Barack Obama and the First Presidential Debate

The press accounts of the performance of Senator Barack Obama in the first Presidential Debate at South Carolina State University give him high marks for staying in there with politicians who have been Senators or Governors for much longer.

In fact, one poll gave him the winner's edge over Hilary Clinton and the entire field. Nevertheless, he proved that despite the fact that he had not fielded complete positions on critical issues to high voting blocks like health care, social security and the like, he was able to answer crucial questions in a substantive manner equal to his colleagues that did him no harm.

The primary criticisms of the media were leveled at the fact that he did not appear presidential enough in his response to a question about Iraq that asked, if two American cities were attacked by Al Queda how he would change the military stance abroad to account for it. He was criticized as not being aggressive enough to say that he would attack and destroy the enemy and that he did not use his openings to reassure Jewish voters about his commitment to their issues.

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Straw polls bolster Hunter's confidence

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) hopes to emerge as the authentic conservative in the GOP presidential field by presenting himself as strong on national security and focusing on two issues his fellow candidates spend little time talking about: cracking down on China for devaluing its currency and building a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico.

"What we're going to do is carry this message: strong national defense, enforceable borders and a two-way street on trade," Hunter said in an interview with The Politico.

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Excerpts from Hunter interview

California Rep. Duncan Hunter was interviewed this week by Politico reporters as part of a series of sessions with the 10 candidates who are taking part in the first GOP presidential debate on Thursday. Some excerpts:

WHY HE'S RUNNING

I want to lead this nation and serve the American people and help to lead in a new era of security and economic growth. And I think that the next five to 10 years of our nation's history will be years where the focus will be on national security -- with Iran walking down the path to develop nuclear weapons, with North Korea already having some … and with the emergence of communist China as a new military superpower, stepping in the shoes of the Soviet Union.

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Edwards: Democrats 'stand firm' on Iraq

WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) -- Former senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Democrats should not negotiate with President George W. Bush on an Iraq funding bill.

The North Carolina Democrat and 2004 vice presidential candidate said Democrats should not back down and, in a television commercial that began airing last week, urged Congress to keep sending the same bill to the White House

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McCain Derides Idea Of Repealing War Support

RENO, Nev., May 5 -- Republican Sen. John McCain criticized Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's move to repeal congressional authorization for the Iraq war, saying it's "the worst possible idea that anybody could have."

Speaking to reporters after a town-hall meeting Saturday in Reno, McCain (Ariz.) said the new war strategy announced by President Bush in January is beginning to show "some success" and should be given a chance to succeed.

Please read the rest of this article at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/05/AR2007050501322.html

Romney Reaches to the Christian Right

VIRGINIA BEACH, May 5 -- Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) did not discuss his Mormon faith as he continued his outreach Saturday to conservative Christians in a graduation speech at Regent University, the school founded by televangelist Pat Robertson.

Instead, Romney, who is intensely courting this key segment of the Republican base in hopes of winning the party's 2008 presidential nomination, expounded on conservative themes such as the importance of child-rearing and marriage and the presence of evil in the world.

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Can Giuliani overcome abortion stand?

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani may be able to overcome his support for abortion rights with primary voters who oppose abortion, GOP lawmakers said Sunday.

"I think it's an uphill fight on that issue," House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio, said. "But I think a lot of Republican voters see Rudy Giuliani as competent and able to do the job."

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Clinton won't set early fund restriction

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - Presidential candidates won't be damaged by initially backing the war in Iraq because President is being held responsible for what went wrong, Sen. Hillary Rodham said Sunday.

She declined to say what restrictions should be included in new stopgap legislation to pay for the troops, but made clear she supports providing the money needed.

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