Welcome to Stumper's second live-blogging experience. (The first? Yesterday.) For the next few hours, I'll be providing as-frequent-as-possible updates on the ongoing Des Moines Register Democratic Presidential Debate in Iowa, the final Democratic face-off before the Jan. 3 caucuses. Posts are in chronological order from oldest to newest (with the exception of my wrap-up, which is up top).

POST-DEBATE ANALYSIS: 

As I've written before, no one scores points in these presidential debates, so there's no real "winners" or "losers"--at least until the talking heads, pundits, hacks, scribes, columnists and bloggers go on air or online immediately after the event and proclaim that Candidate X scored a decisive victory over Candidate Y.

Who will they pick today? Beats me. Frankly, this afternoon's debate made yesterday's snooze-fest look like a Monster truck rally.

Again, moderator Carolynn "Scrooge" Washburn focused on "issues" important to Iowans. Apparently, that means no Iraq, no immigration and a lot about the economy.

Again she moderated as if she were running down a checklist, patiently allowing each candidate to recite his or her position on the budget, taxes, health care, trade and education. (Except, of course, when the candidate took more than 30 seconds. Then Washburn lost her patience. Tisk, tisk.)

And again we're left with a lot of information and very little news. I doubt anyone said a single sentence today that he or she hadn't said before--or posted on an official campaign Web site. Iowans may be more informed--and I suppose that's the point--but the Beltway punditocracy and bloggers like me are left with very little to bloviate about.

I will, however, say this. With the most to gain today, John Edwards probably "gained" the most. The media wants a two-way race between Obama and Clinton, and always has; it's simply a cleaner narrative to write.  But after focusing for a full news cycle on what a Clinton surrogate said about Obama's past drug use--and how the Obama campaign responded--reporters are suddenly "remembering" (by virtue of seeing him on stage) that Edwards exists (and is still viable). Yesterday, no one was listening. Today, they are. With the spotlight shining down, Edwards delivered a laserbeam performance, emphasizing his core "people vs. the powerful" message by repeating the word "corporate" or "corporation" 13 times over the course of 90 minutes. It was a savvy strategy. Clinton and Obama finished the debate exactly where they started--discussing drugs. Edwards got more attention than he's had in weeks. I'd call that a win.

LIVE-BLOGGING: 

1:57: Anybody there? Bueller? The big question today is whether today's debate will unfold like yesterday's--heavy on the issues, light on the conflict. The format, if it goes unchanged, definitely discourages clashes, but it's in Clinton's, Obama's and Edwards' best interests to "draw distinctions"--considering they're all pretty much tied with only three weeks to go before Caucus Night. Unlike Republicans, they won't be caught off guard. Watch for how they work around the restrictions of the medium...

2:00: Washburn says we'll be focusing on issues that don't get a lot of attention. Let's see what those are. Yesterday we skipped Iraq and immigration, which are the hottest issues around, and were rewarded with a pretty dull 90 minutes (at least from a reporter's perspective). Is this perverse? Or just pure--a focus on providing Iowans with good information? Any Hawkeye Staters want to weigh in?

2:02: Yesterday, Washburn said she didn't want to be a "Grinch" with the time limits. Today it's a "Scrooge." I'd say the second character--who's known for stinginess, as opposed to the Grinch's pure cruelty--is a more appropriate analogy. Nice edit, editor.

2:06: First question: Is it a priority to balance the budget every year? Obama goes partisan right away, blaming Bush for the current unbalance. Richardson praises the Clinton years, earning another notch on his "Make Me Veep" belt. Biden attacks Republicans' "bad priorities." Dodd wants to give people a sense of "confidence and optimism" and "create jobs." How's that for bold? Edwards also wants to "create jobs," but adds the first mention of the "middle-class" and attacks the "corruption and greed" that's "taken over" the government. No surprises there. Clinton also returns to the 1990s for evidence of "fiscal responsibility" and says "the results will take awhile."

2:10: Richardson's still angling for the title of "Get Out Nowest," slipping an Iraq reference into an answer about tax hikes.

