Live From Las Vegas, Part V: The Politeness Continues

It's fascinating -- the candidates are focused on substance, they're treating each other and the audience like adults, and they're having a serious, adult conversation about generally meaningful issues.  We haven't seen that very often in the past.  I don't think we'll ever see it in a Republican debate.  We've got three potential presidents up there -- they've got Lord of the Flies.

Q: Ha!  Just as I take over from DK's Western correspondent, we get the inevitable Yucca Mountain question.  Will you kill Yucca?

OBAMA:  Yes.  It's not based in sound science, and while you hate to waste the billions that have been spent, cutting our losses is the right thing to do.  Need to convene experts to determine what to do with waste.

HRC:  I voted against Yucca, I've always been against it.  Other candidates have wavered.

OBAMA:  Not me!

JRE:  I'll end Yucca Mountain.  Moreover, I'm against building any new nuke plants -- unlike the other two.

HRC:  But you voted for Yucca!  Twice!

JRE:  Yeah, but the science has changed my mind.

Q: 29 nuke plants in the planning stages -- when you, OBAMA, voted for the 2005 energy bill, did you realize that it was possibly going to lead to more nuke plants?

OBAMA:  I voted for that bill because it pushed clean energy.  But I wouldn't rule out new nuke plants.  Need to keep various options open -- we need to create a menu of energy choices, an energy mix.

HRC:  The 2005 energy bill was a love note to Dick Cheney.  It was a clearly awful bill.  And we have to break the lock of special interests on energy.  I'd like to take subsidies away from gas and oil industries and shift that money toward clean energy development.  

Q:  To JRE -- how can you be against nuclear power in light of our severe energy crisis, you hippie?  Wind and solar can't solve everything.

JRE:  There's a lot of options beyond nukes, wind, and solar.  Need to cap carbon emissions, 80% reduction by 2050, and massive investment in wind and biofuels.  And I'd go another step -- no more coal plants.  (!)  Need to lead on climate change.

HRC has a plan for energy.  There's plenty of work to do.

OBAMA: We need to reduce consumption.  Citizens need to make a change.

(HRC has a plan, OBAMA believes we need change, and EDWARDS is in favor of radically changing our current policy.  The campaign encapsulated in a question/answer period.)

Q:  Problems with English as official language?

JRE:  Need comprehensive immigration reform, with path to citizenship -- WILLIAMS interrupts, "what about English?" -- I'm getting to that.  Immigrants need to learn English, but it's not the be all and end all.

Q: Black/brown division?

OBAMA:  Not anymore -- they all vote for me.  (First zinger of the night.)  Latinos see that I can lead on issues that matter.  

OBAMA follows up by discussing focus on early childhood ed, especially among disadvataged communities.  NCLB needs to work for, not against children and schools.  No sense of urgency in White House on these critical issues.

mcjoan has a new thread.  Will it be the last one?  All depends on how many comments you guys add!