Morning-After Report: The 1 Picture, 6.05 Candidate, 8 Person Democratic Debate

(clicking won’t get you more candidates, but they do get bigger)

Because a picture is worth a thousand words; the NYT lead photo is always a definitive statement on these things; and CNN did most of the damage with its handicapping arrangement of the candidates, here’s the take down:

1.  Someone tell Kucinich he’s been “MIA-ed.”

2.  Biden barely had a hand in it.  (Maybe no one can stand to see that mouth.)

3.  Richardson: Nice guy, but basically a stiff.

4. Gravel can come over, but he’s got to play outside.

5. “Cut war funding” Chris on other end of “less anti-war” HC/BO tag team.

6.  Edwards attacks swipes from left.  Maybe back in (MSM’s) thick of things?  (If it looks chummy now, btw, check this.)

7.  Awarded “pole position,” Hill scores twice more by: a.) carving out exact middle, as is her nature, and b.) keeping lower profile.

8.  Banking the face time, Obama earns big pic by winning war of (most) words (16 minutes vs. 8 for Dodd, I think I read). Earns points for big improvement on S. Carolina, plus just looks good.

9.  Who did you say sponsored this thing?  (NYT pic wins honorable mention for miraculous blackout of CNN logo spam.  Case in point , plus: does Edwards needling spell overdue end to showing of hands?)

(image: Patrick Andrade for The New York Times. GOFFSTOWN, N.H. June 4, 2007.  nytimes.com.  By the way, if you’re one of those BAGreaders that actually peruses down here, notice the brilliant headline accompanying the pic — if they haven’t changed it already.  It reads: “Iraq Is the Flash Point as 8 Democratic Rivals Clash.”  What’s that, insult to injury? linked image 1 and 2: Brian Snyder/Reuters. linked image 3: Charles Krupa/AP via Salon)