The ObamaFest Team has once again brought in Rocky Petralia from HelloRocky.com to Liveblog a debate.  His chronicling of January's South Carolina debate set the standard for seat-of-the-pants journalism.  Tonight's (4/16/08) Pennsylvania debate promises to be a dandy. - Nate


Thanks for having me back, Nate.  And speaking of dandies, nice sweater vest.

7:57 - Watching Wheel of Fortune while waiting for debate to start.   The finished the game early and are showing home video of Vanna's cat.  Merv Griffin just rolled over in his diamond-encrusted casket.

8:00 - Charlie Gibson setting the stage.  Introducing candidates.  Applause from crowd.  The seats all have bars - the audience looks like they are seated in a thrill ride.  Hands and arms inside, people.

8:03 - Obama opens.  Struck by decency of Pennsylvania people.  Mentions guy in Latrobe who can't afford gas to look for a job.  I've got an uncle like that, Senator - if you buy him gas he drives to a tavern. 

8:05 - Clinton promises to restore our standing in the world. 

8:05 - First commercial?!?? Four minutes in? 

8:07 - Charlie leads off.  Says candidates appeal to different constituencies.  Quotes Gov. Cuomo who wants candidates to pledge now to take the other as running mate.  Charlie wasn't sure whether to start with an absurd or a banal question.  He went with the banal.  No wonder I haven't watched ABC since they pulled Love Boat.  btw- both candidates dance around the question.  Nice waste of the first five minutes, Gibson. 

8:12 - Gibson brings up Obama's "bitter" quote.  That guy in Latrobe just popped open another Rolling Rock.

8:14 - Senator Clinton says she is granddaughter of bitter Scranton factory worker.  Says she can see why people would be offended by "bitter" remarks. 

8:16 - George Stephanopoulos finally speaks.  Asks Clinton if she thinks Obama can beat McCain.  She dances around the question like Gene Kelly with an umbrella.  George asks again and she says, "Yes, Yes, Yes" but that she could do a better job.

8:18 - Obama says Clinton could also beat McCain.  Adds that he is not condescending to people of faith because he is a person of faith.  And he listens to gun owners.  Early gun pander.  I get the feeling that everybody in Penn. is packing heat. 

8:20 - Clinton says she has 35 year proven record of results.  That means she's been bringing it since '73.  That puts her up there with Springsteen, who btw endorsed Obama today.


"Baby I got my facts learned real good right now..."

8:22 - Charlie now brings up Rev. Wright issue.  I guess Charlie prepped for debate by scanning a People magazine.  Stephanopoulos hasn't looked so embarrased for a colleague since Sam Donaldson got caught taking farm subsidies.

8:24 - Charlie now asks Clinton if she thinks all 8,000 members of Rev. Wright's church should have gotten up and walked out.  She mentions 9/11 attacks were on "her city."  Way to pick up the Guiliani indignation.

8:26 - George follows up on Rev. Wright and how Obama will handle Republican attacks on Rev. Wright.  I guess you play down to your colleague's level.

8:31 - Senator Clinton says Rev. Wright issue deserves further exploration.  Says "as leader's we have a choice who we associate with."  Brings up Farrakhan.  Charlie cuts her off before she can link Obama to Wesley Snipes tax evasion.

8:32 - George says six out of ten voters don't think Senator Clinton is honest or trustworthy.  Brings up sniper fire in Bosnia issue.  George must have read Charlie's People.  Where are the War on Terror questions?  Taxes?  Government waste?  Coal subsidies?  I should be asking questions, not sitting here wearing one sock.

8:34 - Snuffleuphagus asks Obama if he thinks Senator Clinton has been truthful about her past.  Obama says people make gaffes when they are recorded all-day, every-day. 

8:37 - Charlie runs tape of some Pennsylvania broad asking Senator Obama if he believes in the American flag.  Like it's the Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot.  I don't know, all the pictures I've seen of the flag look grainy and doctored. 

8:41 - George brings up some Weather Underground guy who Obama knows.  He is a neighbor of Obama in Chicago and an English Professor.  In not so many words Obama tells George to pull his head out of his ass. 

8:43 - Senator Clinton jumps on this.  Says Obama served on a board with Mr. Ayers.  Says "Republicans will raise this issue" - nice way to excuse yourself for throwing dirt by saying the Republicans will throw dirt.

8:45 - Obama mentions that President Clinton pardoned two members of the Weather Underground.   Well played, Barry.

8:46 -  Charlie says he is getting out of balance.  No shit, Charlie, go back to morning TV and interviewing the cast of Desperate Housewives.

8:48 - Commercial break.  So the first hour goes by without a single question on a substantative issue. 

8:49 - Verizon ad for wireless broadband. Like anybody with broadband would be wasting time watching ABC. 

8:51 -  Video question from Mandy Garber of Pittsburgh.  How do we get out of Iraq?  The scoreboard that tallies Good Questions reads: Mandy Garber 1; Chuck Gibson 0; Snuffleuphagus 0. 

8:52 - Clinton will start withdrawing in 60 days.  No more blank checks for the Iraqis. 

8:54 - Charlie asks her if she is saying she knows more than General Petraus.  She says that "nobody can predict what will happen as we withdraw" so there is no way she can be challenged on this.  I think she just gave herself a blank check.

