Sec. Clinton Won Last Night's Debate and America Lost

[Impedimentus]

Hillary Clinton is a master of the debate stage. She knows how to deflect difficult questions, change the topic, appeal to the heartstrings of an audience, and use religion to her advantage. She knows how to pivot way from possibly embarrassing questions and how to use anecdotes to destroy an opponent's position. These are the qualities of an excellent debater and Hillary Clinton has mastered the techniques necessary to gain the adoration of an audience while demeaning her opponents arguments. The media sees the debates as about entertainment value, not substance. Clinton knows this and she clearly won last night's debates where raising a finger or asking for the opponent to stop interrupting can turn an audience off to the substance of an answer. These comments are not to disparage Sec. Clinton, but rather to address Sen. Sanders' weakness in television debates, where style and emotion too often are more important than substance.

Sen. Sanders should have been more prepared but he wasn't. He told the truth, he didn't use the techniques that are required to technically win the debate and for this he will suffer, but more importantly the American people will suffer. The public is too often more concerned about the show and not the message, about the gladiatorial contest and not about the issues. Style trumps truth; emotion trumps reason.

Bernie Sanders is a good man, a fine human being. His lost to a master of the debate stage his loss is a loss for future generations.

[artyteacher]

1. Sec. Clinton Won Last Night's Debate and America *won... eom

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. We'll see. Hillary was leading in Michigan by 17 points before the debate.

We'll see if she wins the state by the same amount, a lesser amount, or a greater amount. That will tell us who won the debate.

[NowSam]

3. Bernie won the debate.

Bernie won.

[Impedimentus]

4. I hope you are correct. I watched the Young Turks and It was difficult to ...

take issue with them. But I hope you are right.

[Half-Century Man]

6. TYT is also my "go to" source

They themselves recognized their over exposure to debates and how the technically interpret them. Visceral reactions might be a larger motivating force in voting.
Tuesday at 11:00pm will be informative.

[Adrahil]

12. My wife's reaction....

Disclosure: I am Hillary Supporter, my wife supports Bernie.

She has not watched any debates until last night.

After watching it, she remarked that she was a bit worried. "He comes off a bit as a bit angry. And he needs to talk about how all this stuff is going to work."

She did not change her mind though. She still supports Bernie and his policies, she just thinks he's not a good debater.


Of course, I thought Hillary kicked butt, but I admit a bias.

[BernieforPres2016]

7. I thought the Young Turks were unbearable after the debate last night

I cut them off after about 2 minutes.

[NowSam]

8. I believe my own eyes and ears

and watching the debate I would say the live audience was in full agreement with me. Bernie won - hands down. The Anti Semitic Dog Whistle not withstanding.

[Impedimentus]

9. Thank you for the perspective. I guess listening provides a different take than watching.

[NowSam]

13. Perhaps.

Perspectives are influenced by the sensorial experience filtered through Confirmation Bias and propaganda manipulation.

The battle to win hearts and minds is a monumental task. Bernie is my champion.

But conversely, the battle to overcome the perception of dishonesty is nearly impossible for Clinton and most of the nation asks "Which Hillary will we actually get?"

[Barack_America]

5. Average people don't score debates. They note moments.

And who appears to be in command.

Bernie was clearly driving the direction of the debate. And Clinton had several obviously uncomfortable deer in headlights moments (I.e. The energy fundraiser). She also allowed herself to be pegged as a gun-grabber, which is burning up the comment sections in Michigan papers.

If the battle was for Independents (and it is), Hillary did not win.

[NowSam]

10. Great observation

Bernie was for All of us and he is so true to himself. So refreshing compared to the impossibly un-spontaneous and crafted minutia of HRC.

I say Bernie wins on the issues and on leadership and on honesty, integrity and relatability to regular people. I think Hillary wins in zero categories.

[procon]

11. He had one job...

No excuses.