Dem Debates Night Two: Bernie Was Bernie, Biden Stumbled, Harris Rose to the Occasion
Thursday night’s edition of the first round of Democratic debates among the primary contenders was vastly different in tone and substance from night one. Following are some of my impressions of how it went.
The first few minutes went as I expected them to, based on what I’d seen the night before. Moderator Savannah Guthrie went straight at Sen. Saunders with a “are taxes gonna go up question.” Bernie eventually said yes, after pointing out that big changes were needed. “Every proposal is fully paid for.”
Then it was over to former Vice President Biden, asking about reports he’d promised big donors no pain. The question didn’t get answered, but we did get blue collar Joe attacking Trump’s failures.
Guthrie asked Sen. Harris the “how you gonna pay for this question.” Kamala ended that approach from the moderators for the evening by responding 'why wasn’t anyone asking Trump and Republicans how they were paying for those massive tax cuts/'
Former Governor Hickenlooper got asked about using the GOP’s socialism talking point, responded by saying Dems have to say they’re not, and then the other side can’t use the term.
Republicans have been calling Democrats socialists for decades now, so I doubt his third way concern trolling will make a difference.
Bernie said, hey, we’re beating Trump in the polls, so people can’t be all that scared.
Congressman Swalwell got in a shot at Biden, quoting the former Vice President’s long ago speech about it being time to pass on the torch. Biden says nope.
Then things went off the rails. Crosstalk and confusion reigned. Former CBS anchor Dan Rather tweeted, “I don't envy the moderators. It's like herding cats while conducting a symphony orchestra riding a unicycle.”
Kamala Harris seized the time and the audience’s affection:
“Hey, guys, you know what? America does not want to witness a food fight. They want us to know how we’re going to put food on their table.”
https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1144416853999177728
Author Marianne Williamson went cosmic, saying people with plans won’t beat Trump. Her voice faded as she went to a galaxy, far, far, away.
A conversation about race, started with a question to Mayor Pete Buttigieg about his response to an officer-involved shooting of black man. And it ended with an exchange between Harris and Biden that will be remembered as the defining point of the debates.
The consensus on social media strongly favored Harris.
https://twitter.com/VeeXVI/status/1144523107128041472
Lo and behold, the racist memes started up on Twitter shortly thereafter.
https://twitter.com/RVAwonk/status/1144451342238408704
The troll-skis were also busy on right wing Drudge:
https://twitter.com/woodruffbets/status/1144441717044723712
The Biden campaign denies reports their focus groups found the former Vice-President’s performance cringe-worthy. They also have distanced themselves from this response from a senior campaign adviser:
https://twitter.com/CristobalJAlex/status/1144428987596324865
***
I realized as I get to this point in the narrative that I haven’t said anything about Senator Kristen Gillibrand, who did make her presence known as a fierce advocate for women throughout the evening.
From her closing remarks:
“Women in America are on fire … but our rights are under attack like never before.” Will take up the fights no one will. “Now is not the time to play it safe. Now is not the time to be afraid of firsts.”
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang says today that he was having problems with his mic. This may or may not be true, but count me as unimpressed, even though I think his ideas about universal basic income are worth a look. But thinking he’s gonna get a Value Added Tax passed lickety split through the United States Congress to fund UBI shows a lack of understanding about just how bad things really are in Washington.
In retrospect, I felt as neither Yang nor Williamson belonged on the stage. I get it that they’re outsiders, and probably were slighted by the moderators. But neither used what time they did get effectively.
Count me as also not impressed by either of the dudes from Colorado (Gov. Hickenlooper and Sen. Bennett).
Bernie Sanders was what you expected him to be. I wish he had another gear to operate on rather than “shout.” His ideas are bold. He, more than any other candidate, understands the need to confront, expose, and oppose corporate influence. He’s not afraid to call Donald Trump out as a racist, but recognizes that he’s a symptom and not the cause of our diseased democracy.
Pete Buttigieg should stay in the race, not because I think he will win, but because he’s a much better representation of millennials--and the need for the party to look younger--than others wanting to grab the torch.
Was last night the beginning of the end for Joe Biden? I don’t think so. But the evening did prove he’s not invincible.
These debates are, as I said yesterday, important if for no other reason than they deprive the current occupant of the White House airtime.
I saw something yesterday that made me realize just how bad things have gotten.
https://twitter.com/PRRIpoll/status/1143987503575310337
The second Democratic debate, on July 30 and 31, will be a similar two-night affair, with similar qualification rules.
After that, the DNC has said, it’s raising the bar. Candidates will have to hit 2 percent in at least four polls, and they’ll also have to have 130,000 unique donors. The donor threshold will be challenging for candidates lacking national followings.
So the third debate should have a smaller lineup. I hope. Twenty candidates over two nights was insane.
***
Best Tweet of the night.
(Reprise of Kate McKinnon as Warren on Saturday Night Live)
https://twitter.com/briyetti/status/1144427955088584704
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