The February 21, 2007 Democratic Presidental Candidates Forum in Carson City, Nevada - Its All About Iraq and Universal Health Care

Why read about it? Watch it yourself. We tried without success to get tickets. They wouldn't even let us in the overflow room that has video, lol. Next event we will hang behind the building looking for an interview, wearing our dirty Che Guevara tee shirt.

After an introduction by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (who has not endorsed any candidate, although his son is working for Hillary) and AFSCME (America's public service union) President Gerald McEntee, all the major democratic presidental candidates showed up except for Senator Barack Obama and retired General Wesley Clark. George Stephanopoulos from ABC News was the moderator. He promptly mispronounced the name of the state and was heckled by the Nevadans in the audience. Shocker no one told him how to pronounce Nevada correctly.

Senator Chris Dodd started things out. He was the most impressive candidate and admitted his vote on going to Iraq was a mistake. He said most politicians don't say two things - I don't know and I made a mistake. He has two small children and said we need a surge in diplomacy not more troops in Iraq.

Senator Hillary Clinton, the frontrunner, defended her vote for the Iraqi war and wants universal health insurance for all Americans by the end of her second term. She seemed the most pro-war of all the candidates and did not apologize on her pro-war senate vote.

Tom Vilsack, former governor of Iowa, asked the audience what they have done today to end the war in Iraq. He wants Congress to cut off funding for the war in Iraq now. He is worried about the weakening of the National Guard and appears to be the strongest anti-war candidate. He said the current defense budget is "unauditable", and the money we will save on Iraq should go into health care. He said if we put the liability for social security and medicare on the books, it would conservatively be a 39 trillion dollar liablility. He has since dropped out of the race.

John Edwards, former senator from North Carolina, came out very strong for unions. He wants to ban the hiring of permanent replacement workers for companies whose workers are on strike. He has already put forward a universal health care package. He does not want to wait eight years like Hillary Clinton, he wants universal health care coverage now by eliminating the George Bush tax cuts on Americans making more than $200,000 dollars a year. He wants us to draw down 40 or 50 thousand troops now out of Iraq. He voted for the war, and said he was wrong and said Bush and Company were incompetent on their handling of the war.

Bill Richardson, ex-governor of New Mexico, wants a strong nominee for President. He wants all candidates to sign a pledge they will not use negative campaigning against the other candidates. "Governors actually do things," the pro-union Richardson said. He said the next president must get us out of Iraq, worry about global warming, give us universal health insurance (Massachussets style plan) and get us more energy independent. He quoted Rabin: "You don't make peace with your friends, you make peace with your enemies."

Senator Joe Biden signed up for Richardson's no negative campaigning pledge. Biden wants federalism/decentralization in Iraq with some oil resevered for the Sunnis. Biden talked about the incompetence of the Bush regime, saying he was mislead by the early success in Afghanistan. He made a mistake he said in assuming the Bush administration were competent. He is worried about a wider war between Sunni and Shia in the middle east unless we handle the Iraq War properly. Refreshing, a candidate with a solution to the Iraq War.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio said he was not fooled by President George Bush. He was against the Iraq war from the beginning, finding no evidence Iraq was responsible for 911. He wants to get rid of the American contractors in Iraq (said they were cheating Iraqis) and have reparations for the people of Iraq. He said if Iraq did not have oil, we would not of went to war there. He said the war and the subsequent occupation is illegal. Kucinich's health care plan does not include a role for the for-profit insurance companies. He wants to eliminate the wasteful health care costs caused by the for-profit insurance system (paperwork and related costs and profits). He wants everyone to have health care. His first week in office he said would be to eliminate NAFTA and other trade agreements and go back to bilateral trade pacts.

Former senator Mike Gravel of Alaska is not convinced the democrats will win in 2008. Tens of millions of Americans had the view we should not invade Iraq, why weren't the democratic senators against the war early on? He is worried about a congressional congress on Iraq dragging out the war. He wants to eliminate the income tax system. He said a candidate with executive experience will be a better president than one with just legislative experience. He wants public funding for campaign.

Exceeded Expectations Award goes to Senator Christopher Dodd. Worse Than Expected Award goes to Senator Hillary Clinton. Too bad Senator Barack Obama did not show up.

There were some good natured young republican protestors outside the event with signs like "Keep Nevada Red." Another sign said "I'm here for the mindless easy liberal women, VOTE HILLARY!" Someone told them to "Go to Iraq." Wish I hand brought my Mao hat and my tee shirt with the big picture of Che Guevara. I could of had a sign that said "Better Red Than Dead", and joined their party for the press pictures. Something to keep in mind for next time, lol.

Other early blogger coverage:
Taylor Marsh
Nevada Caucus 2008
Las Vegas Gleaner
MyDD
Dullard Mush
Nevada Up North
Huffington Post
Random Thoughts From Reno
NevadaDem
Desert Beacon
Reno And Its Discontents
Vote Gibbons Out!
The Blog Formerly Known as "No Gibbons"
Coyote Angry
Nevada Today
Inside Nevada Politics

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Complete Video of the Carson City Democratic Presidental Forum

Complete Transcript of the Carson City Democratic Presidental Forum (PDF File)

Don't Ask the Candidates About Legal Prostitution in Nevada, lol