With the first presidential debate scheduled for tonight in South Carolina, we asked Jim Heath, anchor of the Myrtle Beach ABC News affiliate, to give us his thoughts.
My coverage of these presidential candidates started almost a year ago when Joe Biden spoke at the Galivants Ferry Stump. South Carolina has trended Republican in recent years, but has a rich Democratic Party history.
This first presidential debate is mainly for us insiders. We in the press use it to make sure all the candidates can handle the pressure of a live worldwide televised event. Major donors use it to see who generates the most buzz, and then give their money accordingly. And political junkies use the debate to debate each other for weeks on who won and lost.
It's a legit question to ask whether any voter will make up their mind from a debate ten months before the primary. My guess is no.
There's a lot of talk about how the pressure is on Hillary Clinton to do well tonight. But I disagree. Clinton has been through these pressure debates in New York before. She is surrounded by giants within the Democratic Party. Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, and Bill Richardson shouldn't be discounted. John Edwards has also been around the track, even though his debate with Dick Cheney in '04 is hardly memorable.
I personally think the most pressure is on Barack Obama. He'll be standing between candidates who have each been in the national arena a long time. They will talk about the things they've done, and things they've accomplished. And while it sounds good at first to hear from Obama, "I'm not an insider", the fact is, less than two years in the Senate may not be enough for many activists.
But I hesitate to suggest Democrats wouldn't nominate Obama. This is, afterall, the Party that nominated Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton with little national name ID. Obama offers charisma and something new. Most polls show that's exactly what voters in both parties now desire.
-- Jim Heath is anchor and Managing Editor of political coverage for NewsChannel 15.
April 26, 2007
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