Debate 21: Round One- Hey, Anyone Have a Life Vest?

When I first looked at the candidates, I swore I saw Fred Armisen and Amy Poehler. But, I digress…

Welcome to out 23,432 installment of better know a candidate. In this segment, we will focus on who holds the anchor. Who ever holds it for the longest, loses. Senator Obama, you held the anchor for much too long in the debate and, you lost.

The questions in debate number #21 were much tougher than recent debates, as were the follow ups. But this does not mean that they were better or address important topics, especially to the voters of Pennsylvania.

The first section focused on the Dream Ticket, Bitter-Gate, Jeremiah Wright, Bosnia, William Ayers (a member of The Weather Underground), and a Flag-Pin, which as you can imagine, these topics favor Senator Clinton. ABC attempted to use snippets of the Constitution throughout. However, the first question showed the futility of this approach and the debate. Moderator Charlie Gibson asked the two candidates about a Dream Ticket, invoking the idea that the Original Constitution stated that the person that received the most votes would be president, the second most, VP. Of Course, this question was predicated on a portion of the Constitution that was amended via the 12^th Amendment. If you don't know the Constitution, don't ask questions based on it.

Here is a recap: The Unity question, at the beginning, flopped and left the candidates with an uncomfortable silence. The moderators hit Obama hard on “Bittergate,” Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers from the Weather Underground, and Flag Pins. Senator Clinton hit Obama hard on these topics, throwing him an anchor every chance she could get. Obama responded, as best as he could, by trying to focus on the issues, which is surprising that a candidate would want to address the issues. When the media asks a question about the patriotism of a candidate, no one wins.

Senator Clinton got hit hard on losing a voter over Bosnia, though she admitted she made a mistake and moved forward. On the downside, she admitted she had baggage and acknowledged that President Clinton pardoned two members of The Weather Underground. On the plus side, she sat back and watched Obama drown, making her case to the Super Delegates through silence. When necessary, she provided good answers. Smart Move.

Obama attempted to argue these questions were just politics as usual and we needed to move forward and out of these petty issues to solve our issues (Iraq, Health Care, Economy). Senator Clinton argued that the Democrats needs a fighter and attacked Obama, showing the Super Delegates that his is unelectable because of Guilt by Association. If this were true, neither can win in November.

End of Round One: The Score (Two points for each question, 12 max)
GOP: 12
Clinton: 8 (Minus for Dream Ticket, Bosnia, and Baggage.)
Obama: 3 (Plus for feistiness, going easy on Bosnia, & surviving; otherwise, it would be a 0)

It will be interesting to see what degree Bitter, Wright, Ayers, Bosnia, & the Flag-Pin continue after this debate. Also, can Hillary use the "Obama can't win argument" any longer as she has denounced it? What about Obama standing up to criticism?

And for the umpteenth time, there will be no Unity Ticket.