OCT 30th 2007 Democratic Debate Analysis @ TheDCShuffle.com
		Obama	Clinton	Edwards	Richardson	Biden	Kucinich	Gravel	Dodd
Q1	You gave an interview to the New York Times, over the weekend, pledging in it to be more aggressive, to be tougher in your campaign against your chief rival for the nomination, the leader among Democrats so far, Senator Clinton, who is here next to you tonight. To that end, Senator, you said that Senator Clinton was trying to sound Republican, trying to vote Republican on national security issues. And that was, quote, "bad for the country and ultimately bad for the Democrats." That is a strong charge, as you're aware. Specifically, what are the issues where you, Senator Obama, and Senator Clinton have differed, where you think she has sounded or voted like a Republican?	0	4
Q2	Senator Edwards, you issued a press release, your campaign, and the headline is "Edwards to Clinton: American people deserve the truth, not more doubletalk on Iran." What doubletalk are you suggesting that Senator Clinton has been engaging in on Iran?		2	4
Q3	We're going to get to Social Security in a little bit, but I want to stay on Iran, Senator Clinton. As you know, you voted for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, the only member of the stage here who did that. Senator, Jim Webb of Virginia said it is for all practical purposes mandating the military option, that it is a clearly worded sense of Congress that could be interpreted as a declaration of war. Why did you vote for that amendment which would -- calls upon the president to structure our military forces in Iraq with regard to the capability of Iran?		4
Q4	Senator Dodd, you said that bill was a justification for war in Iran. (Implied "why?")		4
Q5	Senator Biden, do you agree with Senator Webb: It was, de facto, a declaration of war?		4
Q6	"Red line" is the current expression of the moment where Iran is concerned in Washington. What would your red line be concerning when to, if to attack Iran? What would make it crystal-clear in your mind that the United States should attack Iran?	2	2	2
Q7	Governor Richardson, would you negotiate with Iran without any conditions?				4
Q8	Congressman Kucinich, your opinion of this resolution?						2
Q9	Would you pledge to the American people that Iran will not develop a nuclear bomb while you are president? (poorly framed question)	2	2	2	4	2	2		2
Q10	let's talk about Iraq. One of your military advisers, retired Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, while campaigning for you in New Hampshire, was recently quoted saying, quote, "I don't oppose the war. I have never heard Senator Clinton say 'I oppose the war.'" Senator Clinton, do you oppose the war in Iraq?		4
Q11	Was Senator Clinton's answer to the opposition of the Iraq war question consistent, in your view?	4	2	2
Q12	Earlier this month, Republican presidential frontrunner, Rudolph Giuliani, said this about you, quote, "I don't know Hillary's experience. She's never run a city. She's never run a state. She's never run a business. She's never met a payroll. She's never been responsible for the safety and security of millions of people, much less, even hundreds of people. "So I'm trying to figure out where the experience is here," end of quote. Senator, how do you respond to the former mayor of New York?		4
Q13	Senator Clinton, I'd like to follow up, because in terms of your experience as first lady, in order to give the American people an opportunity to make a judgment about your experience, would you allow the National Archives to release the documents about your communications with the president, the advice you gave? Because, as you well know, President Clinton has asked the National Archives not to do anything until 2012. But there was a letter written by President Clinton specifically asking that any communication between you and the president not be made available to the public until 2012. Would you lift that ban?		2
Q14	Let's apply what we'll call the Giuliani question about having run a city, a state, a payroll. What, specifically, is your relevant experience for being president?	4			3	3			3
Q15	Governor Richardson, though, there was broad disagreement on this panel about you having the only negotiation experience. You did raise your qualifications earlier. Is your contention that, say, the top three frontrunners in this race are less qualified than you are to be president?				4
Q16	Senator Dodd, you gave an interview to our local NBC station here today, alluding to problems with Senator Clinton's national electability. What is the point you want to make on that score?								4
