Texas Democratic Debate Live Blog

Douglas Burns of Iowa Poilitcal Alert and Lorena Lopez of La Prensa, a western Iowa Spanish paper, will live blog the Texas Democratic Presidential campaign debate tonight.

6:49: starting in 11 minutes. 3 breaks. Fred Thompson would love this.

7:04 Candidates doing the photo thing in Austin.

7:05 Hillary talks about registering voters in South Texas 30 years ago. Says she got to know Barbara Jordan and was good friends with late Gov. Ann Richards. Says civil rights should extend to sick people. All in all her demeanor seems calm. She looks well rested, too, which isn't to be overlooked.

This is it for her.

7:10 - "We've been friends before this campaign started." defining moment. Hits on the economy right away. Smart move. Talks about couple that got hit with predatory loan and have a mortgage doubled in two weeks.

Good ideas aren't the problem. It's lobbyists. "The simple premise of this campaign is that we can bring this country together."

Barbara Jordan quote.

America as good as promise.

7:14 -- Jorge Ramos asks about post Castro. Will they sit down with Raul Castro?

Hillary ready to reach out to new govt. in Cuba. "there has to be evidence that the changes are real." She needs evidence first.

7:18 Obama would meet without pre-conditions. Hit Kennedy quote about not fearing to negotiate.

7:20 Obama early meeting would undermine US. More preparation to take the measure of the men. Lorena, who has interviewed Fidel Castro, thinks Clinton's position is right.

7:21 Doug is agreeing with Obama that the president needs to be more directly involved in diplomacy. "That's the kind of step I would like to take as president."

7:24 close tax loopholes for rich. Trade not through lens of Wall Street but Main Street. Touches on the toys with lead paint.

Green economy.

U.S. sends a billion dollars to foreign countries every day.

Hillary looks warmer tonight, not so steely.

Obama's demeanor is exceptionally gracious.

7:27 Hillary "the wealthy and the well connected have had a president." tougher standards in place on trade. Steps immediately on foreclosure. Moratorium on home foreclosures. Appeals to hairdressers and single moms who she suggests are victims of this. Also would freeze interest rates. She is giving more specifics than Obama, rattling them off. $5 billion investment in clean green jobs.

Invest in roads and crumbling bridges and tunnels. A great line on ending Bush's "war on science," Clinton said.

7:30 Clinton would consider stopping raids, references baby being left and children being left. "That is not the America I know." Stark admission of failure.

Hillary is on a roll here. She's winning the debate so far.

INtrouduce path to citizenship in first 100 days. She said this to Lorena in Carroll, Iowa, during out interview this past summer at Sam's Sodas And Sandwiches.

7:33 Ugly hate crimes result from the rhetoric. Improve relations with Mexico so they are producing jobs on that side of the border. Bush dropped the ball on outreach with Mexico.

7:36 Border question. Clinton voted for fence. Obama also voted it, Clinton noted. She's been on the border for the last week or so she says. Smart way to protect borders. "I've been fighting with them (Bushies)about the northern border."

"I would listen to the people who live along the border," Clinton said.

Obama: "The Bush Administration is not very good at listening. That is not what they do well."

Obama: 12 million undocumented. American people want fairness and justice. Not devoting all law enforcement resources to sending people back. "Comprehensive" reform. Pass Dream Act. Most applause of any item said in the Hispanic debate so far.

7:43 Univision's Ramos tells us 120 million Hipanics in the year 2050 -- up from 30 million. Clinton said Americans should try to learn more languages but the English should be common unifying language. Against English as official language.

7:45 Obama: "every student should be learning a second language."

"This world is becoming more interdependent."

7:47 With the Hispanic community crucial Lorena thinks the two are tied in appeal to that demographic so far tonight.

7:51 John King asks Hillary about "talk versus action." "All hat and no cattle??"

Says she and Obama have a lot in common. Vigorous campaign but civil. She's not hitting him hard on this so far. Goes with solutions line but not a swing really at Obama.

Referenced the Texas state senator who couldn't list Obama's legislative accomplishments on MSNBC the other night.

7:53 Obama "I have acted a lot." Opening up govt. with ethics reform. Behind transparency in government. Obama says difference in the way change comes about. The implication is that the people who support Obama are "dillusional." he gets in line about having newspaper endorsements. Must bring the nation together and stop the endless bickering. The reason this campaign has done so well is because people understanding it is not just a matter of putting forward policy positions.

Obama is now winning the debate. This answer is a home run.

7:57 Obama asked about using some of same language as Mass. gov. Deval Patrick uses some of the same as a national co-chair with Obama. Not really any traction on this for Hillary ... Got the line from national co-chair. Obama jokes that some his speeches are pretty good. Not just inspiration but $4,000 college tax credits and getting out of Iraq. "Senator Clinton has a fine record. So do I."

8:00 "It's change you can xerox." Cheap line that draws boos. He's a passionate speaker. "It's not enough to say, let's come together.'" If a campaign is going to be about words they should be your own. She contends he's looking at leaving out 15 million people in health-care. Obama not ready, she is saying.

8:03 Not taking bait with Clinton's cheap line. Describes his health-care plan. Talks about repeated debate: she;s for mandates for health insurance. He wants to make it affordable so people will buy it. Not different in goals ... Admire fact that Clinton tried to bring about health-care reform. Not just the companies were batling her. She went "behind closed doors" to attempt reform.

8:11 Ramos is super cool. Hillary is going after Obama on health-care again. "JOhn Edwards made a great point." Like Social Security, health care can't be optional.

Obama asks great question about what happens if people don't buy it. Do they get fined? This is a great question.

8:14 Hillary won't let go of health-care. He notes mandate for kids. Hillary is now in her shrill mode. "I want a universal health-care plan."

Obama: No excuses for parents not providing health care. Adults are going to be able to see they can afford it and get under the plan.

8:16 They are debating experience again. Obama talks about using military wisely and that Clinton was wrong on the run to war with Iraq. "That has significant consequences." Diverted attention from Afghanistan, Obama said.

Obama: "I have shown the judgment to lead."

8:23 Hillary would ask for plan on withdrawing troops in 60s day from Joint Chiefs Of Staff. She met someone in texas whose husband is on a third tour in Iraq.

8:24 Violence reduced in Iraq after surge, Obama said. "This is a tactical vicgtory imposed upong a huge strategic blunder." Easier for candidate opposed to war in Iraq from the beginning going up against McCain in general election. Latin America is overlooked in foreign aid. Annual aid in Latin America is what US spends in two weeks in Iraq. Still have veterans in Texas who have to drive 250 miles to get to vet home.

8:28 Obama: great line about McCain not understanding the economy.

Disclosed all earmarks he got for Illinois. Sponsored legislation to create database where people can see how federa; money is spent.

8:35 Clinton talks about going back to the 1990s economy. She thinks she can take on McCain on economics.

8:36 Ramos asks Hill about superdelegates. "I think it will sort itself out."

Obama responds that the primaries and caucuses determine nominee -- not superdelegates. People think the fix is in -- that leaders aren't interested in barrier breaking. "The American people are tired of a politics that is dominated by the powerful -- the connected."

8:40 Moments that tested them. Obama references being raised by single mom -- good appeal to women. Admits he made some mistakes as a youth. Gets in his bio.

8:41 "I think everybody here knows I've lived through some crises." With all of challenges she's had, nothing compared to what she sees with eday Americans. Spoke at San Antonio center for injured soldiers. Called by faith to run. Does God talk to Democrats now??? She and Barack have a moment with a handshake.