New Hampshire Democratic Debate At the Moment

First impressions:

Edwards is taking off gloves, coming from left, hitting Hillary hardest on War. Leadership as honest assertion is his real talking point. Hillary tried the 9/11 line.

Gravel was tough, but Kucinich most coherent in his criticism and proposals. Rchardson has most experience and in some respects most coherent on foreign policy, somewhat light on social.

Hillary is practiced and manages tough without shrillness, still equivocates. Makes a show of progressivism without actually advocating such policies. Obama is making gains in policy but still is a sweetie-pie voice rather than clear and hard cut.

Biden knows how to make the case about legislating rather than presiding, and the limits of each.

Interesting was Obama's response to Edwards attack on Funding vote and silence leading up to it, Obama to Edwards, "you're 4 1/2 years late." Hillary is still doing, I didn't know what BushCo was up to, pure silliness in my opinion, Gravel wasn't buying either.

Health Care is one of Edwards' leading policy pieces, it is flawed but seemingly less so than Obama's, Kucinich is clear on single payer not for profit - socialized medicine. Gravel is pretty blunt that there is no money for squat, some risky truth telling on his part.

If Kucinich were a little more mainline in some of his ideas, like peace as the center of government policy, nice but not electable, he'd have the edge as progressive in social policy.

If it were up to my wife, Richardson, Biden, and Kucinich would get grafted into one candidate and there would be something. Hmmmm. I married well, she's onto something, wonder how hard you'd have to squeeze them to make the graft.

Now I'll sit and think on this.