Q17	Senator Edwards, do you want to take 30 seconds and respond on situational ethics?			2
Q18	Congressman Kucinich. You're smiling. Why?						4
Q19	Senator Biden, you said recently, "While Mrs. Clinton was meeting socially with the prime minister of a country, I was sitting down and negotiating with them. I know my experience is considerably deeper and more relevant." Do you stand by that quote, and is your inference that she is less qualified than you to be president?					0
Q20	Senator Clinton, I want to clear something up which goes to the issue of credibility. You were asked at the AARP debate whether or not you would consider taxing, lifting the cap from $97,500, taxing that, raising more money for Social Security. You said, quote, "It's a no." I asked you the same question in New Hampshire, and you said "no." Then you went to Iowa and you went up to Tod Bowman, a teacher, and had a conversation with him saying, "I would consider lifting the cap perhaps above $200,000." You were overheard by an Associated Press reporter saying that. Why do you have one public position and one private position?		4
Q21	But you did raise it as a possibility with Tod Bowman?		0
Q22	You (Sen Clinton) call it (Social Security) a Republican talking point. Georgetown University, February 9, 1998: "We are in a -- heading to a looming fiscal crisis in Social Security. If nothing is done, it will require a huge tax increase in the payroll tax or a 25 percent in Social Security benefits," Bill Clinton, 1998. That's recent history. Only two years to go in his term. Is that a Republican talking point?	3	4
Q23	Senator Obama, you said in May, that, quote, "Everything is on the table when it comes to Social Security." You now have an ad up in Iowa which says that any benefit cuts are off and raising the retirement age are off. Why have you changed your mind?	2
Q24	Senator Obama, we're going to transfer into a new area here. A question specifically for you because you're in a rather unique position. It's about religion and misinformation. Governor Romney misspoke twice on the same day, confusing your name with that of Osama bin Laden. Your party is fond of talking about a potential swiftboating. Are you fearful of what happened to John McCain, for example, in South Carolina a few years back; confusion on the basis of things like names and religion?	4
Q25	Most experts believe we're looking at $100 a barrel oil prices, perhaps very soon. Most experts further believe there are some folks in America who may be paying 50 percent more for things like heating oil this winter, let's say, where winters are difficult, in two states that come to mind: Iowa and New Hampshire, say nothing of your home state of Connecticut. As a member of the U.S. Senate, are these people doomed to paying more, to suffering through these energy costs this winter, Senator?	4	4	2	0	4	4		4
Q26	Aside from blue ribbon panels, what can be done right now about what afflicts the United States on this issue of energy?	4	2	2	4	0	0		2
Q27	A question to you alone, Senator, about this intersection of environment and sacrifice. So many people have been saddened by the pictures these past few days from Southern California. There are reports that major cities in the state of Georgia are threatened will running out of drinking water in a matter of days. Are you truly prepared to lead, on a national scale, the kind of sacrifice it would require where it intersects with the environment?								4
Q28	Should there be a bottomless well of federal dollars for people who knowingly live in areas of this country that are disaster-prone to rebuild their homes if lost in a disaster?			2
Q29	Because the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Charlie Rangel, is a strong supporter of your (Sen Clinton) campaign. He wants to repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax. But he also wants to have a 4 percent surtax on a single $150,000 income or $200,000 married couple. You went to Harlem with your husband, with Charlie Rangel. And the former president said, quote, "Charlie Rangel wants me to pay more taxes so you can pay less and I think that's a good idea." Is that also your view?	3	2
Q30	But you will not campaign on the Rangel plan?	4	4
Q31	Managers of hedge funds. There's a listing in the paper the other day of 100 top managers of hedge funds. At the top, $1.5 billion. Number 100 makes $50 million. They pay a tax rate of 16 percent, rather than ordinary income of 31, 32 percent. The Democrats took control of Congress in November of '06. The leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Harry Reid, said, we're not going to change it this year. Your reaction.						4
