One Debate Down, Thirty-Nine To Go

So the first one is over and the winner is....who the hell knows. With so many to go, all the candidates are learning how to put on their own show to impress the Democratic primary voters. The 90 minute debate had a lot of questions hoisted onto the eight candidates, primarily focusing on Iraq. A few health care questions and moderator Brian Williams of NBC talked about 'contender' Kucinich's effort to impeach Dick Cheney.

The South Carolina event worked out to be more like a get-to-know-you type of debate, without any hardcore fighting. The only real jabs were thrown by the ones without a chance, like Kucinich and former Senator Mike Gravel. For them all the stops have to be pulled out early to have any chance of getting known. The only problem is that with it being April of 2007, who is really watching this cable news program so early in the campaign season? Political junkies aside, many voters are still burnt out from the last election cycle six months ago.

In a nutshell, the top tier contenders got to flex their muscles and prepare for the debates people will actually watch when it gets closer to primary season at the end of the year. I of course will be watching each one, but I hardly fit the norm when it comes to political appetites.