This is AWFUL!! The idea maybe good but if they are going to make a joke of this then this should be the end of this. I'll give it one more and if it as bad as it has been so far, you guys are on your own.

Update [2007-7-23 19:24:32 by Big Tent Democrat]: Ok, I am done with this. This is a joke. Worst debate ever.

Update: Talkleft here. I'll take over. Joe Biden just said he'd pick Chuck Hagel as a running mate if he had to choose a Republican. He should have said he wouldn't pick any Republicans.

7:20 pm. I disagree with Big Tent that they are awful. All of the Democrats at the debate are better than any Republicans except for Joe Biden who insists on touting his crime bill.

Hillary addresses the gender factor. Big applause.

John Edwards delivers a great line: If anyone is thinking of not voting for Obama because he is black or Hillary because she is woman, he doesn't want their vote.

7:34 pm. Obama just lacks pizazz and charisma. On gay marriage, he just passed the buck to the "individual religious denominations" to decide. Why is it a religious issue? It's a civil rights issue.

7:42 pm. On Darfur, Joe Biden wants to commit 2,500 American troops. Hillary says she wants to use U.N. troops. "American ground troops don't belong on the ground in Darfur at this time."

Mike Gravel just mentioned that the top-tier candidates are allotted more time to answer than he gets. Anderson Cooper didn't disagree.

7:45 pm, they move to Iraq and are asked, "How do we pull out now?" Obama: Begin a phased withdrawal, have our troops out by March 31 of this year. He will do this on day one as President.

Joe Biden: We can't pull out now. Then he mentions he sponsored a bill to begin phased withdrawal now and get out by March, 2008.

Question: Are the Dems sitting on their hands because they are afraid of the Republican spin machine. Goes to Hillary. We need to set a timeline now to bring our troops home.

Richardson: would bring the troops home in 6 months with no residual forces left.

7:56 pm: Should women register for the draft. Dodd: I'm opposed to the draft but yes, if men register, so should women. We need more national service.

Hillary agrees: No draft, but women should register too. Agrees with Dodd, we need more national service.

8:00 pm. The first dumb question. How will Hillary be taken seriously by Arab and Muslim countries since so many discriminate against women. She takes it seriously. Other countries have had women Presidents and Prime Ministers, and they are taken seriously. Plus, it's doubtful anyone wouldn't take her seriously.

Would you meet with leaders of Iran, S. Korea, etc? Obama: Yes. Hillary: Won't promise she will meet with them during her first year. She wants to make sure they aren't using the meeting for propoganda purposes. She will use diplomacy and high-level envoys. Edwards: He'd meet with them, but he agrees with Hillary, first they have to ensure the meeting won't be used for propoganda purposes.

8:06pm: Back to troop withdrawal date. Dodd says by April, 2008. Richardson: Six months with no residual forces. Biden: Can't take the troops without taking the civilians. It will take 5,000 to 10,000 troops to protect civilians. Wants to send more vehicles to lower death toll. Hillary says Joe is right that we have to protect those who are there, and that it will be complicated. That's why we need to start now.

Kucinich says out now. We can't wait until the next President takes office. Urges people to text message Congress now.

8:18 pm: Richardson would scrap No Child Left Behind. Big applause. Favors minimum wage for teachers. Stress science and math. Art and music in the schools.

Biden: No Child Left Behind was a mistake. Blames his vote on Ted Kennedy.

Global warming and energy policy: I watched but have nothing to say about their comments. Pretty predictable.

8:42 pm: Social Security: Obama: we have to preserve the floor and not go beneath it. Richardson: Let's look for a solution.

Taxes: Mike Gravel said earlier he wants to move to a spend-based rather than income-based plan.

Biden: cut tax benefits. He'd take them away from people who don't need them.

Will taxes rise? Kucinich says no because we are going to end Bush's tax cuts and end the war.

Health care coming up.

Obama and Edwards disagree with Edwards saying mandate it, Obama says make it affordable. Both say stand up to the insurance and drug companies.

Hillary: Thanks the video makers who discussed their personal medical problems in front of the whole world. Universal health care is an American value. We can cover everyone and provide decency and respect to every person in the country.

Does your health care plan cover the undocumented? Chris Dodd doesn't answer at first, talks about stem cell research and diabetes. Then says it would at least cover the children of the undocumented. Richardson: Yes, it would cover everyone.

New question: Hillary: Any one of us would be a better president than the Republicans. She thought it was a problem that Bush was elected in 2000, and actually thought someone else won. She's running on her own record but is proud of the job her husband did as President.

8:58 pm. Onto G-d and liberty and guns. Edwards: His faith won't affect his policies.

Guns: Richardson says the mentally ill shouldn't be able to buy weapons. Says poverty is tied in to the question. Biden makes fun of the video maker who asked the question. "If that's his baby, he needs help." He (of course) wants to work with law enforcement.

9:00 Very funny ending with the candidates being told to say something they like and dislike about the candidate next to them. Classiest responses: Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, Barack Obama and Dennis Kucinich.

Overal thoughts: I liked the debate. Hillary shined. Obama seemed unpresidential. Joe Biden is dangerous. Chris Dodd was passionate. Dennis Kucinich had great ideas. Bill Richardson used his time well. John Edwards didn't cut new ground. Mike Gravel seems stuck in the past.

End of live-blog, I'm moving to the kitchen for dinner where unfortunately I no longer have a computer.

Post-debate threads are here and here.