After a tame start, Obama and Clinton spar over words

The overall tenor of the first half of tonight's much-anticipated Democratic debate was summed up by Barack Obama's first comment as he followed Hillary Clinton in answering a question on immigration policy: "Well, this is an area where Sen. Clinton and I almost entirely agree."

Obama also became more spirited in his responses as the immigration issue was hashed over, getting in a well-received dig at the No Child Left Behind education program.

As the debate's second half began, questioner John King launched an effort to change that, asking Clinton about her increasing effort to depict Obama as more style than substance. And the effort succeeded as the issue of plagiarism -- i.e., Obama's recent use of speech lines first used by one of his staunch supporters, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick -- was raised.

Obama dismissed the flap as part of the campaign's "silly season."

But Clinton wanted to engage on the dispute, using a line that obviously had been cooked up in advance.

Lifting "whole passages" from someone else's speech, she said, isn't "change you can believe in" (one of Obama's patented lines) but "change you can Xerox."

The barb didn't play well, at least with those in the debate hall -- it sparked some boos and hisses.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Marks]

I haven't heard "go Xerox that" in a long time. My scanners and printers haven't been Xerox. Scan, print, copy, not using Xerox as a verb anymore.

Go Hewlett Packard that doesn't work.

Go Kinko that, more common.

Zing, her get Obama fell flat. Her plagiarism claim has to include the other party's work being stolen and they don't know it.

On notes speech writers hand Obama, it's easy to say "quote" before getting into the rant. So many speeches and in many places, some manners are lost.

She's made the claim and going to keep repeating the accusation?

It's up to Obama's campaign staff to hand him notes with QUOTE in bigger letters so he can remember to say it.

It belittled her stature making fun of that Texas Senator on Hardball. She can't be saying Obama's done nothing in Congress to him directly.

She tried to infer his followers are Obama juiced on hope and change. They don't know what he stands for and votes for him.

Hillary has to know, many just don't like her and Bill anymore. He's winning streak is proving that.

I don't want Bill having some job to jaunt around on Air Force 2 and White House helicopters to anywhere he wants to go.

I don't want him in the Oval Office again, unless he's just visiting.

He has to accept the First Lad role and all it stands for. Roles of First Ladies, that's his job.

If he doesn't take those duties why would future First Ladies or Lads, have to do it?

A future First Lady says she wants to roam around the world promoting policy decisions or takes a job at the State Department.

There is a defined role for spouse of the President. Bill would set a new standard what a First Lad role would be.

Why mess with traditions, vote Obama!

Bill can still jaunt around the world supporting American policies but his supporters or himself has to pay for the flights. Keep his Mr. President title too.

He doesn't want to be labeled "Laddy"

It's too odd a former President can influence the current President as a spouse. He has a role in White House policy and talks to Congress.

That would weaken the Vice President's office. Bill should run as her Vice President already! Or is that too close to a third term if she is incapacitated?

Bill's role in President Hillary's White House would be problematic because he wants to keep his stature as a former President.

A former Senator or Governor Husband, that's no problem. There can be a future Lady President.

[believe]

Hillary Clinton sounded like and looked like a programmed joke. The cheap shot was stale. It sounded written for her. It showed that she is not a big enough person to move on. When asked to describe "the moment in time that you were tested most", Obama was concrete. His response was that he has been tried and what he has gone through is what a lot of people can identify with. He showed that he came through his "tested" time in life and he is now prepared to help others as POTUS. I got it! Hillary provided no personal test that she, herself, has gone through. She answered that everyone knows what she has gone through and then she goes into someone else's suffering. She left what she has gone through to the imagination. What is she talking about? Her husband's infidelity 16 years ago? She mention the soldier having "his" face blown off. She rambled. What she said was just an attempt to conjure up emotions for the moment. What faith? The connection to the public people to tilt the scale for her was lost. Her having the last word gave the impression that the standing ovation was for her and what she said. It was just the end of the Debate!! No more debates are needed. The same things have been said over and over. Coming back to the table for cheap shots and coached words is a waste of time. I feel sorry for Xerox! Poor Xerox caught up in a need to take a jab. She sounded as if she was conceding. 11-0 is not a good place to be for her. She really didn't put up a fight! Empty jabs. A true Warrior is needed! Not Hillary. Not now. Momentum trumps cheap shots.