Obama: "I Will Come Right Back At Them"

You have a choice: be a fighting liberal or sit quietly. I know what I am, what are you?

- Steve Gilliard, 1964 - 2007

I love to see Obama fighting back. We have too many polite Democrats. If you don't fight, you don't win.

mspicata@dailykos.com: Obama just turned last night's debate into a campaign issue: w/video

"I will tell you, it does not get much more fun than these debates. They are inspiring events," Mr. Obama quipped. "Last night, I think we set a new record because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people. It took us 45 minutes!"

"Forty-five minutes before we heard about health care. Forty-five minutes before we heard about Iraq," he continued. "Forty-five — 45 — minutes before we heard about jobs. Forty-five minutes before we heard about gas prices."

"But not this time. People will not be distracted this time. If the Republicans come at me, I will come right back at them. And I will come back at them hard. You know, I'll be honest with you. I'll be honest with you. It's a little harder to do with a fellow Democrat, because, I'm trying to, be, uh, show some restraint. I won't have as much restraint with the Republicans."