Has been started here...

and here...

So I'm in the press filing center waiting to eat our free meal. I'm surrounded by the "liberal media" if you listen to the goofball behind me. An anti-Hillary guy is running around here trying to push the Central America-CIA-cocaine connection... Anyway.

This debate is crucial. The polls predict an Obama win Saturday but you have to remember New Hampshire. The most recent polls have Obama at around 45%, Hillary in the 30s and Edwards in the teens. Grain of salt. I'd be interested in a poll of people in SC that are undecided going into this debate and the primary.

I personally am hoping Obama does well. I saw him first as an intern at the Center for America Progress and was impressed. since then he grew on me. The fact that he did not vote for the authorization to use force on/in Iraq all but wins him my vote. But the idea of another Clinton presidency scares me. I'm tired of Bush and Clintons running our country. We had the end of Reagan which was basically a H. W. Bush administration due to Reagan's age. Then H. W. Bush. Then Clinton. Then W. Bush (less than a year left in that disaster. Thank you very much Supreme Court). So you see, this can't continue... imho.

Not much to say now. It's still cold. Tonight, instead of trying to cover this debate as a live blog (plenty are doing that), I'm going to try to capture the essence of what the press go through especially the spin room. I've got a camera but a slow laptop computer, so I'll try to put video up tonight but might wait till tomorrow so I can use a quicker desktop (render times are a bitch!). Not to mention I'll be doing my 9 to 5 as well and that, of course, takes priority.

More later, enjoy the debate.

Labels: Barack Obama, Bush, Clinton, debate, Democrat, Democratic debate, South Carolina

As I indicated a few days ago, I'm working the SC Democratic Debate with SCETV and will be doing some blogging along the way...

First things I noticed this morning is how different this is when compared to the first SC debate I covered (here is the first post from that debate). For one thing the world will be watching as this is the last debate in SC before the Democratic Primary this coming Saturday. Another is the weather. It's nice here. Sunny, beautiful clear blue sky. And near freezing.

The candidates should be used to this considering Iowa and New Hampshire's weather this time of the year, but I'm sure they were hoping for some warmer weather as a break. Well they aren't going to get it. It's cold here. Standing water is frozen. Coats are mandatory.

So far I've only picked up our credentials and visited the debate hall. This event is being held in the Myrtle Beach tourist-trap known as Broadway on the Beach. Along 17 near where Planet Hollywood is. The press room is across the street in the Phillips Seafood restaurant. The security here is already much more intense. And the ground troops for the three candidates (especially Clinton and Edwards) are out in force putting up signs, et cetera. (BTW- What is it with the signs? Does anyone know anyone who votes on account of a yard sign?).

Myrtle Beach has a sand sculpture outside of the Palace Theater (the debate hall) that's pretty interesting (I'll have some specs on that soon). A lot of work to put in to it... at least it's not going to rain... But the faces (of Sens. Clyburn (D-SC) and the candidates Clinton, Obama and Edwards) are incredibly goofy. Especially John Edwards... I tried to capture this in the video but the sculpture was surrounded by near freezing puddles of water, the sun was in an awful place and I'm going totally hand-held. My apologies in advance but have a look.

here's a photo for now... Video soon, I hope. Video below.

More later....

Labels: Clinton, Clyburn, debate, Democrat, Democratic debate, Edwards, Obama, South Carolina