Pundits Praise Joe Biden at New Hampshire Debate

[Omaha Steve]

Run time: 01:11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxgETWG3wpU   Posted on YouTube: June 04, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: June 05, 2007 By DU Member: Omaha Steve Views on DU: 996

 
Joe Biden earned high marks from commentators and Democratic strategists for his second straight strong debate performance. Last night during the Democratic Presidential Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire, Senator Biden exhibited strong leadership, showed a command of the issues that Americans care about most, and emerged a clear winner, as you can see from comments below.

Pre-debate

CNN Anchor, Lou Dobbs: "The fact is Senator Biden has been the only one -- see if you agree with me -- who has really laid out some detail about what he thinks should transpire in Iraq."

Democratic Strategist, James Carville: "Right. He does. He's got the clearest answer on Iraq."

Democratic Strategist, Robert Zimmerman: Joe Biden does have the credentials, does have experience. He did well in the last debate. He's a very skilled debater. I think he's in a position where he really can stand out.

Post-Debate

"Senator Biden had another good night."
- James Carville, Democratic strategist

"I don't think there was anyone who broke out, with the possible exception of Joe Biden. I thought Joe had a very good command of the issues. I thought he made a very good point in terms of supporting the supplemental appropriation for the troops. I thought he gave a very good explanation, sound, truthful explanation. We'll see what happens and see if he gets a bump out of that."
- J.C. Watts, former Congressman

"I thought Joe Biden was on fire. He came in tonight knowing he had to move a little bit up front on the second tier and I think he did himself very well. Overall, I thought all the top tier candidates did well and Joe Biden in the second tier.
- Donna Brazile, Democratic strategist CNN

"By and large Joe Biden had a very, very good night."
David Gergen, U.S. News & World Report Editor-at-Large
CNN, Post-Debate analysis, 6/3/07

6th to 1st at WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire
28 registered Democratic or Independent respondents participated in a dial test focus group conducted by WMUR on Sunday night. The focus group graded the candidates as the debate progressed and here are some of the highlights of the poll: "The New Hampshire respondents studied in tonight's dial test focus group provided insight into the candidates' performance and their assessment of their ability to lead the nation. Hillary Clinton, Joseph Biden and Barrack Obama appear to have gained the most in tonight's debate." Later: "Another successful performance was given by Biden who gained thirteen points and moved in the rankings from 6th to first place among tonight's focus group participants. Biden received the strongest gain among women."
WMUR-TV, "Real Time Response: Who's Gained from Tonight's Debate?" 6/3/07
http://www.wmur.com/realtimeresponse/13435363/detail.html

CNN Debate Scorecard
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/debates/scorecard/results.html
Chief Political Correspondent Bill Schneider, Democratic strategist James Carville, and former Congressman JC Watts graded the candidates on various criteria at the end of the debate along with CNN viewers. The results show Biden was one of the candidates to pull away from the pack last night:

Who seemed to know most about the issues?
- All 3 commentators and Viewers voted Biden Who had the best one-liner or comeback?
- Watts voted Biden Whose performance was most surprising?
- Schneider, Carville and Viewers voted Biden Whose campaign got the biggest boost from the debate?
- Watts also voted Biden

In the news today

"There no big winners last night, but there were two figures who managed to stand out on a stage cluttered with candidates: Barack Obama and Joe Biden... Of the second tier candidates, it was Biden's night. Biden was forceful -- and funny -- about letting gays and lesbians serve openly in the military. The candidate who seemed most knowledgeable about foreign affairs, he also spoke powerfully and passionately about establishing a no-fly zone to help end genocide in Darfur. Like Obama's, Biden's was a performance certain to win him some notice."
- Scot Lehigh, Boston Globe columnist
Boston Globe, "A night for Obama and Biden," 6/4/07
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/04/a_night_for_obama_and_biden/

"If your name isn't Clinton, Edwards or Obama, it's tough to break through in these debates. Biden has now done it twice in a row thanks to a willingness to insert himself into the back and forth on almost any issue. Biden cast himself as a pragmatic politician, refusing to make promises or pledges to voters that can't be kept."
- Chris Cillizza, WashingtonPost.com
The Fix, "2nd Democratic Debate: Winners and Losers," 6/4/07
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/06/2nd_democratic_debate_winners.html

"Biden displayed his knowledge of global affairs as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee."
- Beth Fouhy, Associated Press
Associated Press, "Analysis: Leadership in Debate Forefront," 6/4/07
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEMOCRATS_DEBATE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-06-04-09-32-00

"On Darfur: That answer, his credibility, his foreign policy experience and the passion that he brought to that answer, is exactly why Republicans are happy right now that he's not the frontrunner, because when it comes to the global war on terror and foreign policy issues, it's hard to keep up with Joe Biden."
- Scott Spradling, New Hampshire Public Radio
New Hampshire Public Radio, "New Hampshire Presidential Debate Wrap-Up: The Democrats," 6/4/07
http://www.nhpr.org/taxonomy/term/15001

