The abcNews/Facebook/WMUR9 Manchester Debate from New Hampshire

(Transcripts of the New Hampshire Debate are here [Republican] and here [Democrat])

Republican Half
I managed to catch the debate by watching the stream from WMUR9, the ABC affiliate in New Hampshire. As the streaming was playing up, I'm not sure how far along the Republican debate was. There were personality clashes all around, and as my Internet finally got into gear, I got the tail end of an argument between Ron Paul and Mitt Romney discussing the United States' foreign policy.

Paul opined that the reason that countries in the Middle East hate the US is not related to freedom, but to troops being present within their borders. Romney hit back, suggesting the Texan should research what a radical jihad is, as it was in his view a wish to destroy the United States, regardless of whether it was involved in foreign operation or not. All the Republicans rounded on Paul at this point.

The debate then moved to immigration, and the various methods of dealing with illegal immigration. Giuliani said he did not wish to deport the parents of children who were enrolled in NY schools while he was Mayor, because he didn't want children on the streets, it would be inhumane. McCain clashed with Romney for his attack ads in misrepresenting his alleged amnesty for illegals. In concluding this section, Romney reinforced that all the candidates believed in legal immigration, and this should not be confused with the former in a scare campaign.

At some stage, Fred Thompson was asked his opinion on the profits on oil companies, and if he would tax them to redistribute some of this. He stunned me with a clear "No". There was an opportunity for a lengthy diatribe on corporate America, but he wisely let it slide. He did remain silent during most of the debate, without injecting himself, or asking for additional speaking rights unless he was asked a question. He was good humoured though. He doesn't look like a winner at this stage. The price of oil was discussed, and I forget which candidate said it, but it was something along the lines of:
America needs to become energy independent, and every time with fill out from the bowser in the petrol forecourt, we may as well be sending cheques to extremist regimes.

McCain had a prepared a one liner/barb/smart Alec comment/joke (delete as appropriate) painting Romney as the candidate for change. This is certainly with regard to his changing stances on abortion and gun control for a start. I didn't hear anybody in the audience laugh, and Romney looked the more statesmanlike for ignoring the comment and asking for a real debate on the different policies of the candidates. Health care also figured, with the candidates refusing to offer government subsidised universal coverage. Mike Huckabee didn't quite hit his strides when it came to his economics, and his tax reform plan.

The tail-end of the Republican debate looked like a round of Fast Money, as the candidates made the most of the allocated time, and looked to score big. Few did, and cacophony reigned. As I read somewhere, the debate looked more like a squabble between family members, concerned they should keep major disagreements within the (Republican) family so as not to embarrass them.

(R) Winner
I'd score Romney the clear winner, for his calm under the fire of Huckabee and McCain, while still appearing natural. The losers were McCain for his childish attitude and Huckabee for not scoring on the opportunities he had. Thompson and Giuliani don't look like winners, and Ron Paul...well he'll continue being Ron whether he withdraws or not.

Half Time
At the half time break, the Republican Candidates stood up and shook hands, before being joined onstage by the four Democrats (Clinton, Obama, Edwards & Richardson), something I haven't seen before. So, it was all change at the break, as the Republican audience had to be shifted out and the Democratic moved in, and the stage reconfigured to seat four. It was a slightly surreal moment, as we sometimes forget that despite policy disagreements, many of the candidates being US Senators past and present have worked together. I don't think this warmth was faked.

Also, Charles Gibson was the moderator from ABCTV and he asked questions (of both sets of candidates) on national issues; whereas Scott Spralding, the political editor from the Manchester based WMUR-TV, asked questions that drilled down to the locale. The question from Spralding on letting tax cuts for higher incomes lapse was put in the context of two Professors teaching at St. Anselm College, where the debate was held. This kept the candidates on their toes.

I haven't seen much of Bill Richardson this campaign; he was punching above his weight on air. The only candidate who is a member of an executive branch (current New Mexico Governor) as well as the only one who has held a cabinet position (Energy Secretary under Bill Clinton). His pleas sounded a little desperate though, as he was always emphasising his difference of experience from the other candidates, rather than necessarily putting his own point forward. He was also mockingly offended when Charles Gibson 'forgot' to include him in polling results.

Hillary certainly didn't come across as natural. From the time she was first on air till her first question, she carried an almost robotic smile, one that said: "I know people need to see me smile, and I'm smiling". It didn't come across as natural confidence, perhaps pointing to the pressure recent polls have been weighing on her. The camera cuts to Chelsea (same robotic smile!) didn't help.

She also failed to respond directly to questions, saying mockingly that she was hurt by the presentation of polling in terms of likeability. She repeated, almost annoyingly, that what people were getting was 35 years of experience in administering change, and change was definitely a work that permeated both debates! She talked of her successes, and took umbrage at Obama for suggesting that words were inspirational, it was actions that actually mattered. Obama rightly took her to task with his simple and clear rhetoric.

Obama was genuine, carrying on his wish for the classification of politics to cease being horizontal (Liberal/Conservative, Democrat/Republican) to being vertical, with leaders being more accountable and answerable. He claimed that he had awakened a new class of people who would not have otherwise participated in this election, and that he would be able to heal America from their division of Red and Blue states. He batted off the criticisms that were earlier offered by Republicans about what weaknesses they would attack if they found themselves in a Presidential Race against Obama. Barack said he was not surprised, and this was straight out of the GOP playbook, hoping that people would make up their own mind.

John Edwards was the surprise packet for me. His accent does get to me sometimes, but when the question of health care came up, he passionately spoke up for the work he had done (with Obama interestingly enough) in ensuring that lobbyists in Washington were transparent in their hospitality toward Members of Congress, and described how his father and mother were the epitome of America's middle class, going to work at the mill every day so he could attend college, and that this was their election (the middle class, not parents). He also claimed that Washington was broken, not just in the Congress and White House, but the city itself. DC remained beholden to the aims of special interest groups who still have a lot of power. He said that he had fought against them before, and it was not easy, but the difference was that the fight was personal.

(D) Winner
Barack romped it in, appearing very much the statesman. When asked (last) if he would like to take back anything said during any previous debate, he said that there was always things he wanted to improve. He turned it into a beautifully multi-partisan statement among all Democratic candidates: that there is a marked difference between the Republican and Democratic debates, and that is something for all Democrats and their supporters to look forward to. Close to perfect.

(D) Runner Up
I expected that Hillary would fill this spot, but it goes to John Edwards. His passionate zeal and support for 'his' middle class stands him in good stead, and he projects an aura of compassion and care, while Hillary appeared too cold and ruthless. He had the intestinal fortitude to lay deaths at the feet of the health insurance companies, and excoriated them for their refusal to pay the medical fees of patients supposedly insure. His battle on health care alone makes him extremely viable for either spot on a Democratic ticket.

The Rest
Hillary must really be starting to worry now, her performance was not without weight or substance, but she looked a little out of her debt while making her sex as potential President to be a portent of massive change. Obama didn't mention his own origins. Hillary appeared a touch robotic and frisky when grilled on her record. Defensive even. I've already discussing Bill Richardson above, he'll have to score well in these early primaries to make it through.

So that's it, the next debate is the Fox News debate among Republican Candidates, with the controversy over the exclusion of Ron Paul from the Debate leading to the NH GOP withdrawing its sponsorship.