That would be the one conducted in Spokane earlier today, on tape delay at 7 pm on PBS. This won't be a blow-by-blow account but some observations as event unfold...since it doesn't seem much new ground has been broken in these contests since the first debate. Updates scroll from bottom to top, older to newest.
7:59 PM - I obviously have my biases, but I thought that was Rossi's best debate performance so far.
7:48 PM - to her credit, I don't believe there is a question that has been asked in any debate that Gregoire has not been loaded for bear to answer with details a plenty.
7:46 PM - that was by far and away the best debate answer I've heard from Rossi's on education.
7:40 PM - Gregoire's best shots at Rossi come on her "deregulation" of health care attack line. It sounds good to the low-information voter.
The reality is that health care insurance is heavily, heavily regulated in ours state by our Legislature AND, and Rossi noted, an independently elected insurance commissioner.
Gregoire talks like giving insurance companies less mandates on what is included in health insurance policies means that mammograms and prostate cancer screening will disappear. Um, what insurance company in their right mind wouldn't cover cost-effective preventive screening?
Exactly.
Uh oh, the condescending school marm just made a reappearance.
7:32 PM - this debate is lower key than the last one in Yakima. It fits Rossi more...the relaxed, tell it like it is guy.
Gregoire still has her fist.
7:28 PM - meta difference: Rossi talks about bipartisanship and working with people with ease. Gregoire's reflexive responses are defensive and wonkish.
She's a very, very solid and well-informed debater. But, that's just reality.
7:22 PM - the news anchor from KREM asks a question about how the candidates win new votes in a close race. The answer was a case study in the difference between the candidates.
Rossi gave an upbeat answer about the "citizens movement" of grassroots contributors coming out in record numbers as evidence of enthusiasm for his campaign. She starts off complaining about the negative tone of ads, including the RGA's latest (thus validating this post).
7:20 PM - Memo to the Gregoire campaign: teach your candidate to smile even just a little bit when Rossi speaks. The camera pans back to both of them more than she thinks. She isn't helping that cold fish persona.
7:16 PM - Gregoire's aggressive gesturing with her fist while she talks is so odd my twelve year old son is making fun of it while he watches with his old man. Can I call myself that since I'm 33? Probably not.
Can you tell there's not much new in the answers from the candidates if you've watched the other debates?
7:14 PM - if the budget is a big topic then Gregoire just doesn't fair well. There's simply too much data making her look bad. Rossi pointed out she makes Mike Lowry look like a fiscal conservative when you compare the growth of spending in their respective administrations. I'd say that's a barb aimed right at senior voters.
Rossi's point about Gregoire's own advisers warning her against her spending binge is icing on the cake.
7:11 PM - second question comes from Spokesman Review reporter Jim Camden. It's on the budget. He says they received lots of questions from viewers on the topic.
Funny, he didn't mention stem cells.
7:08 PM - camera pans back to show Gregoire shaking her head like a school marm as Rossi gives his response to that first question. Way to look more personable, Governor!
7:06 PM - first question, comes from a viewer to Gregoire: why did you take so much money from tribal casinos? Heh.
Probably right after she stopped beating her spouse...or so the proverbial question with no good answer goes.
7:05 PM - Both candidates seem more muted than their Yakima festivities. Tired from the brutal pace of the campaign trail? That's probably part of it. Can you imagine how bloody tired the Presidential candidates and their campaigns are?
7:03 PM - Hey, what's this? That Dino guy comes across as affable change agent.
7:01 PM - the broadcast starts by calling this the only Eastern Washington debate of the campaign. I guess debate #3 in Yakima didn't count.
Posted by Eric Earling at October 09, 2008 07:01 PM | Email ThisSadly for the voters, fool us once and shame on you. Fool us twice, well if it's 100 fraudulent ACORN votes, I can't say we'll be so quiet this time.
Posted by: Andy on October 9, 2008 07:22 PMInteresting how the liberal mind thinks....or rather, doesn't think.
Posted by: Rick D. on October 9, 2008 07:33 PMShe's talking straight. He's dodging.
She gets things in Eastern Washington. Rossi clearly doesn't.
I don't know if anybody really watched this tonight but anybody who did would give this debate to old Gregoire.
Rossi was a laid back lazy disappointment.
Rossi's beating her like red-headed stepchild. He's been poised and reasoned; he's thrashed her with her unmet promises, her distortions and her failures.
I agree with the previous poster....she looks scared and haggard....ALMOST feel sorry for her.
Posted by: Zarro on October 9, 2008 07:44 PMYou forgot one little thing...Gregoire didn't pickup the phone for a $4 Billion dollar plant in the Tri-Cites...That's $10 Million/year in tax dollars for many years to come plus about 400 to 600 new high paying jobs that were lost!
She is running scared not Rossi...
Posted by: Glenno on October 9, 2008 07:49 PMThe city will start glowing blue pretty soon, with everyone holding thier breath.
Posted by: Julie on October 9, 2008 07:57 PMIf health insurance companies would continue to cover these services without mandates requiring it, then where would Dino's promised savings come from?
And by the way, it wasn't until the law required it that insurancec companies in this state covered mental health services, suggesting that your "they'll cover the important stuff anyway" notion just isn't true.
Posted by: John on October 9, 2008 08:12 PMEric...
I think they are considering Yakima "Central" Washington...Kinda like you consider Belleuve the "Eastside"
The only thing that Rossi left out was accidentally tipping a glass of water over her head. She would have disappeared in a flash of smoke along with a bunch of flying monkeys.
If we could only find a way to limit the fraudulent and dead people voting in King County to less than 10% of the population, Rossi might have a chance.
Posted by: zapporo on October 9, 2008 09:54 PMI got more info on the presidential and will save to the post. Young lady is all Republican in a Democrat school. Ornery like the swatter, I guess. An acorn, er apple, doesn't fall far from the tree.
Posted by: swatter on October 10, 2008 07:23 AM