thursdays debate predictions thread

Hillary plays it safe while trying not to appear too rehearsed, dodges everything she can expertly.

Obama shines while doing the same thing, The TV camera loves him.Scoffs at any mention of inexperience.

Biden Dodd and Richardson attack. these three trying to get in the game while appearing polite.

Edwards is the wild card, his performance will put him squarely in either the top or the
second tier.

Kucinich will be weird and sensible at the same time , a neat trick but in the end meaningless.


Who is Mike Gavel? I hope he's a bomb thrower extrordinaire, just for the theatre of it.

This debate will be niceties between all of them, as it should be this early. Keep pounding the message of the corrupt Administration and all will be well.

I hope that some sparks fly somewhere, otherwise the TV audience will tune out which is bad for all of them, and all of us too.


being labeled as boring is something they all want to avoid desperately.

I think you underestimate Biden, Richardson and Dodds motivation to stir the pot and shake up conventional wisdom, these three have everything to gain and nothing to lose by going after(politely) the top three.These guys want to get in the game and have the skills to do it, if they have their best stuff.

Edwards HAS to solidify his position in the top three, or he won't be there come friday morning.

Dennis K and Mike Gavin(who is this guy?) are the two most likely to do the political equivalent of shooting into the crowd.Biden may too, just cause he can, easily.

How many different ways can Obama point out the he was not in DC during the lead up to the war.

Hillary is the only one who benefits from a giant sing-along.


If at the first commercial break 75% of the viewers switch to Seinfeld re-runs we all lose.
Its a presidential debate, but its also a TV show, never forget that.

for Obama are so high he will be slapped by the press regardless of his performance. The expectations for Hillary are so low she will be perceived as having done well as long as she doesn't fall off the stage. Edwards doesn't do well with this format (my opinion) and probably won't gain much. Richardson is the sleeper and will probably surprise a lot of folks with his knowledge and wit.

n/t

The media will ignore it. The partisans will try to downplay it.

I am no one's supporter so far and have no particular favorite in this debate.

Edwards will wow people with a really solid performance, heavy on both detail and rhetoric. Hillary will be bland but moderately aggressive in keeping with her persona. Obama will still be the charmer of the evening, but won't necessarily live up to the hype, at least in this first debate. Biden and Dodd both paradoxically go for the "only candidate with any experience" mantle, with Biden staying on Iraq as much as he can. Both impress with policy knowledge but are low on flair. Richardson bland but charming, sort of awkwardly personable, and people are generally impressed by his performance, dwarfed though it will be by the top tier.

Because he has a vision, and is not concerned with being careful, like Clinton and Obama, who both will do an adequate job, but not as good a job as the media hype will say. None of the so-called third tier candidates do anything to distinguish themselves, except for Kucinich, and the media will just ignore him, as usual, and Richardson, who will do well, but the media will still call him second tier. (Anyway, I think Richardson is running for Vice-President.)

Just some general questions because This is the first I heard about it. Thank.

it's being held at a college in SC. I don't recall the name of it at the moment.

How far do you think "hope" and "charisma" are gonna get this guy? I like him alot, but he is going to get his ass handed to him when it comes to nuts and bolts. Hillary is the smartest, most experienced, has the best command of domestic and foreign policy. You don't think she and Bill learned from his 8 years in office? They made mistakes , like healthcare and BTU tax, etc, but I bet they learned from them.

I guarantee she will mop the floor with all of them.