From NBC's Mark Murray
Since Tavis Smiley changed the responses to 30 second, Hillary Clinton just sounded like an auctioneer ticking off several items in her answer on African Americans in jail (versus whites).

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Shocker. From... Gravel. He said the debate is just "politics as usual." No empowerment here, he claims.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
The Republicans are ecstatic that this question was asked. Both Clinton and Obama were very careful in how they answered it. They were clearing thinking about another campaign.  They didn't call for "raising" taxes, they called for "changing" the system.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
I think Gravel just called for Flat Tax. 'Imagine a tax where you know what everyone else is paying...' Hmm who's that sound like? Didn't Steve Forbes run as a Republican?

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
...Al Sharpton's face in response to Biden's "I got tested... I know Barack got tested..."

From NBC's Chuck Todd
Thank you, Mr. Smiley, for changing the format up. It should speed things up.

Biden: "I got tested for AIDS. Barack got tested for AIDS. There is no shame in getting tested for AIDS.

Obama: "I just want to let you know I get tested with Michelle [Obama]."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Clinton got the loudest applause so far with her "If it were white women..." comment, showed some flexibility and a good effort with a Paris Hilton comment

From NBC's Chuck Todd
Come on, do we really have to let every candidate answer every question? Even the candidates don't want that. They have to constantly say "John's right, or I agree with the senator etc..." I applaud the effort to make sure everyone gets a chance, but there's a way to allow everyone their shot and not lose the viewer's attention. I've counted three nodding off audience members so far.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Dodd goes over the time limit twice in row, and gets chastised (politely) by Tavis Smiley.

You can tell Dodd is trying to make an impression tonight.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The war is going to end the problems of the black community? What Gravel?

From NBC's Mark Murray
To the best of my memory, we heard the first question on HIV/AIDS at this debate. Richardson started first, and he said he was actually going to say something "positive" about Bush -- on increasing AIDS funding.

From NBC's Mark Murray
There it is. Clinton just whipped out her "It Takes A Village" line on the question of poverty.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
Is Richardson really wearing a white tie? It actually works because of the dark background but it's not everyday you see a candidate for office wear a regular white necktie. We're still waiting for the self-styled westerner to sport the bolo.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
It's a startling statistic thrown out that black high school graduates have a 33 percent higher unemployment rate than white high school dropouts.

Between Richardson, Edwards and Clinton their answers were particularly strong. Edwards went with talking points and plugged his Poverty Center. And in the first question, he mentioned Two Americas. Clinton starts with "it takes a village," a resounding "ohh" came up from the audience.

Obama got right to the issue, talked comfortably about early childhood education  and seems to have a strong handle on the topic.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
It's been 30 minutes and we've gotten through 1 question.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Was it just me, or did Kucinich's wife look like she had eyes for Gravel when the camera cut to her?

From NBC's Chuck Todd
God love Mike Gravel. His opening remarks are on drugs. His heart appears to be in the right place but his presentation comes across as "let's legalize."  So some happy folks in Marin County, CA, tonight.

Best line so far... by Kucinich: "They tell you to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and then they steal the boots."

Before his 2004 DNC speech, Obama, in proclaiming his readiness said, "I'm Lebron, baby."

Will Lebron show again?

From NBC's Mark Murray
The first question tonight -- about whether race is still the most intractable problem in American and about today's Supreme Court decision -- allowed each of the candidates to play to their strengths. Clinton hit on Bush-appointed Supreme Court that "turned the clock back" on Brown vs. Board of Education; Biden emphasized why he fought so hard against Roberts and Alito; Richardson talked about "being authentic and speaking honestly"; Edwards talked about the inequality in America; and Obama used it to talk about his biography and what he would do as president.

Oh, and Gravel talked about the nation's drug policies.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
Joe Biden, once again, getting on message pretty quickly in a debate. The Roberts-Alito comment brought his answer to the present quickly. He's been solid in the first two debates; good start for him already.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Clinton, who has had strong support among African-Americans, went first. "The work is yet to be done."  (mild applause)

...then Biden, who makes a strong point about his toughness on Roberts and Alito. (though his applause... eh)

From NBC's Mark Murray
Just a huge shout-out -- and then another -- for Obama during the spray of the candidates. This is definitely his home turf, as we mentioned earlier.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
This pregame is ridiculously long and the candidates haven't even taken the stage. This is absurd; This is what the 8:30-9pm hour should have been for.