Justin Webb's America

The Great Debate

• Justin Webb
• 1 Feb 08, 10:59 AM GMT

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO: Greetings from the Ohio turnpike. My senior producer, Adi Raval, and I just attempted to leave Chicago’s very busy but somewhat dreaded O’Hare International Airport. A taste of the usual winter season was all it took for the airlines to cancel most of their flights to Washington, DC.

So we decided to drive, armed with McDonald’s coffee - not that bad actually - back to Washington. Duty calls and in this case, that means a piece on healthcare, the issue Americans are increasingly saying they care the most about, for tonight’s main TV news bulletin.

All of this time in the car allowed us to listen, but unfortunately not watch, last night’s debate between Senators Clinton and Obama in Hollywood.

People who watched the first ever television debate between Senator John F Kennedy and Vice President Nixon, preferred the upstart Democrat. While those who simply listened to it on the radio preferred the Republican.

What I found, simply by listening to the voices, was an Obama who sometimes came across as long-winded, ponderous and perhaps even pompous.

Hillary seemed at times better prepared and sharper.

And for those expecting fireworks between Clinton and Obama, what you got instead was “Clinton, Obama go toe to toe, keep gloves on” as the San Francisco Chronicle put it.

For what it’s worth, here is one instant view of the debate.

So is the Democratic nomination fight close to being over? Who knows? But as we’re driving on the Ohio turnpike, I think of three things - the need for Starbucks that are open 24 hours a day, preferably drive-through. Secondly, the Democratic primary takes place here in March.

UPDATE: What was the third thing, asks Puzzled? A good point. This is what long road trips do to you... But I'll come up with something later.

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