Spring Break
Democratic candidates debate, ABC News criticized for debate questions
Stephanie Takach
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: News
Stephanie Takach
Asst. News Editor
Stephanie@thetriangle.org
Democratic candidates Sen. (D-IL) Barack Obama and Sen. (D-NY) Hillary Clinton took the stage at the National Constitution Center on April 16 to debate for the first time in seven weeks. Moderators for the debate were ABC's Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.
Candidates spent the first 45 minutes of the debate discussing religion, honesty and patriotism instead of addressing policy issues. ABC polls released before the debate showed that Pennsylvanians wished the candidates would focus on more serious issues than taking shots at each other.
Pa. Gov. Rendell agreed that the questions did not relate to policy issues.
"The network [ABC] disgraced itself," Rendell said.
"I didn't like the beginning, but at the end, the questions started to focus on the more serious issues," Sean Miller, president of Drexel Democrats said.
During the policy discussion, Clinton and Obama focused on their withdraw plans from Iraq pledging that they will both set the terms as Commander and Chief, regardless of other military influences.
" [The] Commander and Chief sets the mission, that's not the role of the generals," Obama said.
That wasn't the only pledge that the candidates made at the debate.
Clinton and Obama made a pledge to not raise taxes on citizens making between $200,000- $250,000 or less. Obama said that he would not only pledge to that, but that he would also lower taxes.
Clinton and Obama also spent time attacking the Bush Administration throughout the policy discussion of the debate.
"I wish the Republicans would not run anybody," Clinton said.
Clinton and Obama criticized the current U.S. policies with Iran and nuclear weapons. The candidates focused mostly on the Israeli conflicts with Iran. Clinton said that the U.S. cannot permit Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and that an attack on Israel will result in sever retaliation from the US.
The Pa. primary, only six days away has become a very important state for both candidates to win. The last question of the debate focused on how the candidates will appeal to the undecided super delegates, as they will be important according to Gibson.
Rendell said that he is expected a large turnout in Philadelphia for the Pa. primary. ABC polls also showed that Pennsylvanians were favoring Obama and that 6 in ten people considered Clinton to be dishonest, while 54 percent of people thought she was more unfavorable.
"I think you're going to have a huge turnout for Obama," Miller said.
Along with Gov. Rendell, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Chelsea Clinton were also in attendance.
Candidates had 90 seconds to answer each question and equal time to speak throughout the debate.
Asst. News Editor
Stephanie@thetriangle.org
Democratic candidates Sen. (D-IL) Barack Obama and Sen. (D-NY) Hillary Clinton took the stage at the National Constitution Center on April 16 to debate for the first time in seven weeks. Moderators for the debate were ABC's Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.
Candidates spent the first 45 minutes of the debate discussing religion, honesty and patriotism instead of addressing policy issues. ABC polls released before the debate showed that Pennsylvanians wished the candidates would focus on more serious issues than taking shots at each other.
Pa. Gov. Rendell agreed that the questions did not relate to policy issues.
"The network [ABC] disgraced itself," Rendell said.
"I didn't like the beginning, but at the end, the questions started to focus on the more serious issues," Sean Miller, president of Drexel Democrats said.
During the policy discussion, Clinton and Obama focused on their withdraw plans from Iraq pledging that they will both set the terms as Commander and Chief, regardless of other military influences.
" [The] Commander and Chief sets the mission, that's not the role of the generals," Obama said.
That wasn't the only pledge that the candidates made at the debate.
Clinton and Obama made a pledge to not raise taxes on citizens making between $200,000- $250,000 or less. Obama said that he would not only pledge to that, but that he would also lower taxes.
Clinton and Obama also spent time attacking the Bush Administration throughout the policy discussion of the debate.
"I wish the Republicans would not run anybody," Clinton said.
Clinton and Obama criticized the current U.S. policies with Iran and nuclear weapons. The candidates focused mostly on the Israeli conflicts with Iran. Clinton said that the U.S. cannot permit Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and that an attack on Israel will result in sever retaliation from the US.
The Pa. primary, only six days away has become a very important state for both candidates to win. The last question of the debate focused on how the candidates will appeal to the undecided super delegates, as they will be important according to Gibson.
Rendell said that he is expected a large turnout in Philadelphia for the Pa. primary. ABC polls also showed that Pennsylvanians were favoring Obama and that 6 in ten people considered Clinton to be dishonest, while 54 percent of people thought she was more unfavorable.
"I think you're going to have a huge turnout for Obama," Miller said.
Along with Gov. Rendell, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Chelsea Clinton were also in attendance.
Candidates had 90 seconds to answer each question and equal time to speak throughout the debate.
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