Keith Olbermann has become quite the prima donna.

Viewers tuning in a few moments early to the MSNBC debate,
were treated to Olbermann in a psychotic rant.
The righteous posture he adapts to go after right wing criminals like
Libby, Abramoff, and Cheney.

But this was no scandal du jour.  The words of hatred were being hurled
at a law abiding democrat.  Her sin?  Running for public office.
Who in just minutes, would be engaged in a national debate on
Olbermann's own channel.

A worthy democratic candidate being publically stoned
and persecuted.  Why?  Because they can.

I can't comment on the ritual post debate vilification of Clinton,
because I don't have the stomach to watch them anymore.

I was just happy that for the first time, NBC finally conducted a
balanced debate that wasn't calculated to hurt Clinton and throw her
off her game.

There's more...

Here's another thread for the debate.

By the way, Jonathan is Twittering the debate and don't forget to join the MyDD Blog Talk Radio post-debate show.

Update [2008-2-21 21:15:54 by Todd Beeton]:Clinton: their difference on healthcare is not just philosophical, it's substantive. She raised a good point that John Edwards made about not mandating healthcare: it's like making Social Security optional. Obama's response: Clinton will "go after your wages." Clinton channeling Edwards again: "this is personal for me." She's talking about the fact that Obama has a mandate for children, so he's not all opposed to mandates. His response is solid, but he's definitely more on the defensive. Campbell Brown is trying to regain control.

Update [2008-2-21 21:25:36 by Todd Beeton]:Clinton on what she means that she is the one who is ready to be commander in chief: "We have real problems that pose real questions about presidential leadership...When you think about everything that is going to happen, I believe that I am prepared to be ready on day one to be commander in chief..."

Update [2008-2-21 21:25:36 by Todd Beeton]:Obama responds: "I wouldn't be running if I didn't think I was prepared to be the commander in chief." Huh? Hmm, he seems to be proving Hillary Clinton's point here. He's now speaking about his opposition to the Iraq war and framing it as judgment, which is something that is crucial in a commander in chief. "Who's going to show the judgment to lead." He's also talking about part of what makes Bush such a bad commander in chief is his bad judgment. His response as a whole isn't great, but it ended strong.

Update [2008-2-21 21:25:36 by Todd Beeton]:Obama: "The surge is a tactical success imposed upon a strategic blunder." On McCain: "Senator McCain has said he doesn't know very much about the economy that well and it's clear from his embrace of George Bush's policies that he doesn't." Nice.

Update [2008-2-21 21:39:6 by Todd Beeton]:Neither candidate is biting on the superdelegate question. Obama is moving onto something more important: "People want a government that is listening to them again...They want their government back." What an impression to leave with people. Very strong answer.

Update [2008-2-21 21:44:25 by Todd Beeton]:Whoah, well, Hillary Clinton just hit that closing response out of the park.

There's more...

OK, the debate should be starting any moment on CNN or you can watch it online HERE.

Have at it.

Update [2008-2-21 20:32:12 by Todd Beeton]:Barack Obama is wisely raising the spectre of lobbyists and special interests at every opportunity. If he is the nominee, that will clearly be the focus of his campaign against Senator McCain, exploiting his "friendship" with Vicki Iseman whether it was romantic or not.

Update [2008-2-21 20:52:18 by Todd Beeton]:Obama is doing a good job of elaborating on differences between them even where their central position may be quite similar. Clinton is showing no signs of trying to force an error that she really needs him to make. I don't think it's enough for her to simply "beat" him, which she isn't even necessarily doing at this point, because the format of this debate is really advantageous to Obama. A. it allows him to be verbose, which was always his problem in the early debates; and b. whenever Obama offers specifics on issues and is conversant on Clinton's level on an issue, he exceeds people's expectations. So, the question is will she go in for the kill?

Update [2008-2-21 20:58:57 by Todd Beeton]:His solution to fix Washington: "Bring the country together and stop the endless bickering." Yeah, that's the problem with Washington. The audience certainly liked it though. Obama's answer was actually very good, he expressed more passion and personality than he usually does and certainly more than we've seen from Clinton tonight. He is winning this round, if not the whole debate so far.

Update [2008-2-21 21:2:49 by Todd Beeton]:OK, it is on now, she is going after him on the plagiarism thing. "I think if your campaign is about words, they should be your words...Copying whole sections of speeches is not change you can believe in, it's change you can Xerox." Heh. "We need to unite the country around very specific goals." She's saying it's not enough to unite, we have to fight. Now she's the one expressing passion.

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Update [2008-1-31 21:2:33 by Todd Beeton]:Excellent answer from Clinton on her experience. I'd say she's ruling this thing at this point.

