Darcy Burner Advises Dem Contenders

David Postman (Bothell Times):

Democrat Darcy Burner was in audience last night for the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas. She posted her thoughts at DailyKos but — spoiler alert — here's the good stuff:

* Joe Biden is brilliant in making his responses just a bit flip and very funny. I wish he'd figure out that his plan to end the war in Iraq could be a way to capture voters if he just explained it to them.

* Bill Richardson is skillfully running against DC — which he should be, given what the American public thinks of DC right now. I wish he would find a way to speak clearly and simply without making it ambiguous whether his stances are bold or naive.

* Dennis Kucinich is embracing his positions rather than dancing around them. That's brave.

* Hillary Clinton is the only candidate really listening to the other candidates when they speak — even nodding when she agrees. I wish she would make a bold, clear, shocking statement of principle so that it was easier to make that emotional leap to her.

* Barack Obama is using audience feedback to adjust his tone as he goes after the other candidates; he's being much bolder about testing limits in the debate than the others. I wish he would spend more time being as inspiring as he's capable of being, and less time attacking; we could use more inspiration.

* Chris Dodd really seems to be having fun.

* John Edwards is as angry as many of the voters I talk to in my district about what's going on, and I have little doubt he'd go to the mat for them. I wish he could find a way to make more of his optimism about the American people show through the anger, though.