Debate Live Wire - Face Off in Hollywood!

CNN is hosting its fifth Democrat debate, of the 2008 election cycle. Their first debate, last June, had eight candidates; tonight there are just two. This last debate prior to Super Tuesday features a face-off between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in Hollywood, California at the Kodak Theater.

CNN is joined by The Los Angels Times and The Politico in co-hosting this exchange. It will be moderated by CNN's Wolf Blitzer and starts at 8pm EST.

Expectations are for a civil exchange. Clinton usually excels when attacked. The no time-limit on responses aids Obama who is often less fluid and glib with his answers. For both candidates, the stakes are the highest. After tonight, the next debate one of them engages is likely to be against the Republican nominee in September.

Regardless, join in the conversation, here with a live debate wire!

7:55 PM - Outside the Kodak throngs are shouting, security has locked the site down and inside the spinners are doing their Pre-game warm-ups. Look for a firm - no snub - handshake to kick things off.

7:58 PM - The sold out crowd is nestled and ready. This is one show, in Hollywood, that won't be canceled due to the never-ending writer's strike.

7:59 PM - Debate drinking tip, take a sip for every nod to John Edwards ("Poverty is the cause of my life," or a direct reference to the Son of a mill worker).

8:00 PM - Wolf is kicking it off. Packed house. Hillary gets the first intro, holler's "Hi Wolf" Now Obama! Claps and waves. She's in brown pant suit, he's in a dark navy suit. The fake clapping continues...

8:04 PM - They take their seats next to each other. Obama, audience left; Clinton, audience right. Will they get caught passing notes?

8:05 PM - First off-camera Hillary Clinton cackle.

8:06 PM - Obama's opening statement, first words a triple pander to John Edwards (poverty, John, Elisabeth - drink!). Hillary looks on longingly and claps. He pledges to be BFF with HRC. Claims the choice isn't about old, new, black or white, gender but about the future. Wolf tries to hook for a time violation.

8:08 PM - Hillary hopes everyone is looking at her as the newly sworn in President on January 9, 2009. She reminds us all that we face problems caused by the current Administration. Basically Bush causes cancer. Falls back into her "On Day One" crutch and then drops a double Edwards pander (both John and Elizabeth - drink!).

8:11 PM - First question - to Clinton. What is the biggest policy difference between you? First notes the differences are minor compared to the Republicans. Then tees off on health-care. Hers was just like....John Edwards (drink!). Foreclosure plan. Then on to foreign policy, we need experience that knows not to talk to bad guys without sending underlings first.

8:14 PM - Over to Obama. Let's take health care; we're 95% alike. But Clinton believes we have to force people who can't afford health care, to buy it. He doesn't like the interest-loan freeze that Hillary is pushing, believing it will skyrocket all home-owner's rates. "But let's all remember, Hillary and I didn't create this mess" (those other guys did!). But we need to reduce the impact of lobbyists in Washington, something I believe in like John Edwards (drink!). Oh and yes, I was against the Iraq War from the start. Obama will give carrots to Iran to prevent future wars.

8:19 PM - Question on health care, goes to Obama. Why is your plan superior to Clinton's? Obama notes everyone who wants health care, will be able to get it. But only those that want it. He mandates coverage for children. He described his plan, very left-brain answer. Actually gave props to the Governor of California for his attempts to do this (gasp, he's a Republican by the way). This topic is not his strong-suit.

8:21 PM - Hillary notes that health care has been the "passionate cause of her life." (Edwards pander - drink!). Notes that her plan will open the Congressional health care plan to the under-insured. Improves quality for everyone. Explains the three approaches to health care. A much sharper explanation. Notes that you have to understand what "John Edwards and I both understand..." (Drink!).

8:25 PM - Follow-up to Obama for the uninsured under his plan. Obama says there are solutions. Returns to a point-by-point contrast of Clinton's plan. Quips, "People's insurances are so high, it's like house insurance." Notes that Ted Kennedy says that Obama can get it done. Promises to broadcast the proceedings on health care via CSPAN in order to ensure people know what is happening in the "health care" fight. (Boy that'll get ratings!).

8:27 PM - Wolf wants to know if that was a swipe at Clinton (who's health care deliberations, back in the day, were done in secret). Obama doesn't take the bait and goes back to beating-up on Insurance companies.

8:28 PM - Hillary? Well 10 year's ago, that was getting the conversation going (that's all it was?). But let me tell you 3 points about my plan. Oh, and as Democrats, it's important that we carry the banner on universal health care and not let it get stolen!

