Debate heats up in the fight for candidacy

DEBATE, page 1 frustration in that most of the questions were directed towards the top three candidates, Obama, Clinton and Edwards.

Finally, 17 minutes into the debate, Rep. Dennis Kucinich was able to speak. While each candidate was pledging that Iran will never develop a nuclear bomb while they are president, Kucinich said, “With all due respect to our friends from the media here, the media itself has to be careful how you frame these questions. We don’t want to be in a position where we are taking this country to the threshold of war. The media did play a role in taking us into war in Iraq. And I’m urging members of the media – urge restraint upon you and our president, whose rhetoric is out of control.”

The divide between Democrats and Republicans has been in existence since the two parties both formed. Towards the middle of the debate, Brian Williams quoted a point formerly made by Republican presidential frontrunner, Rudolph Giuliani that Clinton can’t be trusted because she’s never run a state, a city or even a business.

Clinton rebutted this criticism by stating that she feels the Republicans are consistently talking about her because they feel she is communicating well what she wants to accomplish as president.

Obama believed differently by saying, “Part of the reason that Republicans, I think, are obsessed with you, Hillary, is because that’s a fight they’re very comfortable having.” Jumping on the bandwagon next was Edwards saying, “I mean, another perspective on why the Republicans keep talking about Senator Clinton is, Senator, they may actually want to run against you, and that’s the reason they keep bringing you up.”

Towards the end of the debate, each candidate received 30 seconds to respond in a lightning round. Although they were allowed 30 seconds, most went well over that time frame, trying to make their last points.

Commentary after the debate talked that Clinton was off her game during the debate. However, she still is in the lead in the polls. In a recent poll done by USA Today after the Oct. 30 debate at Drexel, 50 percent of people said they were for Hillary Clinton, 21 percent were for Barack Obama, and 13 percent were for John Edwards.

38 percent of voters said that the most important issue they’re concerned about is the Iraq war. 18 percent said that health care and health insurance is most important.

Primary elections will begin earlier than in previous years, as early as January. Pennsylvania primaries are later on in the race, not until Tuesday, April 1, 2008. Elections will take place on Nov. 4, 2008.