- Social Security question for you, Joe Biden. Would you raise the cap on SS taxes so that people who make over $97,500 pay tax on all of their earnings? Yes.
- Hillary Clinton? Let me talk about other stuff. Why would I ever give a yes or no answer to a yes or no question? Hillary refuses to talk about her options until there is fiscal responsibility. Why is she afraid to talk about specific policy points? Is it because Democrats won't like them or because she doesn't have any? She ran and hid on Iran, and she's hiding now on Social Security.
- Richardson would not raise the cap. Russert is pressing him on his idea that we can "grow our way out of this" (Russert's words). Both Biden and Dodd are grinning, they appreciate Russert carrying the ball on this one.
- Edwards: "Specifically, let me be very specific..."
- Dodd mumbling fast again. If it looks like a senator, walks like a senator, and quacks like a senator, it must be a senator.
- Hillary basically says, trust us we're Democrats. I mean, that works for me, but that's not going to fly with most people. She's not going to win without outlining some policies.
- Oh good grief, where are these questions coming from? First a question of whether or not to pass a federal law banning smoking in public places, now a question about whether we should allow states to lower the drinking age. Clearly, this debate has gone on too long. No one is going to go for that. Now everyone is going on and on about the evils of alcohol. What a waste of time.
- Gravel: If they're old enough to die for our country, they're old enough to drink.
- Hillary, is it healthy to have a Bush-Clinton political dynasty? I'll answer this one: No.
- Kucinich makes a joke about his height. Ho ho. What a clown.
- Dodd, would you ban Chinese toys, at the risk of leaving your children without toys for Christmas? Yes. (Wow, I didn't expect that).
- Bill Richardson, would you be the honorary chairman of the boy scouts, even though they hate gays? No. I don't like that answer. I'd like to see the president use that position to help change the Boy Scouts.
- Somehow, Richardson has changed subjects onto the Iraq war and he ended up going way over his 30 seconds. I've said before, there is no way he can answer a question in less than 30 seconds. He cannot do it.
- Mike Gravel wants to build five million windmills over the next five years. Bet Ted Kennedy won't be happy about that.
- Clinton wouldn't rule out nuclear power, "but it's not one of the options that I favor." Good night, take a position. Please, give me a reason to vote for you. Why can't you just answer a question?
- Russert's hypothetical: "We get lucky and get the number three guy in al Qaeda..." What is this, the NBA draft lottery? Can the guy shoot the three?
- I hate these stupid hypotheticals. Russert tries to "gotcha" Hillary by suggesting that the hypothetical about torturing the al Qaeda swingman was from Bill Clinton. Hillary reminds Russert that Bill isn't standing here tonight. Her best moment of the night.
- Gosh, we still have 10 minutes to go. Richardson has gone over his 30 seconds again. One thing I liked about the Fox debates was the little bell that went off in the hall when a candidate's time was up. We could have used one tonight.
- Russert's continued use of BIll Clinton's positions as a battering ram to take on Hillary is getting old.
- Oh boy, the gotcha of all gotchas: Hey you godless Democrats, what is your favorite bible verse?
- Obama: The Sermon on the Mount. (That's Matthew 5-7, if you're scoring at home. Probably doesn't count as a verse). Because it expresses a sense of empathy. Man, did he struggle on that one. He's talking about gas bills and stuff.
- Clinton: The Golden Rule.
- Gravel: The most important thing in life is love. (Not a verse)
- Kucinich: the prayer of St. Francis (not a verse).
- Edwards: What you do unto the least of those, you do unto me. Now that's a Bible verse.
- Richardson: Sermon on the Mount. He's totally cribbing off Obama.
- Dodd: The good Samaritan would be an example of what we all should be like.
- Biden: Christ's warning to the pharisees. I guess I'm going to have to look that one up.
- What the heck? I don't expect these guys to be religious scholars and I certainly won't be voting for or against any of them on the basis of religion, but since they all claim to be Christians, I'd at least expect a little knowledge of the Bible.
Tags: Election 2008 Democratic Primary Bill Richardson Chris Dodd Joe Biden John Edwards Barack Obama Hillary Clinton Dennis Kucinich
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