Democratic Derby in South Carolina

April 26, 2007— -- If you were looking for big fireworks or a knockout punch in the first Democratic presidential debate of the 2008 election cycle, you will no doubt be somewhat disappointed tonight. No one candidate seemed to dominate the field.

Though much of the coverage of this race has been through a "Clinton vs. Obama" frame thus far, they were just two of eight candidates on the stage tonight and each got their chance to make their case. In fact it was the two most unknown candidates representing the far left wing of the Democratic Party who created the relatively little heat on the stage.

Iraq was the issue that dominated more time than any other single issue in the debate as the presidential hopefuls continued to differentiate themselves on the subject in what has now become familiar ways to the Democratic activists who have been closely following the campaign thus far.

"I am proud that I opposed this war from the start," said Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, before pivoting to his support for a phased withdrawal plan.

"If I knew then what I now know I would not have voted that way," said Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, in her usual refrain.

When asked about Sen. Clinton's refusal to apologize for her 2002 war authorization vote, Sen. John Edwards took the opportunity to throw a bit of an elbow her way. "That is a question of conscience for Sen. Clinton or anyone else," said Edwards. The North Carolinian making his second run for the White House also delivered a pointed line in Sen. Obama's direction later in the debate on the topic of healthcare. "If you want to be President of the United States, to tell the American people what it is you want to do. Rhetoric's not enough. High-falutin' language is not enough," said Edwards in a clear reference to what critics say is Obama's penchant for lofty ideas, but a lack of specifics.

However, Sen. Obama talked with ease and some detail about health care policy, for example, in an effort to show he is a candidate not just of style, but also of substance.