2:13: No surprises yet. Everyone's against Bush's tax cuts. John Edwards doesn't like big corporations; does like the middle-class. Clinton's strategy is clearly to remind voters of the 1990s, when her hubby was president. "We need to recognize how people feel," she says. "They're standing on a trap door and they're one pink slip away from falling through." With Iraq slipping down voters' list of concerns, it's good news for Clinton that the economy is now on the frontburner--especially if people give her credit for her husband's accomplishments.

2:15: Clinton did say, however, that she will "raise taxes on wealthy corporations and individuals." I can see that making it into Republican attack ads: OMG!!! CLINTON SAYS SHE WILL RAISE TAXES!!!  The proper formulation, Senator, is "repeal Republican tax cuts." Not as scary sounding.

2:20: Clinton: "Need to give Medicare the right to negotiate for better rates with the drug companies..." Zzzzzz. Where's my friend Jack Daniels when I need him?

2:22: Obama had a chance to go after Hillary on health care, but stuck to airy abstractions about "changing business in Washington." Wasn't it her "business as usual" practices that led to the 1993-94 health care debacle? Obama implied as much, but he didn't say it.

2:25: The first laughs of the afternoon come courtesy of an unwitting John Edwards. Closing his "free statement"--a predictable criticism of "corporate greed"--Edwards exhorts Iowans to help "make this country better than we left it." Realizing, amid rising laughter, that his punchline doesn't make sense (unlike Alan Keyes), he corrects himself: "Leave it better than we start." Close call! 

2:28: Dodd says human rights and national security aren't "composing interests." On that, I think we can all agree.

2:30: I've decided to keep a running count of how many times Edwards uses the word "corporate." So far: eight. 

2:35: Clinton agrees to review NAFTA, one of the only hallmarks of her husband's administration that's been causing her political headaches this cycle: "I want to be a president who focuses on smart pro-American trade." Also says she'll "ask for revisions that benefit our workers." But she also refuses to completely disavow it--a tough move in this anti-trade climate: "It's important for us to look for the entire context here. You have winners and losers for trade here in Iowa" and cites "people who are gaining because of exporting." Ah, being married to president: it's a blessing and a curse.

2:36: Biden uses his "free statement" to argue that the election isn't about experience. Say it ain't so, Joe. I thought that was your big selling point! Not anymore, it seems. The new Biden is all about "actions." Cites some legislative accomplishments, then goes for religiously-inflected optimism: "May He raise you up on eagle's wings." Take that, Huckabee.

Richardson uses his thirty seconds "to thank the people of Iowa for putting us through this very... good process." Gets a big laugh with that little stutter step. And since we won't be discussing the Iraq War, he brings it up: "it's the most important fundamental issue affecting our country." Scrooge Washburn might agree, but I'm sure plenty of voters do.

2:43: Edwards on the environment: corporations again. That makes nine! 

2:45: Apparently, Hillary was watching yesterday's Republican debate. As the global warming section of today's event comes to a close, she asks Washburn for a show of hands. "Do you want us to raise our hands?" she says. "It didn't get a good response for Republicans yesterday, did it? But we want to be on record." Nice moment, actually--emphasizes the similarities among the Democrats (while letting Hillary act as the figurehead). Doubt it'll make Matthews, though.

2:47: A classic Biden moment. He reminisces about his first visit to Iowa, in 1974, and says how the current landscape--open land with no farms in sight--shows what's wrong with our current economy, which privileges big agribusiness over family farmers. He's in the basement in the polls, but you can see why he was once the Democratic Party's great hope.

2:49: "Tom Harkin’s been working like a Trojan," says Hillary. Can you say product placement?

2:50: Clinton's "free statement" is the closest we've come today to a clash with the other candidates. She says that in her travels across Iowa, she's learned that "everyone wants change." But the candidates on stage have "different views" about how to achieve it. Someone (Edwards, perhaps?) believes in "demanding it." Someone else (Barack, perhaps?) believe in "hoping for it." Hillary, on the other hand, believes in "working hard for change." How novel! Working hard for change? Why, I'm sure that no other candidate has thought of that.