8:31 PM - To Obama, how are you going to defend against being a tax-and-spend liberal? Notes the Republicans have a bad record on fiscal policy and that the John McCain 'Straight Talk Express' lost some wheels when he flip-flopped on the Bush tax-cuts. Then notes that raises taxes on the wealthiest and by making people healthy we'll save money.

8:34 PM - Hillary, you want to tax the rich to pay for this health care? I'd take the Bush tax-cuts that are about to expire and put that towards health-care and then save $55 million in modernizing (a.k.a. computerizing records). Additionally, Clinton wants to cut back on grants to drug companies. Beating up on drug producers, always a good political hit. But it tends to cut down on innovation and new cures. The computerization of patient records is a huge savings, but also has mega privacy issues.

8:37 PM - So you'll both raises taxes? Obama says that is a yes but only on the wealthiest. Zings the audience by noting their well dressed, "they'll have to pay more, I'll have to pay more." Says the investment (the new Orwell-speak for a liberal tax-hike) will have a good outcome!

8:38 PM - Hillary notes that after they hike taxes to the pre-Bush era, maybe America will have an economy like the pre-Bush days.

8:39 PM - Immigration issue, especially its job-impact on the African-American community. To Obama first (for no particular reason). Obama rejects the premise. Says its scapegoating. Says we do have to crack down on our boarders and employers who are employing people illegally. Politically unpopular response, but shows guts.

8:42 PM - NOTE, 21 minutes since an Edwards pander.

8:43 PM - To Hillary, why do you oppose illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses? Clinton shrewdly steps back and notes that job providers do exploit illegal immigrants and drive down wages in some cases and that she has met the people who are suffering because of this. Classic Clinton, "I feel your pain." This exchange is solid example of why Clinton wins with working-class Democrat voters and Obama college-educated Democrat voters. She then goes on to explain her immigration policy (essentially last year's McCain-Kennedy). Once we've passed this plan, then she'll grant driver's licenses. (Another shrewd step back from her original position on this she took during the October 30th debate).

8:46 PM - To Obama, why did you say you worked more humanly than other Democrats on this issue? Because I did. I worked with McCain (second reference) and others to fix this issue. Obama refused to get pegged as saying that Clinton was inhumane on the issue. And he kept trying to get back to the point that workers are not suffering because of illegal immigrants...this might be a sound policy answer, but its a long way from the politically savvy populism of class warfare.

8:49 PM - Clinton now has her cake and eats it. Notes that when the House passed a mean-spirited proposal that would criminalize Jesus Christ himself, I stood-up and fought it. Clinton again, feels the pain of workers. She takes a grab at both sides of this issue. Lou Dobbs is getting dizzy, doesn't know how to shout at. Wolf wants to know why she won't give a driver's license today to an illegal. Clinton says its a diversion.

8:52 PM - Obama notes that Clinton gave a number of different positions on this issue over six issues. Obama says he ONLY brings this up to note how difficult this issue is. Gives a hola to Bill Richardson (a pander of sorts - but you don't have to drink).

8:53 PM - Clinton wants to correct the record and notes that Obama couldn't answer the question on giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Goes on a tangent about a united Democrat Party working together.

8:55 PM - Ad break. Time to feed the greedy corporate sponsors!

9:00 PM - Back...Toss to Obama on why do you have the experience to be POTUS. Goes on a riff of the "changes" he's fought for and against the special interests.

9:01 PM - To Hilary. I'd go back 35 years. Starts with her stump speech of what she's done, omitting Rose Law Firm, Wall Mart, etc. But no matter what she was doing, she was fighting. Noted she had photo ops in 82 countries and was able to negotiate without a security clearance with foreign nations.

9:03 PM - Question, neither of you have run a business, so how can you be the CEO of America. Clinton says the U.S. is not a business and not out to make a profit. Notes that President has a MBA and hasn't done so well. HRC notes the pain of people in America without jobs.

9:04 PM - Obama piles on with a cheap shot, saying Mitt Romney hasn't gotten a good ROI on his campaign, so his management is better.

9:05 PM - Clinton, what about the Kennedy endorsement? Well I have my own Kennedy endorsements. But I, as the first woman President would be change. (When will the pandering of identity politics end?) This is about who on Day One can do what needs to be done. Says this is a your choice, this isn't about the two of us. (She is consistently doing a better job at making every answer an appeal to voters and not the elites).

9:08 PM - Obama, should people remember the Clinton year's fondly? Yes, of course good things happened. Especially after Bush's 8-years. Obama notes that we shouldn't accept lost jobs, falling schools, etc. Finally gets his game back on and realizes this is about the life's of voter's and not a classroom discussion.