Update [2008-1-31 21:8:27 by Todd Beeton]:Nice answer from Barack ripping on Mitt Romney's "return on investment" over the course of this campaign.

Update [2008-1-31 21:8:27 by Todd Beeton]:Barack is doing a lot of self-identifying as a Democrat tonight and ripping on the Republicans, nice to see. Now, he needs to get back in this thing.

Update [2008-1-31 21:34:48 by Todd Beeton]:Obama: making the case, fairly successfully, for president as inspirer in chief.

Update [2008-1-31 21:34:48 by Todd Beeton]:Clinton: president as agent of "changing people's lives." Wow, the "it might take another Clinton to clean up after a second Bush" line got a huge reaction. Have people really never heard that before?

Update [2008-1-31 21:34:48 by Todd Beeton]:In Breaking Blue, Jonaathan says: "Is Hillary Clinton moving to the right on immigration really going to help her on February 5? There are a lot of Hispanic voters in Cali... " I was thinking that as well. The reason I don't think it will hurt her is that Obama isn't exactly playing up his position for driver's licenses. He didn't even mention it at the townhall today when given the chance.

Update [2008-1-31 21:34:48 by Todd Beeton]:Great answer on Iraq from Barack. "I want to end the mindset that led us to war in the first place." Nice swipe at McCain too -- essentially repeating the idea that any Republican would be Bush's third term. In response, Hillary plays the Maxine Waters card.

Update [2008-1-31 21:34:48 by Todd Beeton]:Hillary gave a strong answer on her Iraq vote and on McCain. "Republicans are still committed to Bush's policy. McCain is now accusing me of surrendering. That is a debate I welcome." Nice.

Update [2008-1-31 21:34:48 by Todd Beeton]:Obama is now framing Iraq as a matter of judgment, making a good case that he would be better equipped to go up against the Republican because he never supported the war in the first place. Great pre-emptive argument against Hillary's claim that she is stronger on national security against the Republican, an argument she actually hasn't made tonight.

Update [2008-1-31 21:34:48 by Todd Beeton]:Hillary smartly shifts the question "why don't you just say your war vote was a mistake" to "if I was president at the time we would not have diverted our attention from Afghanistan."

Update [2008-1-31 21:46:50 by Todd Beeton]:Obama: "We need a president who is right on day one." Nice.

Update [2008-1-31 21:46:50 by Todd Beeton]:A note on the spin room, the people poised to spin on behalf of Clinton include Rep. Maxine Waters and the Speaker of the California House Fabian Nunez; for Obama: Rep. George Miller and LA Federation of Labor head Maria Elena Durazo.

There's more...

The 4 remaining Republicans will be debating from the Reagan Library outside Los Angeles beginning at 8pm EST on CNN (streaming live at CNN.com.)

As Atrios says, document the atrocities...

Update [2008-1-30 20:6:15 by Todd Beeton]:Mitt is missing a serious "I feel your pain" moment. He's kissing up to Bush because he knows he needs to be the conservative option. Bush still has a ridiculously high favorability rating among Republicans.

Update [2008-1-30 20:33:6 by Todd Beeton]:Did Mitt really just take some credit for the big dig? And what is up with Janet Hook's question about "big government programs we usually associate with the Democrats." Ah our good ole librul media.

Update [2008-1-30 20:39:52 by Todd Beeton]:I think Mitt scored on the tax cut question. "I have no doubt that Ronald Reagan would have said vote for this tax cut, John McCain was one of two senators to vote against it."

Update [2008-1-30 20:45:47 by Todd Beeton]:McCain: "I would not vote for my own immigration bill if it came up for a vote." When asked for clarification, he punts: "the bill will not be voted on." So much for straight talk.

Update [2008-1-30 20:51:1 by Todd Beeton]:McCain: "Would appoint justices like Roberts and Alito." Not much straight talk when it comes to O'Connor. Romney: "Roberts, Alito, Scalia and Thomas."

Update [2008-1-30 21:0:37 by Todd Beeton]:Mitt Romney: revisionist historian. "Bush was hit with something which completely took his agenda off course, and that was the Iraq conflict...and the attack of 9/11." Freak.

Update [2008-1-30 21:8:26 by Todd Beeton]:Who's winning this battle between Romney and McCain on whether or not Romney was for withdrawal? On the merits, Romney wins, but McCain is being a bully and a jerk but succeeding at putting Romney on the defensive and Anderson isn't giving Romney a chance to get in a word edgewise.

Update [2008-1-30 21:25:39 by Todd Beeton]:So, it will be interesting to see if the media treats McCain the same as they're treating the Clintons for playing old style politics. And along those same lines, I wonder if all the high and mighty folks who declare "oh, I can never vote for Hillary Clinton" yet think John McCain is a paragon of virtue and independence will realize their double standard.

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