Tonight on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann moderated a forum between seven of the Democratic candidates for President. The forum, sponsored by the AFL-CIO, was held at Soldier Field in Chicago, home turf for Sen. Obama. While we're still over 400 days from electing a new President, I can say that the discussion tonight had me pretty excited. I thought that all of the candidates (including Rep. Dennis Kucinich, but not including Sen. Mike Gravel because he wasn't invited) impressed me.
Sen. Clinton did an excellent job, hammering home the key issues, staying on message, and not giving her opponents any ammunition to attack her with.
Sen. Biden was as passionate as ever, and if his numbers don't climb he would certainly do a great job representing our country as Secretary of State.
As far as passion for respecting civil liberties in the United States, no one has the fire of Sen. Dodd, a quality I certainly admire in him.
Governor/Congressman/Ambassador Richardson certainly comes into the fray with quite a resume, and his responses tonight were short, poignant, and well-informed. I've heard recently that his ad campaign in Iowa has been paying dividens, and that his numbers are climbing.
Sen. Edwards is the son of a millworker (and boy, am I glad that he cleared that up). But in all seriousness he talked extensively about his time on the picketlines next to union laborers struggling for better wages, and for that I commend him.
Finally, the hometown (if he has just one) hero, Sen. Obama, really brought down the house. He was certainly the favorite of the local crowd, though I thought his answers were on par with everyone else's.
I can say this honestly, truthfully, and from the bottom of my heart: We have a tremendous field of candidates for 2008, and I would be proud to vote for any one of them next November. We may not all agree on much, or even who the nominee should be, but we should all be able to agree on that.
Sen. Clinton did an excellent job, hammering home the key issues, staying on message, and not giving her opponents any ammunition to attack her with.
Sen. Biden was as passionate as ever, and if his numbers don't climb he would certainly do a great job representing our country as Secretary of State.
As far as passion for respecting civil liberties in the United States, no one has the fire of Sen. Dodd, a quality I certainly admire in him.
Governor/Congressman/Ambassador Richardson certainly comes into the fray with quite a resume, and his responses tonight were short, poignant, and well-informed. I've heard recently that his ad campaign in Iowa has been paying dividens, and that his numbers are climbing.
Sen. Edwards is the son of a millworker (and boy, am I glad that he cleared that up). But in all seriousness he talked extensively about his time on the picketlines next to union laborers struggling for better wages, and for that I commend him.
Finally, the hometown (if he has just one) hero, Sen. Obama, really brought down the house. He was certainly the favorite of the local crowd, though I thought his answers were on par with everyone else's.
I can say this honestly, truthfully, and from the bottom of my heart: We have a tremendous field of candidates for 2008, and I would be proud to vote for any one of them next November. We may not all agree on much, or even who the nominee should be, but we should all be able to agree on that.
