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I’m watching the latest CNN debate, and I’m wondering whether Wolf Blitzer is going to try, as he did in his last encounter with the Democratic candidates, to start a fight between the contenders. I certainly hope not — that served nobody but the Jerry Springer fans in the last audience.

Thankfully, the first question is substantive, about the “economic tailspin” of world markets, soaring energy prices and home ownership in crisis. Hillary Clinton is telling us that she’d have a home foreclosure moratorium for 90 days and an interest-rate freeze on mortgages for five years, and a $650 credit for Americans to pay rising utility bills. How about incentives for Americans to conserve energy, putting money in their pockets while increasing efficiency?

Barack Obama begins on the economy by noting that George W. Bush has wasted money on war and skewed tax cuts toward the rich. Barack Obama wants to get government money “into the pockets of people right away”: $500 per family.

John Edwards notes that he wouldn’t put cash in people’s pockets, and spends a lot of time talking about how he has a plan about poverty without getting specific. Come on, John, get specific. OK, instead, finally, John Edwards says he’d put the money into public works on “Green Infrastructure,” which would put money into people’s pockets through putting people to work. Interesting.

Also what’s interesting is clicking the option to watch instant polling reaction of a panel of viewers. Reaction rises into more positive territory when Edwards gets specific, and gets more negative when he wanders into words without specifics.