"Joe had a great night last night. Some folks say he was yelling. I think what he is trying to figure out, "What is my niche?" He was very honest. He said, "Look, we can't end the war. We need 67 votes." When he talked about earmarks. When he was so passionate about those dying in Sudan. I think what his role is really going to be is sort of the John McCain role and that is, he is going to be Mr. Straight Shooter, Mr. Personality. That's where he can excel really; challenging the other candidates."
Roland Martin, WVON Radio broadcaster
CNN American Morning, 6/4/07

"Press and pundit reactions vary, but most agree that this was the night of the front runner with the possible exception of Joe Biden who gave the most impassioned answers of the night."
- Justin Miller, Real Clear Politics
http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2007/06/the_daily_2008_60.html

[kenfrequed]

1. And this my friends is why Pundits cannot be trusted

With the exception of the tough stance on Darfur, which I actually agreed with him about He was not that fiery or interesting.

He carefully tried to soften himself in the details when it came to Iraq while talkign tough and castigating the left and anti-war elements of the Democratic party. The pundit-o-cracy is pumping up this guy artificially (and without any consideration as to the American people).

The conservative pundits think that it gives cover to the New-and-improved/business-as-usual Iraq policy that the Democratic Pundits already seem to favor Hillary and are positioning her as the 'centrist candidate' by pumping up Biden as the miltary-tough candidate. This is despite the fact that he has no military experience.

Don't buy this stupid hype.

As a side note it is Curious that only Gravel has had any military experience amongst the Democratic candidates. And we all saw how disrespectfully Blitzer treated him.

[19jet54]

2. Smokin' Joe

I thought he did very well. He sounded commanding, practical and realistic with out the "Whack Job" comments of some of the others. There is "pie in the sky" and there is "the food on your plate" - Only Hillary, Barrack & Joe didn't sound looney tunes to me! The rest were grasping at straws that don't exist.

[kenfrequed]

4. Of course

Of course he sounded "commanding and realistic." He as much said he was being realistic. And of course we always respective the dismissive for some odd reason. The real problem is that most of those that were dismissed by Bidens utterly idiotic comments just happened to have been right about the Iraq war in the first darn place.

Should we dismiss them again without actually thinking about what they are saying? I understand people having already picked their boring, centrist, corporate friendly candidates. But shouldn't we actually listen to the people up there that might have prevented the Iraq debacle if only to stop another conflict from arising that will kill more of my friends and relatives?

Biden never served. What the hell does he know?

Hillary and Barrack were trying to be as broad, inclusive, and non-specific as possible in order to maintain their leads.

As to the apparant 'looney tunes' of the rest of the candidates I would suggest that had this been an actual debate the sound you would have heard would have been a few clock buzzers going off and a moderator that wasn't trying to be the media personality he is the rest of the year.

[19jet54]

8. Yep

It was pretty much a joke!

And, none of them are Vets except Wes Clark & Al Gore and they weren't there?

Least of the evils is usually what we get to vote for anyway?

All I know is a vote for anything but the Democratic Candidate is a vote for the GOP, and I have had a belly full of those freaks!

[kenfrequed]

9. uhm actually

Gravel was in the military.

[19jet54]

12. Thanks!

I stand corrected, he was an Army Spook!

[KG]

3. speaks volumes when you get high praise from the likes of carville, brazille, watts, dobbs & gergen

sounds like he'd be a shoo-in for the repooks :eyes:

[kenfrequed]

5. Oh certainly

Well we should certainly listen to who J.C.Watts likes, I mean why would a republican ever tell us a lie about what candidate is best?

And Carville? If we had listened to him instead of Dean would we even have the majority we do now?

Biden's numbers are certainly lower than those of Kucinich but he was given thumbs up and a pat on the back by the pundit pond scum.

[TheFarseer]

6. I think Joe did well also

he said alot of things that were true that other people simply weren't saying. Unless you want to say say he looked a little angry, I have to say he did the best. I wish my guy would have done that well.

[graywarrior]

7. Yep, we'll soon see him on The Actor's Studio.

[FreedomFromLies]

10. So So Joe...

I think Joe did an ok job. With that said, I still disagree with his vote on the funding. There is billions of dollars in the pipeline. The troops will have the protection they need. We need to protect our troops by taking them out of this civil war. He was wrong on that vote.

[cooolandrew]

11. Joe isn't my cup of tea. Kucinich was the one that told the absolute truth..

... Kucinich for me out shone even Gravel in the debate. He made it clear what is best for America and that the top candidates will maintain more of the same. While Kucinich is reaching for a whole new america, respectful and respected in the world.