I'm afraid that might be the sharpest elbow we'll see, considering that Washburn quickly steers the debate in another direction and denies Obama and Edwards the chance to bite back. Seems more perverse than pure to me.

2:52: Damn, girl. Washburn goes for the jugular with... Bill Richardson? She asks about how we should view his education goals in view of New Mexico's lackluster performance. Richardson, defensive, rattles off a bunch of stats. Now if she would only ask Obama about whether he dealt drugs, the Beltway boys might actually consider this a worthwhile exercise...

2:55: Maybe Jesus and Satan are brothers after all. Clinton says the president has a "bully pulpit" to influence education--which is EXACTLY what the NEA-endorsed Huckabee said yesterday. I can see the attack ads now...

3:05: John Edwards is on message. Asked what he'll do in his first year, he runs through the usual subjects in a weirdly dismissive way--"I'll end the war, close Guantanamo, restore civil liberties, attack global warming, etc."--because he's so eager to get to the point: "corporate powers and corporate greed."  We've hit double-digits, ladies and gentlemen.

3:08: Washburn slams Biden on... race? Of all things. She revisits comments he's made in the past about Obama being "clean and articulate," about 7-11 and Indians, etc. Kind of awkward. Biden answers gracefully, citing his support among minorities and explaining what he meant when he misspoke. Is this one of those "important issues" Iowans are concerned with? Seriously. I don't think so. And neither do the other candidates, who burst out in a chorus of "hear, hears" when Biden finishes. Obama (interestingly eager to speak up as a minority) even offers "testimony": "Joe is on the right side of the issues and is fighting every day for America." An error for Washburn.

3:10: Now she brings up Dodd's father's censure on campaign finance improprieties? Weird. Although Richardson's record as Energy Secretary is relevant, and not often discussed.

3:12: Okay, this is a good one--especially for reporters who've had trouble covering Clinton. Washburn says the problem with the 1993-94 Clinton health-care debacle was that Hillary was "closed and secretive" and asks how that would change if she's elected. Clinton's immediate response: "One of the principal lessons is that you have to have a very strong communications strategy." Hmm. She goes on to mention "openness and transparency" and the Internet, but for any future White House correspondents, her instinct to first emphasize the need for strong spinning capabilities doesn't bode well. (Although it probably would've helped her counter those "Harry and Louise" ads.)

3:13: Obama displays one of his greatest gifts as a politician: that cool, ironic sense of humor. Washburn asks how he can represent a break with the past when he relies on some Clinton advisers, Hillary says "I'd like to hear the answer to that" on the other side of the stage--and Obama delivers the perfect riposte: "Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me as well." Reminds me of his Secretary of the Treasury statement: a light touch to make a relatively harsh point--you're going to lose. Even Hillary had to laugh. Or is that "cackle"?

3:24: And now for the New Years resolutions, which the candidates seem to confuse with New Years wishes, which don't really exist. Clinton says she wants to run a winning campaign. Richardson hopes Congress and the President will get over their differences. Dodd wishes "Iowans caucus and caucus correctly on Jan. 3." The best political answer comes from John Edwards, who says that he will struggle to remember that "Somewhere in America tonight a child will go to bed hungry. That is what is at stake. We'll all be fine. What's at stake is whether America will be fine." Best personal answer? Joe Biden, who seems overwhelmed by emotion as he refers, obliquely, to losing his wife and child in a car accident. "My resolution is always to remember where I came from," he says. "Your whole life can change in a split second. Every year I make a resolution to remember what it's like when things were really bad, so I remember to treat family right when things are good." No political angle there.

3:30: Hillary shows her softer side in the final few minutes. After mentioning Chelsea in her answer on education, she resolves for New Years to "exercise" and admits, when asked what she learned from Iowa, that she's "eaten my away across the state." Are there housewives across America saying "she's just like me"? Probably not. But clearly her campaign hopes that this strategy makes her seem more human and earns her a few extra votes in Iowa.