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Democratic Debate 2008
KAITLIN BARR EDITOR IN CHIEF KMB738@CABRINI EDU
The Democratic presidential candidates knew they would have to beat up Hillary Clinton if they hoped to stay alive, and in true Philadelphia fashion, the debate at Drexel University on Oct. 30 turned into a verbal brawl.
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NBC anchor Brian Williams tried to open the debate with decorum by alluding to the grand history of Philadelphia: “Philadelphia, the cradle of American democracy, where the founding fathers gathered to declare our nation’s independence and to ring out that news on the Liberty Bell, still proudly displayed here.”
But the debate soon became a six-on-one fight.
Hundreds of supporters, thousands of media –including five Loquitur editors -- and millions of viewers watched as Sen. Barack Obama defended his previous actions, Sen. Hillary Clinton backpedaled in her responses, former Sen. John Edwards bashed Hillary for everything she stands for, and Sen. Joe Biden threw in his sarcastic remarks every once and a while.
Starting out the debate were questions to Obama, who previously told the New York Times that he was going to be a tougher competitor against Hillary Clinton. Obama quickly defended himself by saying, “First of all,
I think some of this stuff gets over-hyped. I think this has been the most hyped fight since Rocky fought Apollo Creed, although the amazing thing is I’m Rocky in this situation.” He was alluding to the fact that some Rocky movies are set in the city of Philadelphia.
Immigration, Iran, the war in Iraq, President Bush’s talk of World War III and healthcare were only some of the topics dis- cussed during the two-hour-long debate. Although most candidates did offer different points of view towards all of these topics, they all did agree on one thing -- President Bush has not done a good job running the United States.
“Everybody agrees up here that President Bush has made a total mess out of the situation with Iran,” Clinton said at one point.
Edwards shortly added, “A lot of us on this stage havelearned our lessons the hard way, that you give this President an inch and he will take a mile.”
According to the Associated Press, some candidates expressed
DEBATE, page 3
