Mudslinging Turns Off Nevada Voters

ALEX CHADWICK, host:

From the studios of NPR West, this is DAY TO DAY. I'm Alex Chadwick.

MADELEINE BRAND, host:

And I'm Madeleine Brand from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, where the Democratic presidential candidates held their latest debate.

CHADWICK: That was last night right there on the campus, Madeleine, and sponsored by CNN.

BRAND: That's right. CNN, you know, Alex, spent a lot of time promoting this debate as a make-or-break event for the candidates. You know, there's been some grousing among the political analysts that there really hasn't been enough fireworks at these events so far.

CHADWICK: Right. Barack Obama hasn't taken on Hillary Clinton as forcefully as he should.

BRAND: That's right. And yesterday CNN took out a full-page ad in the New York Times promising some action. The ad said about the candidates, quote: "They're all warmed up. Tonight the gloves come off."

CHADWICK: It sounds more like they're going to be carrying a prize fight, which Vegas is also known for.

BRAND: Exactly. And I think that's kind of what they were hoping for. Here's how the debate began.

(Soundbite of debate)

Unidentified Man: Let me bring in Senator Obama, because you've been among those critical of Senator Clinton. You've suggest that she's triangulating - whatever that means - on some of the key issues. She's running a textbook Washington campaign. You've suggested that. I want you to explain, if you don't mind, Senator, what do you mean by that?

Senator BARACK OBAMA (Democrat, Illinois): Well, Senator Clinton, I think, is a capable politician, and I think that she has run a terrific campaign. But what the American people are looking for right now is straight answers to tough questions, and that is not what we've seen out of Senator Clinton on a host of issues - on issue the of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

BRAND: And they were off. Third place Senator John Edwards also jumped in, repeatedly trying to paint Hillary Clinton as being too cozy with special interests.

Mr. JOHN EDWARDS (Former Democratic Senator, North Carolina): She said she will bring change to Washington while she continues to defend a system that does not work, that is broken, that is rigged, and is corrupt.

Ms. BABS MARR(ph): Boo. Gag.

BRAND: Seventy-seven-year old Babs Marr, watching the debate in a nearby auditorium, did not like the attacks.

Ms. MARR: He didn't need to say that. He's going to shoot himself in the foot with that kind of stupidity. You don't do that. This lady is brilliant. She is good at what she does. She has experience. They all do. But I just don't like that personal attack.

BRAND: Later, a group of young women - students having a late meal after the debate - said the same thing.

Ms. KELLY THOMPSON(ph) (Student): I'm Kelly Thompson.

Ms. NINA SERVANA(ph) (Student): Nina Servana.

Ms. AMANDA DAVIS(ph) (Student): Amanda Davis.

Ms. THOMPSON: We were talking about the mudslinging and how like Barack really played into it, and we were kind of really upset with how he played into it and we felt that Hillary really adapted quickly to try and stop the mudslinging.

Ms. SERVANA: Yeah. And Edwards as well. And we're talking about how we kind of felt that CNN kind of encouraged it at the beginning, like they really tried to create that atmosphere.

Ms. DAVIS: And it wasn't the candidates' fault. It was CNN that asked the specific question that they just rambled on about for forever, and everyone else on the stage is like raising their hands, like let us be a part of it.

Ms. THOMPSON: Right.

Ms. DAVIS: Yeah.

Ms. SERVANA: And a lot of college students were thankful for Joe Biden. I think, I mean, just seeing him standing over there like just leaning on his podium like, come on...

(Soundbite of debate)

Mr. WOLF BLITZER (CNN): Senator Biden to weigh in, Senator Biden.

Senator JOE BIDEN (Democrat, Delaware): Oh, no, no, no.

Mr. BLITZER: I'd like you to weigh in.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Sen. BIDEN: Don't do it. No. Don't make me speak.

Mr. BLITZER: I want you to. Go ahead. What do you think - Senator Biden, here is the question. What do you think about this exchange among Democrats? Is that good for the Democrats or is it bad?

Sen. BIDEN: Hey, look. Let's get to it, folks. The American people don't give a darn about any of the stuff that's going on up here. Look, they're - seriously, think about it.

BRAND: Here is what Kelly, Amanda and Nina do give a darn about.

Ms. THOMPSON: It's really good that we were talking like Iraq and the military, the deficit, health care, obviously. That's really important too. But I was hoping to hear more about education.

Ms. SERVANA: They touched on it.

Ms. THOMPSON: Right.

Ms. SERVANA: Briefly. With the higher education and the student loans, but they never went in depth with it.

Ms. DAVIS: One candidate specifically said all of these problems would be gone if we just focused on education.

Ms. SERVANA: Yeah. That was Richardson.

Ms. DAVIS: And then someone else actually, barely, who's like getting cut off, and he was saying that we need 16 years guaranteed of education and some plan, and I was like, give him more time, like I want to hear it. I...

Ms. SERVANA: Yeah. That was Joe Biden.

Ms. DAVIS: I know. Everything good from tonight came from Joe Biden. I don't know. I didn't even know his name before today.

Ms. SERVANA: I didn't either. I never even heard of him.

BRAND: So it sounds like you had a lot of problems with the media tonight. You had problems with CNN more than with the candidates.

Ms. DAVIS: We did. And especially as UNLV students, we are outraged at the last questions.

(Soundbite of debate)

Unidentified Woman: This is a fun question for you. Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?

Ms. DAVIS: I think as students in Las Vegas we get stereotyped all the time of, you know, being these crazy like casino-goers, you know, and then the only question from a UNLV student is diamonds or pearls?

BRAND: Still, this debate got these students really excited to vote for a presidential candidate. It'll be their first time.

Ms. THOMSPSON: I think being on a college campus and having this all happen, it's like now I'm definitely going to vote, you know?

BRAND: That was Kelly Thompson, Amanda Davis and Nina Servana at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus giving their reaction to last night's Democratic debate and their reaction to their first media spectacle.

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