8:55 - ready to go - got my beer, my remote, and my trusty XP machine. Not really sure what to expect - I never saw the last vp debate. Dick's not known for much speaking wise, but he does toss some zingers out. Edwards is usually slick, but with his recent "anyone who doesn't vote for me is crazy" line, he may well snap.
9pm - I'm watching it on FOX. Still have the talking heads going as they pan on the two sitting at the table with the moderator. Different format this time- sitting instead of podiums.
and we're off
9:02 - sponsored by, rules, ect from the moderator. Two will enter, only one will leave... if only
9:04 - first question, something about why we were in Iraq (my roomate walked in, missed the question). Lays out why went into Iraq, no shockers but nothing out of line either.
Owww, Edwards on the attack, accuses him of not being straight - they see it on their television that it's not going well. Maybe that tells you something about what you see on TV. Throws in McCain, mess, worse, incompetant administration. no alliances. Kerry will speed up training
Dick: not a lot of time, things getting better, democracy coming soon.
Edwards – CIA says links tenuous, no proof
9:09 – Edwards if we had more time, would have found no WMD’s via inspections (I guess the ones that didn’t work for 12 YEARS)
Another complaint about not capturing OBL – “diverting attention”, listen carefully, no links between 9/11 and AQ – Which the VP never said, has said link between AQ and Iraq/terror
And dick says it, brings up "global test" and Kerry's UN comments, cutting defense, against Desert Storm - always on the wrong side of defense issues. SNAP!
9:12 – next question – how to capture OBL (can we capture him if he’s dead – mod doesn’t ask that). We took down Taliban. Calls Edwards out on being negative on Afganistan with elections coming up. Will keep troops there and change, but getting better. Women voting, going to school – Dick is good for the ladies.
Edwards jumps on the giving to Afgan warlords, . Rejects global test – and brings up Kerry’s vietnam record. Afganistan not good, providing Opium and country under drug lords
9:16 - Dick - El Salvador, dedicated , free elections helped and will help.
Edwards calls out Iran's nuclear weapons program (didn't Kerry want to send them freakin' nuclear fuel - and Edwards just said he wants more sanctions)
Moderator just read Kerry's global test line - Edwards says that test means we will tell the truth... and the world ?
9:22 – Edwards talks about Kerry’s strength, Dick replys that Kerry’s record speaks for itself.
Moderator – would Kerry be dangerous as president? Dick – not challanging patriotism, but question judgement. Not aggressive against terror. Was against weapons. Against desert storm. No conviction. Says Kerry’s vote against troops was in response to Dean
9:24 – long resume does not mean won’t make misjudgements – not the best response to a list of misjudgements. Now says that the weapon systems Kerry voted against were the ones Dick didn’t want. No plan to win the peace (Edwards doesn’t seem to grasp that war is dirty). First Halliburton reference by Edwards
Dick says that Kerry was for the war when was good – didn’t respond to the Halliburton bait.
9:27 – mod calls out Kerry on coaltion, since coalition has said wouldn’t join.
We have a plan for Iraq – training Iraqs, train outside of Iraq. Good, but not exactly a huge plan. UN needs more people for election, success breeds coalition – (but once we have success, why do we NEED a coaltion?)
Dick – brings up the coalition of the coerced and bribed comment, points out that we have 30 countries on our side. Disses Kerry for dissing Allawi
:31 – 90% of coalition allies, Dick says he won’t credit the Iraqis (he has a point, the Iraqis are dying for their country, and he’s the one who wants to train more of them. The fact that they are doing their own security seems relevant)
9:32 – American intell question – would you have accurate intel?
Edwards: Dick insinuating connection between 9/11 and Hussain (which he has explictly said he isn’t) – once again brings up TV, beheadings (if we base our policy on the beheadings, aren’t we doing just what the beheaders want?)
Edwards – 9/11 changed things, but Repubs against 9/11 commision, homeland security ( maybe because comittees suck).
Dick – still possible links, zarquowi sucks
9:36 - you were for business with Iran when with Halliburton, now aren’t. Dick – says that with Unilateral sanctions, useless b/c other countries step in (like France and food for oil). Says UN sanctions good because lots, also Iran not as big a deal, no resolutions violated. Korean coalition. Success with Libeya/Quadafi thanks to Iraq attack.
Edwards – Iran moved forward with nuclear weapons progam, Kerry wants to strengthen sanctions (I thought he wanted to send them nuclear weapons). Brings up Halliburton, compares to Enron, business with Libya and Iran
Dick asks for more time, mod says no. Dick says go to factcheck.org for info. Edwards repeats his Halliburton claim.
9:41- Israel. Was US absent from peacemaking process. Edwards– Israel can defend itself (gee thanks). I was in Israel when Sbarros pizzaria blown up, think of the children. Needs to crack down on Saudis.
9:44 – Halliburton a smoke screen for poor attandance for senate. I’m in senate there as VP, never saw you there. Hussain funded suicide bombers. Support for 2 state solution – first president ever,
Edwards – distortion of records, says he was agains MLK day, meals on wheels, eduction funding, ect
9:47 – what will you do for poor cities like Cleaveland? (I thought it rocked)
Dick – people need jobs, taxes, medical care, litigation cost (lets see what Edwards says to that), education – no child left behind – even Ted Kennedy liked no child left behind.
