Ground Game

The initial blogger reaction to the debate indicates that Obama and Edwards performed best amongst the top-tier candidates, with Bill Richardson scoring points well, as I noted in my live blogging analysis. And Obama gets the debate's highlight for his joke about looking forward to having Hillary advise him on foreign policy.

It’s still early, but more than 3k respondents at Daily Kos agree that Obama and Edwards won the debate, garnering 37 percent and 26 percent, respectively. Clinton is a distant third with 13th percent, but that’s not all bad for her camp, considering how she usually scores amongst progressive bloggers.

Meanwhile, the Marc Ambinder writes that Clinton and Edwards were the winners:

Why them, and not Obama? Because Clinton and Edwards repeatedly wove their answers into a larger argument, and Obama generally kept his answers to his answers. He did well though. No calls, Chicago. No calls.

And from Chuck Todd:

Perhaps no one benefited more from this subdued format than Obama since he's the guy with the momentum. Clinton, oddly, didn't get as much time in this debate (or forum) than she has in previous ones which may lead some to believe she was not at her best.

MyDD’s Todd Beeton was disappointed in Obama but liked that Richardson brought up Iraq:

I was surprised that Barack Obama didn't step up his debate performance today I have to say; while he looked more relaxed than he usually does at these things, his answers did not project the confidence of someone with all the mo' and unlike on the stump, he still hasn't found his debate voice (although he did score with the invitation to Hillary to advise him.)

I thought Richardson was particularly good when he used his 2 minute statement to bring up Iraq, which as he reminded us, has been neglected at the last couple of debates.

Finally, as I previously mentioned, conservative bloggers aren’t likely to appreciate the warmer reception DMR editor and debate moderator Carolyn Washburn, whom many have dubbed “schoolmarm,” appeared give the Democrats.

From Michelle Malkin:

Note: Just a few minutes into this debate, it’s clear how much more deferential Schoolmarm is to the Dems than she was to the Republicans. Deathly dull. This is not a debate. It’s a wake. Note II: Schoolmarm is all giggles. She seems to have a particular soft spot for Bill Richardson.