

Kerry...not his best effort. Good responses in some places, incoherent in others. And, just my impression, the underlying message to everything he said seemed to be, "I am the only person up here presidential enough to be president."

Kucinich...I can't offer an unbiased view; he's my guy. He always has the issues; it's presentation. I thought he presented well, and debated civilly. I was not surprised to see him applaud Dean's Iraq response; it fit his position.

All in all, a good showing for the dems!

I live in Chicago, and Carol left behind a whole pile of ammunition for the GOP to play with. No way they'd pick her as VP.

I missed it durn!