There was political sparks in the air last night as ABC held the first ever back to back debates of the two major parties, with the Republicans going first, followed immediately by the Democrats. This was an interesting forum, in that it allowed candidates to talk to each other, which made for a more spirited debate, than the normal canned answer type of debates we have been forced to rely on for most of this season. Hopefully, this will encourage this type of format for the rest of the political season, as we really got to see a little more depth from each person.
Democratic presidential candidates sparred, sometimes intensely, over who among them was the true change agent, while their Republican counterparts held a virtual tea party Saturday night, as both groups held back-to-back debates just days before New Hampshire's Tuesday primary.
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton went on the attack, challenging Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards on their records and insisting that her life proves she can achieve change while they just talk about it. They came back at her with equal zeal, double-teaming her at times.
This was a great evening for political junkies, and may we have many more events like this in the next few months. Thank you ABC and the candidates, though they should not have slighted Rep. Kucinich, as he has a loyal following and a message that needs to be heard. Now I do not agree with him, but I found ABC arrogant to "choose" who could and could not participate in this "democratic" debate. Positive Kudos for the format, Negative Kudos for being exclusionary, with a small net positive kudos for giving us another look at most of the candidates and what they believe!
