Debate Wire:

0832: After a half hour, there's a pivot to Bosnia.

0830: Obama's been on the defensive for 30 minutes, and HRC keeps attacking, although with a measured tone. "It is clear as leaders we have a choice who we associate with, but who we give some sort of [endorsement to.] ..... HRC really bites into this, brings up Farrakhan and Hamas and Wright. She really wants this to be relitigated again.

0829: GS skeptical: does Wright love America more than you do? "I promise you if Sen. Clinton got the nomination, I promise you there'd be a whole bunch of clips about other things." Obama's posture is: ALL the attacks against him are sideshows designed to bamboozle voters into focusing not on his message but on irrelevant issues. Notice the verb "distract." Obama is in a very tough spot here... the question is a little weird, but Obama doesn't want to say either way.

0826: HRC on the offensive.... deliberately brings up the specific 9/11 sermon as if to goad Obama into responding..... Obama agrees... it was "extremely offensive..." but notes that HRC's former pastor "publicly talked about how Rev. Wright was being caricatured." Probably not best for Obama to get into the reeds here, but he would face outrage in some quarters if he denounces Wright without equivocation. Again he pivots to his campaign message.

0825: Charlie has good researchers. Why did Obama rescind the Wright invitation to his campaign inauguration more than a year ago? ........ Obama says his candidacy "represents" the act of "mov[ing] beyond" racial divisions. This is an explicit appeal to the idea that his election would represent the beginning of the expiation of America's original sin.

0824: If that was all the debate about bitter/gate would entail, Obama escaped without much of a scratch; HRC did not seem angry. A wash?

0821: HRC: "My comments were about your remarks. And it wasn't just me who was responding, it was people who heard them."

0818: Obama touts his support from "people of faith" and "gun owners." Five minutes on defense. Pivots to his good government message: "You take one person's message that's not properly phrased, and you just beat it to death." Obama: "It's not helping that person at the kitchen table..." ..... Did Obama _really_ see HRC talk about cookies/Tammy Wynette in 1992 and say "that's not who she is..." Kind of a neat way to put the shiv in.

0814: HRC sticks to her response: "I don't believe that...people...cling to religion when Washington is not listening to them. I think that is a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of faith." HRC: "People are resilient, they are positive, and they ready for leadership that will summon them to [something] greater than themselves."..... George S. asks: "Do you think Sen. Obama can beat John McCain or not?" HRC: "He has to beat John McCain...." Very sly. Calls McCain's challenge "formidable." HRC: "I also know that we try to go after every single vote, everywhere we can.." GS presses: "Can we win?" HRC: "Yes. Yes. Yes. But I think I can do a better job."

0811: Here we go, on bitter. Obama: "I can see how people were offended. It's not the first time that I've made a statement that was mangled up." People "are going through very difficult times..." ... lapses into stump speech. "When people feel like Washington is not listening to them...then politically they end up focusing on those things that are constant, like religion. They end up much more concerned about votes like guns, where traditions have been passed down from generation... it is also true that wedge issue take prominence." He won't back down.

0808: A nice way to back into the joint ticket. running mate question, a la Mario Cuomo's suggestion. Obama calls it an "extraordinary journey" but thinks its "premature" to talk about who the nominee will be. Is certain that Dem party will "come together." Translation: uh, that's a no. HRC: "whatever we have to do" to "take the oath of office." "I think it is absolutely imperative" to make sure "the party closes ranks." Promises to go "everywhere in the country" to make the case. HRC certainly leans into the idea more than Obama.

0807: will ABC resist the temptation to bring up the news of the week early on?

0806: is this the end? The beginning of the end? A new beginning? a new hope? A new harvest?

0805: a commercial break?