9:49 – Edwards says question was on jobs but Dick talked about Education (because you don’t need an education to get a job). Says other presidents created jobs except this one . Against outsourcing (through tax changes? Not likely to do a whole lot).
Dick – tax cuts, medicare, education helped people. President got prescription drugs. Data doesn’t include this year.
Edwards – medical costs up (brave words coming from a guy who was a freakin’ TORT LAWYER)
9:52 – how can you cut tax and deficit? Edwards – roll back tax cuts for people who make over 200k per year, tax cuts for middle class, cut spending, get rid of corporate loopholes, can cut deficit in half
Dick – Kerry loves taxes, Dick wants people to keep there own money and have control over it (w00t!). Small businesses pay personal taxes, will be hit, and small businesses create jobs. Edwards said during primary that Kerry’s plan would drive up deficite (nice shot!)
Edwards will cut that stuff, voted for taxes. No tax cuts for multi-millionaires (since when did making $200k make you a multi-millionaire?)
9:56 – you like same sex unions in the past, why did your adminstration back FMA. Dick says can do what you want, but doesn’t mean government endorses it. Wants it up to states. President felt shouldn’t be up to state courts, and he endorses it.
Edwards – people who get dividends by swimming pools pay less taxes (maybe because their income is already taxed under corporate income taxes).
9:59 – from Mass, which likes gay marriage, but aren’t for it. Are you trying to have it both ways? (huh – odd question). Edwards wants partner benefits – funeral arrangements hard for gay couples (maybe they should plan in advance?).
Edwards – states don’t have to recognize marriages (never mind that they ALWAYS have in the past), don’t need amendment.
10:02 – lawyers cause medical costs, edwards a lawyer, is he part of the problem?
Dick – I don’t know Edward’s cases, but malpractice insurance is way too high and putting people out of business, docs passing up high rate patients. Cap noneconic damage and trial lawyers share (nice). Reform blocked by Kerry 10x.
Edwards – proud of work agains big insurance/HMOs (but malpractice insurance companies get their money FROM THE DOCTORS YOU WERE SUING AND PASS IT ON TO THEIR PATIENTS). Against frivoulous lawsuits. But I sued swimming pool companies!
10:06 – do you feel personally attacked when he disses trial lawyers (which seems like a stretch considering how much time he spent berating Dick for Halliburton). Says malpractice insurance is not the big problem – but goes on to talk about it. Says medical cost has gone up a bunch (but how accurate is that – quality isn’t fixed – the quality of the medical care has also gotten better, he’s comparing apples to oranges).
Dick – insurance a big problem, I was in Minnesota (funny how they are always in swing states). Yells at Edwards for setting up S corp to avoid medicare costs.
Edwards calls out Halliburton for offshore companies (but no specific examples)
10:10 – black women get AIDS, what are you going to do in America?
Dick tells us AIDS is bad (we know). President concerned. $15 billion international effort. In US, overall progress. Education. Great new drugs
Edwards – Africa – will double AIDS funding, Africa – AIDS and genocide are bad, kerry spoke about it ellequently (he did?). lots of people without healthcare.
10:14 – to Edwards – you have the least political expereince of any VP candidate.
Edwards- you can trust me. I like killing terrorists. I’m against nuclear weapons, more active duty troops
Dick – you want me to answer a question about his qualifications? Moderator – that was the question. Dick says he was picked for experience,
10:18 – brings up Kerry’s vietnam experience again. Dick – global conflict, Bush understands it, reaches to Jakarta (huh?)
10:19 – moderator – how are you different from opponent?
Dick – similarities, modest circumstances, union member, no health insurance. Personal stories similar. Careers different. Public service. Terrorist threat. 9/11 sucked.
Edwards – saddam didn’t do 9/11, names Kerry (mod calls him out), coalitions rock! Kerry mention again, but he catches himself this time. No unified terrorist watch list (welcome to bureocracy). We don’t screen cargo (I though we screened the cargo, but not the holds
10:23 – flipflops – Kerry on war, Bush on homeland security.
Edwards - Kerry consitant about Iraq – coaltion, plan. We said it (right….)
For and agains homeland security, 9/11 (in the same voted before it/voted against it voice). For patients bill of rights, but didn’t sign it.
Dick – I can think of a lot of words to describe Kerry on Iraq. Consistancy not one of them. Lists Kerry flipflops (spending, war vote, ect). Says that more troops aren’t the answer, getting Iraqis to do security is the idea (I thought that was Kerry’s plan too?)
10:27 – Edwards – didn’t fund mandates, plan to give incentives to teachers – blacks dropping out of school (is Bush forcing them out? Is this a change from Clinton time?).
Dick – calls edwards out on voting for it and beginning
FINAL QUESTION:
10:28 – very deeply divided electorate – how will you bridge the divide in way didn’t in last 4 years
Dick – disappointed have not bridged gap. Early success (no child…). Misses the good old days when people worked together (hard to believe).
10:30 – shit, my sound just went out. Missed Edwards statement
10:33- turned on radio. Canada – we need drugs from there (edwards) – he doesn’t seem to grasp that canada’s socialised medicine system means the US pays for Canada’s stuff.
Missed edward’s closing statement, except that he likes kitchen tables.
Dick – we like jobs, I have experience, 9/11 shows President important, conflict unlike any one ever known. President finds terrorists. We’ve done a bunch of good in Iraq, Afagainistan, ect.