Here in Las Vegas, the Democrats are getting ready for the fifth of six debates scheduled for this primary season. The debate is being held at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in the Cox Pavilion. In addition, approximately 700 people, including many Nevada caucus attendees, will gather in the Student Union for a "debate watching party."
Are you watching? What issues do you think are most important - both for the residents of Nevada as well as for each candidate at this juncture of the primary?
The three issues said to be "hot" for Nevada residents are immigration, water, and the environment/energy. Some residents believe that water should be piped in from rural areas to accommodate a growing need and to compensate for drought. One major hot button concerning the environment is what to do about Yucca Mountain. Should it be used as a nuclear waste "dumping ground?" With regard to immigration, Nevada is one of the most important states in which candidates need to send a cohesive and problem-solving message.
The United States is home to around 12 million undocumented workers. The candidates will likely "tailor" their responses to questions about immigration tonight to suit the Intermountain West population. As Nevada becomes increasingly democratic, it is setting the stage for other battleground states.
Senator Clinton recently said that it's time to turn up the heat. No doubt, the Edwards campaign is thinking the same thing and Senator Obama is poised for a hopeful takeover as his poll numbers approach Clinton's. Then there's Dennis Kucinich, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden and - notably absent tonight - Mike Gravel. Less and less seems to be expected of these players as their polls numbers fade.
The pundits are just waiting for Obama and Edwards to take Senator Clinton to task this evening. Some are guessing that she will come out swinging. Is the best defense really an offense?
Let's watch and see...
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Comments: 73
Nova Summer
Wolf is a company man 100%....................
Don - Wolf, well, what can you do? I think the immigration issue should resonate with the people of Nevada in addition to environmental concerns...
"They're not attacking me because I'm a woman; they're attacking me because I'm ahead."
But didn't she just exploit her gender with that little speech???
Obama said they didn't have to be opposing values - that they were complementary. Wolf then asked Dodd what was more important - national security or human rights - "when they clash" as if he didn't care for Barack's answer which I thought made a lot of sense.
He had to have meant Hillary...
Huh? I think you had a different number in mind. The state of Nevada has a high relative number , but probably less 100,000 illegals. Nevada's figures were 7.4% of the population, 14.8% of the jobs according to a recent estimate.
Clarke - sorry - 12 million in the country. Thank you!
I also agree with you 100% about Wolf/Obama cheap shot. Not very, Wolf like...disappointed me as a moderator. ~mo-zy
And Faith, too. Hi, Mo-zy!
Here on Gather she does not allow her articles to receive un edited comments... so much for freedom of speech...
These debates have all angered me with the lack of professionalism of the format, the quality of the questions, and the general conduct of the moderators. They are not serving our democracy well.
I'm not sure how Kucinich drags himself to debate after debate. He must be dedicated. Dodd, gets on my nerve with the spanish. I mean, we get it. He speaks Spanish. This is a good thing. But, it seems a bit overkill when he does it. Kind of forced.
I think we would have heard more questions and responses, had they simply given straight, concise, answers. The longer they talk, the more they're trying to lie or pander. It's the same for Republicans.
Dodd may not realize it, but for every illegal alien speaking only Spanish (who probably will vote, illegally and get away with it), he's turning off about 2 dozen Americans who resent the ubiquitous influx of the Spanish language into our culture.
It doesn't belong here, plain and simple, and Dodd would be wise to heed the words of ex-president Theodore Roosevelt who said "we have but one language and that is the English language, and we have but one sole loyalty, and that is to the American people".
American Hispanics do not speak Spanish. We speak English. When Dodd speaks Spanish, he is speaking to illegal aliens, who shouldn't be voting.
Another thing I noticed was that when audience members asked questions, Campbell Brown had a tendency to rephrase the questions in a way that did not seem helpful or even completely accurate.
Bruce - I think you're onto something. It will be interesting to see how the republicans work the upcoming YouTube debate. The democratic YouTube debate made history - being the first of its kind - but the results weren't all that different.