8:56 - Charlie asks Obama if he really can get us out in sixteen months.  Obama reminds Charlie that the Commander-in-Chief sets the mission and the military executes the mission.  That's how we got in this mess and that's how we'll get out. 

8:59 - George turns to Iran.  Should we treat an attack on Israel as an attack on the U.S?  Obama says job one is to keep nukes out of Iranian hands.  Believes we can offer them carrots and sticks.  Why not just carrot sticks?

9:01 - Clinton talks about creating an "umbrella resistance" that goes beyond Israel.  Which is fine unless it gets real windy.

9:03 - ABC goes to side stage camera angle.  We see a booth above the stage with the "Deal or No Deal" banker. 
9:03 - Charlie puts down phone.  Tells Hillary that previous offer of Vice-President has gone down.  New offer: Secretary of Interior.  Hillary looks up at Gov. Rendell, Chelsea and Wesley Clark.  They are shaking their heads "no".   She declares, "No Deal."

9:04 - George turns to economy - says it's the number one issue on American's minds (which explains waiting an hour to get to it???).  Asks if economy is still weak in a year will she still raise taxes on rich people.  She says sure - people making over $250k will pay more.  Charlie Gibson looks queasy. 

9:05 - Obama says he will cut taxes on middle-income ($75k or less). 

9:09 - Obama says 50 hedge fund people made $29 billion last year.   That guy in Latrobe just switched to boilermakers.

9:10 - Obama believes in pay as you go.  Don't cut taxes unless you're eliminating spending. 

9:11 - Clinton says Bush has been good for rich people, but it was better in the 90's when everybody got lifted up.  Camera pans crowd of bored Pennsylvanians. 

9:12 - Charlie follows up strong on capital gains tax - will you pledge not to raise them?  When not reading People, Charlie has been talking to his broker.

9:17 - Charlie wants to go to a commercial but he brought up Social Security so both candidates have to get in their Social Security talking points. 

9:19 - Commercial Break -  what is this "Divided We Fail" celebrity ad about?  Aw, who cares.

9:20 - Some kid with allergies just sneezed on his mom.  Children's Benedryl ad.  Right, give your kids drugs.  God forbid they should sneeze once in a while.  And by the time that kid turns 40 he's going to need a new liver and not know why.

9:21 - Jamie Lee Curtis pitching yogurt.   "Hell yes, I'll sit on this couch and eat this yogurt that makes me crap."

9:23 - We're back.  Charlie says he would be remiss if he didn't mention one year anniversary of crazy Korean bastard at Virginia Tech.  Axis of Evil, people.  It's real.  Charlie turns to gun control. 

9:24 - Clinton keeps talking about "Mayor Nutter."  The Beavis in me wants to laugh.  Wants assault weapon ban, says cops are outgunned on streets.  My idea: Since you can't take away the assault weapons, give the cops bazookas. 

9:29 - Obama asked about individual gun ownership rights.  Obama says local governments have rights to regulate gun ownership.  Mentions legacy of hunting in America.  Is against criminals and retards having guns.  The criminal thing is a politically safe position, but the retard proposal alienates a lot of Texans.

9:30 - George asks Clinton if she supports D.C. gun ban.  She starts to dance away from question, George makes her answer question, she says she doesn't know the facts. 

9:32 - George does quick shift to affirmative action.  Asks Obama about rich black kids getting advantages.  Obama says he believes in affirmative action, but not quotas. 

9:35 - Clinton against No Child Left Behind.  For lower interest rates on student loans. 

9:36 - Questions coming quick now.  Charlie and George realizing they pissed away the first hour and a half. 

9:37 - Charlie asks about gas prices.  Clinton says markets are being manipulated.  Brings up windfall profit taxes.  Wonder if it would apply to the fifty New Yorkers who made $29 billion?

9:38 - Obama also calls for windfall profits tax.  Wants to raise fuel standards on cars.  Wants alternative energy strategy.

9:39 - George asks Senator Clinton how should would tap into President Bush once he is an ex-President.  She says it would take careful thought.  Obama says he would rather talk to Bush Sr. 

9:40 - Charlie says one more commercial and than a final question.  I wonder if anybody but me is still watching this turkey.  Even that guy in Latrobe has moved on to foosball.

9:41 - Hey!  The Geico caveman!  Wonder who he's going to endorse.  Dollars to donuts it's Nader. 

9:45 - Charlie - "minute and a half each - what do you say to undecided delegates?"  Clinton goes first.  Says she is going to make everybody feel like they are part of the American family again.  "I will tell everybody who listens that I am ready to be commander-in-chief."  She shouts out to the General Clark.  "You know that I will fight for you."

9:48 - Obama - "Americans had lost trust in their government.  I bet on American people being tired of politicians tearing things down....change starts from the bottom up....my bet has paid off, American people have responded in record numbers...."

9:55 - Debate ends.   Time for the "insta-polls" to see who won.  But I already know - the real winners are the those Americans who skipped this dud and watched HSN - btw, I bought Chef Todd English's GreenPans and they rock. 

Thanks Nate!

Rocky Petralia
HelloRocky.com