Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate -- Again

Hillary needs a stylist. Mamie Eisenhower had better fashion sense.

Have you noticed that the presidential candidates are getting a bit more bold and willing to take more risks during the debates?

It seems they're beginning to make more of an effort to stand out from the pack and highlight distinctions.

John Edwards, for example, wants to prove himself to be more liberal than Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. He clearly wants to get the rabid anti-war crowd solely in his corner.

MANCHESTER, N.H -- Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, trailing both New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in national polls, criticized their cautious approach in forcing President Bush to withdraw troops from Iraq.

While some members of Congress spoke out "loudly and clearly" last month against legislation to pay for the war through September but without a withdrawal timetable, "others did not," Edwards said.

"They went quietly to the floor of the Senate, cast the right vote. But there is a difference between leadership and legislating," Edwards told his rivals during the second Democratic debate.

Both Clinton and Obama voted against the bill — which passed — but without making a strong case against the legislation.

"I think it's obvious who I'm talking about," Edwards said.

Wolf Blitzer pressed Edwards to be specific.

He finally said that he was referring to Hillary Clinton and Obama.

Obama responded by taking a swipe at Edwards.

Obama told Edwards, who voted in October 2002 to authorize the war in Iraq but now says that the vote was a mistake: "John, you're about four and a half years late on leadership on this issue."

Obama was not in the Senate at the time of the vote but had voiced opposition to the war resolution at the time.

Hillary, desperate to appease the fringe Left, took issue with President Bush in her response to Edwards' challenge.

She said, "I think it's important particularly to point out this is George Bush's war. He is responsible for this war. He started the war. He mismanaged the war. He escalated the war and he refuses to end the war. And what we are trying to do...we are trying to end the war... The differences among us are minor. The differences between us and the Republicans are major and I don't want anyone in America to be confused."

Edwards disagreed. He noted that there are significant differences between the Dem candidates. Although he gave both Obama and Hillary credit for eventually voting the "right way," Edwards insisted that they weren't strong enough in their opposition to the war.

With Obama and Hillary moving further to the Left, Edwards knows that his only hope of winning the nomination is to be even more extreme than they are.

I thought one of the most interesting, as well as amusing, questions of the debate was the last.

(CNN) -- The last question posed to the eight Democratic candidates at Sunday night's debate came from Ivy Merrill, a substitute elementary school teacher.

She asked, "Given that the circumstances in this country and in our world were essentially the same when you take office, what would be your top priority for your first 100 days?"

John Edwards answered first. As the time for the broadcast ran out, moderator Wolf Blitzer kept the other candidates' answers short so all would have a chance to answer.

Read the transcript of their complete answers here.

The Associated Press sums up the responses:

• Edwards: "travel the world" and "re-establish America's moral authority."

Does Edwards think that a few choruses of "Kumbaya" will get the world to like us?

• Clinton: bring home U.S. troops from Iraq.

Hillary is making it clear that she wants to be the anti-war candidate. She thinks that's her ticket to the White House.

• Obama: bring home U.S. troops and push for national health care.

Obama should quit talking and take off his shirt. That would probably win him more votes. He's all image. Cirulating more photos of him romping in the surf would most likely do him the most good.

• New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: upgrade U.S. schools and push a $40,000-a-year minimum wage for teachers.

That's nice, but that's shouldn't be the top priority for the president given the terrorist threat, the Iraq war, and the violence in the Middle East.

• Delaware Sen. Joe Biden: end the war in Iraq and defuse tensions with Iran and North Korea.

The chances of Biden ever being able to make those priorities reality?

Zilch.

• Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich: help "reshape the world for peace" and end all nuclear weapons.

Kucinich sound like a Miss Universe contestant.

• Former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel: Remind Congressional leaders they can end the war in Iraq now.

Again, that's not a good top priority for the president.

Number one on Gravel's list is to remind Congressional leaders of their powers?

Wow. What a dynamic leader he would be!

I don't think running as the post-it note candidate will get him anywhere.

• Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd: "Restore constitutional rights in this country."

How lame!

Last time I checked my constitutional rights were still intact.

I have to believe that some of these candidates are in the race with the sole purpose of getting the nod for the vice presidential spot on the ticket. Richardson, Biden, and Dodd have to know that they don't stand a chance of winning the nomination. At least I hope they have enough sense to realize that. Perhaps that's asking too much.

I think the debates would be far more interesting if someone was voted out of the race after each one.

There could be a national vote like on American Idol.

Not only would it add excitement and drama, it would help to rid future debates of the deadwood.