Tonight, Monday January 21, 2008, the Democratic candidates will take center stage on CNN live from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at 8 pm eastern time, 5 pm pacific.

Once again, as in the last Democratic debate, Dennis Kucinich is raising some issues for being excluded. Similarly I’m betting it will go forward with just the top Democratic candidates … and John Edwards.

Here’s a story from the Myrtle Beach Sun:

With a new sign of economic distress nearly every day - joblessness, falling markets, a building slump - Monday’s debate between the Democratic candidates for president will be ideal for focusing on domestic issues, a CNN official said.

Further, because the debate is hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in a state selected for an early primary because of its relatively large black voting population, racial issues are also likely to prevail, said David Bohrman, CNN’s Washington, D.C., bureau chief.

“We’ll use the prism of race to help focus some of the economic and domestic issues,” Bohrman said.

Although Bohrman would not discuss specifics, he said questions about foreign policy will take a back seat to the country’s flagging home economy.

South Carolina is seen as a bastion of family-values voters on the Republican side, but political science professor Blaise Graham of the University of South Carolina said he hopes to hear the Democrats address it as well.

So it will be largely domestic policy based with Iraq on the back burner.

As always, we’ll have complete coverage starting around 8pm est and post-debate analysis complete with clips and the entire video once it airs.

Update:

Here’s a little debate preview from CNN:

Perhaps the race issue will come into play again as it did in Nevada. After all, tonight’s debate is sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus so domestic issues, especially relating to minorities, will probably be a prime topic.

Also, for anyone interested, tonight’s debate will be streamed live at CNN.com at 8pm eastern.

Update @ 7:16 pm est

Here’s more from Wolf Blitzer on the debate which starts in 45 minutes:

I think it’s going to be less civil than the Vegas affair. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if Obama or Clinton directly confront one another about the statements and allegations which came out of Vegas. Meanwhile, Edwards will be on the side trying to point out that he’s the only pure candidate who doesn’t take corporate donations and doesn’t have “baggage”.

Around 8pm eastern, I’ll have running analysis and video clips once it finishes.

Update

Here’s the live CNN stream:

Live Debate Stream

Update @ 8:30pm est

Checkmate! I was right, it’s a bloodsport between Obama and Clinton with Edwards whining on the sideline. Check out my running analysis and video clips here:

Analysis: The CNN Democratic Debate From Myrtle Beach, SC

Update:

Here’s the entire debate video:

Video: CNN Democratic Debate From Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

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