Text: Democratic Candidates Debate (washingtonpost.com)

In case you missed the Dems debating yesterday on CNBC or MSNBC, here's a full transript of the debate. I always find Al Sharpton makes these things much more enjoyable. He's nobody's fool, that's for sure. Maybe we should have Sharpton and Kucinich running the country - at least you would know where they stood.

Dean took some tough shots, but also gave it back. Clark did ok, but didn't do enough yet, nor was specific enough to get my vote. Think Lieberman is fading from the picture. Braun doesn't have a chance, though her answers are excellent and well thought out. They didn't ask her as many questions as they asked the others which was more a reflection of the questioner's opinions of how much of a chance she stood in the election, I believe. She let them know it though, that she thought she deserved more questions. Edwards is getting better, but will appear to young and boyish for most voters, I believe. Kuchinich isn't afraid to stand up and say we should do away with NAFTA and bring the soldiers home now. I give him credit for that, but it is probably not a view that will garner across the board support.

The biggest problem for the Dems now, is that there are too many of them. Not enough chance for good give and take in these, when you have to go around to so many. Still, Brian Williams did a good job as host and so did the questioners.

It's always refreshing to hear how all these people are going to fix our problems, but rather depressing when you think about how it will really turn out, especially if the Republicans dominate the Congress.

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.
Ronald Reagan (1911 - )