9:11 PM - To Clinton, you've claimed you'd make change happen. How can you be a change agent when we've had the same two families in the White House for 32 years? Clinton leans back, smiles, says its great that we are all judged on our merits and no one has an advantage in American politics. Good things happened during my husband's time and good things happened to people. And it took a Clinton to clean-up after the first Bush and clearly takes another to clean-up after this Bush. The Kodak Theater goes nuts!!!

9:14 PM - Ad break. (Where'd the shout-outs to Edwards go?)

9:16 PM - And we're back. To Clinton, on Iraq. When will you bring troops home? Nearly, all will be out in a year. (That puts the date of surrender no later than 1/20/10 at 12pm EST.) It's not just the troops, it's also the civilian workers we need to bring home and the Iraqi civilians who worked with us. Says both Obama and her have tried to be responsible in these debates, Bush has not been. Says its horrid that a President wouldn't finish what he'd started (whew, good thing we got of Bosnia before Bush was elected...oh wait!).

9:19 PM - And Obama? Notes that'd be more careful since he wouldn't have taken us there in the first place. Says we have to set a date. Both of them have set themselves up poorly on this should they face McCain in a General Election. Obama doesn't want "mission creep." Says he's a stronger contrast against the GOP because he'll surrender the war mindset.

9:23 PM: - Wolf, "That's a swipe at you Hillary!" Hillary quickly dismisses, naw, "we're having a good time here." Apparently the non-aggression pact is holding. No real debate, no real exchanges face-to-face. Leave that to the long-distance jabbing and surrogates.

9:25 PM - To Clinton, Why didn't against the Levin Amendment to get the U.N. Iraq inspection report before authorizing war. Oh that's an important question. Let me give a shout to my friend Carl Levin. My vote for war was sincere, but Bush abused it. But how do we go forward. Look at McCain, he's accusing me of surrender. She smartly switches the focus off her own misjudgment and towards the area of unity - their common enemy, Red State America.

9:29 PM - To Obama, you? I want our troops home safely (different than victorious). He then shifts to arguing that the 'surge' isn't working. Smart primary politics; poor general election move. Presses the point that we need better judgment on when to send our troops to war. Obama was more on his game in this exchange.

9:32 PM - Wolfe to Clinton, why can't you say the vote was a mistake? Long answer, even with a re-wind I'm not sure what she meant to say. But of course, Bush baiting. Solid primary election recovery tactic. Said had she been President that we wouldn't have gone to war...but as a Senator she votes for it? Hmmm. It's not good for her to be ending the night on this topic, in this way, she's off her game.

9:35 PM - So far off her game, she's still going. Wolfe tries to get an answer, but fails. She's actually defending the poor intelligence that we had (that started under her husband's Administration) and she wrapped up saying the war was right, just not its execution. I think she invoked McCain's name so much, she's now channeling him.

9:37 PM - Obama notes that this is an important because it shows that its just important to have experience on Day One but of being right on Day One.

9:38 PM - Last ad break. (Maybe CNN is looking for some questions on education, the environment, job creation, government spending, Darfur or how'd they catch Osama. Quick, someone e-mail them some!)

9:43 PM - We're back and a question about violence on TV. Obama notes its an issue of parenting. And also calls to task the 'industry' who brings this stuff to market. (CNN's two-shot camera goes to celebrity singers, producers and rappers in the audience. Nice.).

9:45 PM - To Clinton, let's talk about spouses. If you can't control Bill Clinton now, what about if you're in the White House? Loud cackle from Hillary. Both Obama and I have spouses that support us...but I'm the one running. Never answers the question, but gives a polished pitch that she's a woman with a daughter and a supportive husband.

9:47 PM - To both of you, many Democrats see the two of you as a dream ticket. Crowd goes crazy. Would you consider being the Veep? Obama first. I respect Senator Clinton, we've been on this road. But we have a long way to go and it'd be premature to be thinking about that decision. I can tell yo what I want, to restore people's faith in government, which means the best person, people of independence.

9:49 PM - Wolfe presses, is she on your short list? Obama says, "I'm sure she'd be on anyone's short list." (But not his?).

9:50 PM - And Clinton? I agree with Obama. What's important is that we Democrats are unified and that we are together. She then plugged her website.

9:51 PM - Debate is over, Barack pulls the chair out for Clinton they stand up and shake.

Onward to super Tuesday and beyond!

My 2-cents? Nothing happened. They both decided to play it safe and CNN decided not to engage on variety of issues. Snooze. Voter's lose.

The broad-view: Clinton got 3 mentions of Edwards in, Obama 2 but added Richardson. The immigration issue got a little dicey for both of them and then it ended on Iraq, bad for Clinton. But she showed early that she was great on health care and she probably slowed Obama's momentum some without attacking him.

Who did you think won? Why?