I really enjoyed the YouTube debate, although I thought Anderson Cooper was a miserable, miserable moderator. Everyone talked over him even more frequently than usual, and his comments were uncommonly awkward (save his quip about no one being to the left of Kucinich). My grades:

Senator Clinton: A+++++
I thought Mlle. Clinton was extremely charming, informative, responsive, realistic, and adaptable. Her response to the question about meeting with “the bad leaders” during her hypothetical first year was the single most presidential answer of the night. It made Obama look silly and inexperienced, and it perfectly elucidates why she is in the lead. However, I’ve been watching CNN this morning and it seems that their (extremely) non-scientific focus groups show Clinton to have done the worst.

Senator Obama: A
Great answer on minimum wage. It made Chris Dodd look like the peripheral candidate he really is.

Senator Biden: A
I thought he had some good ideas, and he was clearly the most knowledgeable about the logistics of an Iraq withdraw. I wish he hadn’t said that the last question was a “ridiculous” exercise, because it made him look uptight and old.

Senator Edwards: B
I thought this was a weird debate for Edwards. He didn’t talk as much as someone in his position should have talked. He didn’t look foolish or anything, he was just not stellar.

Congressman Kucinich: B
He did what he does, which is sound really silly and liberal.

Senator Gravel: C
This guy is weird.

Senator Dodd: C-
This guy’s eyebrows don’t match his hair, and that makes me think he is unelectable.

Governor Richardson: F - - - - -
Terrible! He was terrible. His Iraq plan was shut down by Biden and he didn’t shine on energy (where he should shine).

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