December 04, 2007
NPR Democratic Debate: Can't We All Just Get Along?
Tired of the politics of presidential debates? NPR to the rescue! Teaming up with Iowa Public Radio, NPR News had scheduled two back-to-back primary debates this week in the Hawkeye State, exactly one month from the first-in-the-nation caucuses. But due to scheduling conflicts with several of the GOP contenders, NPR had to cancel the Republican event originally slated for yesterday. That's a shame, considering the raw deal the candidates got from their CNN/YouTube debate last week. (NPR says it is working with the candidates to reschedule for early next year.)
This afternoon, the Democratic contenders will assemble in the snow-covered plains of Des Moines as scheduled to discuss the issues with Robert Siegel and Michele Norris of "All Things Considered" and Steve Inskeep of "Morning Edition." The last time the Democratic field gathered on the debate stage in Iowa, they spent much of the time discussing exit strategies for Iraq and questioning Barack Obama's readiness for the White House. Since then, however, the tone of the race has changed dramatically, with the campaigns becoming increasingly aggressive, particularly against front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton.
In just the past week, Clinton's camp criticized Obama for wanting to become president since he was in kindergarten, and the junior senator from Illinois responded by setting up a Web site chronicling and fact-checking Clinton's attacks. The move from policy papers and reasoned debates to increasingly personal attacks and retaliations is unfortunate, considering that many voters (yes, even in Iowa), may just be settling down to make their decisions now that the race is in its final throes. Here's hoping NPR's moderators bring the conversation back to the issues that matter to voters.
A new Iowa Poll shows caucus-goers "in both parties share a common thirst for more information on bread-and-butter topics like tax and trade policies and Social Security," the Des Moines Register reports today. Democrats specifically cited health care and the economy as top concerns.
And speaking of polls, Clinton's slip in recent statewide surveys means all eyes (or ears, as it were) will be on her and the current Hawkeye State front-runner -- Obama. But if those two continue sniping at each other, they run the risk of sending negativity-adverse Iowans into the comforting arms of second-tier candidates like John Edwards and Bill Richardson.
Iowa Public Radio's Connecting Iowa blog has details and a list of stations on which the debate will be broadcast live from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. NPR has a preview of some listener-submitted questions and a preview of this afternoon's proceedings.
The Gate will be listening to the debate and will post a recap and analysis later this afternoon.
Posted at 11:35 AM
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Campaigns, Democrats, WH 2008
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