Q32	Senator Edwards, you worked for a hedge fund. By every estimate, we could save $25 billion over 10 years, new revenue that could be used for a whole variety of programs. Why won't the Democratic Party act on this issue?			4
Q33	This is about something called trends in international mathematics and science study. It's called "TIMS." A number of overseas nations took part in it. It found that, overseas, students spend an average of 193 days, annually, in school. The deficit, compared to the U.S., where it's 180 days, over 12 years, that adds up to a one-year gap between education in the U.S. and overseas. Do you believe we in this country need to extend the school day and/or extend the school year, and will you commit to it?	2	2	2	4	4	2		2
Q34	With so many young people choosing not to go into medicine, so many veteran physicians choosing to get out or losing heart because their ability to earn an income is going down. How do you expect this nation to attract, to continue to attract quality people to medicine?	2	2	4	4	4	2		2
Q35	More than one columnist covering the field of transportation has compared our current commercial aviation business to Aeroflot in the old Soviet Union. One writer said, "Hold on, that's insulting to Aeroflot. They have raised their service." The question to you is, how did this country get into a state where point-to-point air travel is no longer truly dependable, but more important, what would you be truly willing to do as president to fix it?	4
Q36	Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer has proposed giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. He told the Nashua, New Hampshire, Editorial Board it makes a lot of sense. Why does it make a lot of sense to give an illegal immigrant a driver's license?		2
Q37	Does anyone here believe an illegal immigrant should not have a driver's license?	4							4
Q38	You have young children. As you know, the Internet can be a bit of a cultural wild west. Assuming a lot of homes don't have parental support, would you be in favor of any government guidelines on Internet content?			4
Q39	Congressman Kucinich, I want to move to a different area, because this is a serious question. The godmother of your daughter, Shirley MacLaine, writes in her new book that you sighted a UFO over her home in Washington state... ... that you found the encounter extremely moving, that it was a "triangular craft, silent and hovering," that you "felt a connection to your heart and heard directions in your mind." Now, did you see a UFO? (Dumb question #1)						4
Q40	The three astronauts of Apollo 11 who went to the moon back in 1969, all said that they believe there is life beyond Earth. Do you agree? (Dumb question #2)	4
Q41	Lance Armstrong called here today with a question. He made the point, as he often has, 3,000 people, roughly, killed on 9/11; roughly $1 trillion spent in the years since. About that many people die of cancer every two days. He wanted us to ask any of you: Are you willing to be the president, or are you willing to pledge to be the president that knocks cancer down from its status as number one killer of Americans under the age of 85.		2
Q42	Senator Dodd, you went on the Bill Maher show last month and said that you were for decriminalizing marijuana. Is there anyone here who disagrees with Senator Dodd in decriminalizing marijuana?			4		4
Q43	Would you advise Americans against buying imported toys from China, in light of the recent health and safety problems?					4
Q44	Senator Obama, we started with you. Let's take a stab at this one. Tomorrow, of course, is Halloween. You will go as what? (Dumb question #3)	4
	Questions asked directly	14	22	14	7	8	8		8
	Questions responded to	16	22	14	8	9	8		9
	Direct Questions answered clearly	8	10	5	6	5	3		4
	Additional  questions answered clearly	2	0	0	1	1	0		1
	Questions discussed but not answered	5	11	9	0	1	4		4
	Questions avoided entirely	1	1	0	1	2	1		0
	Responds clearly to direct question ratio	57%	45%	36%	86%	63%	38%	#DIV/0!	50%
	Responds clearly to all questions ratio	63%	45%	36%	88%	67%	38%	#DIV/0!	56%
	Empty answer ratio	31%	50%	64%	0%	11%	50%	#DIV/0!	44%
	Question avoidance ratio	7%	5%	0%	14%	25%	13%	#DIV/0!	0%
	The DC Shuffle award	Edwards				(Most likely to not clearly answer a question)
	The Buck Stops Here award:	Dodd	Edwards			(Zero question avoidance)
	Straight Talk award	Richardson				(highest clear answer ratio)
	Penn & Teller award	Edwards				(most empty answers provided)
	Moderator's Pet award	Clinton				(received the most direct questions)
	Put up or Shut up award	Richardson				(Zero empty answers)