It doesn't matter who won the debate.

[cui bono]

Bernie is still the best candidate.

If he gets out-debated it doesn't change the fact that he has the best policy stances for the good of the American people. And foreigners too.

If Hillary gets out-debated it doesn't change the fact that Bernie has the best policy stances for the good of the American people. And foreigners too.

[Kalidurga]

1. This is true...

I am not going to change my support based on the debates. I watch them because I always learn something. I learned for example Jim Webb is still very wounded from the Vietnam War and Bernie and him have this very strong bond over that issue. I learned that Hillary actually does like Bernie, neither one was as catty and snippy as they could have been they were very civil and genuinely so at the debates. Also she is a good debater even if what she says is nonsensical she makes it sound like it makes sense. I learned Lincoln Chafee is very amiable and very liberal it makes me wonder why he was ever a Republican though, must be that Rhode Island is populated mostly by liberals and he got confused and joined the wrong party. I learned that O'Malley is a tough debater as well and he also like Bernie speaks from his heart. He also looked the most Presidential IMO, but this is not a beauty contest.

[ALBliberal]

3. Excellent Synopsis. Gracious in many respects Kalidurga.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

2. It matters to the smug....

[Hoyt]

4. What matters to me is can he get those policies enacted, and more importantly get elected.

I thought he did well in the debate, but so did Clinton.

[stillwaiting]

6. Getting him elected is step 1. We'd need to build on that and Sanders seems very

open (and eager) to working with those who elected him to change the composition of the Congress in order to enact his agenda.

Without Step 1, we're going nowhere fast. And, I believe it will be easier to build a progressive Congress after electing a progressive President that actively fights for a progressive agenda than it would be to build the progressive Congress first. We need a strong leader to build the progressive Congress and it WILL take a political revolution to do it. I have no idea why some insist that we have to build the progressive Congress first. That seems to be a much more Herculean task in today's political climate. Interestingly enough, those that are the loudest about having to build the progressive Congress first (and there being little to no value in having Sanders as President) are quite neo-liberal in their policy preferences. It might just be that they don't really want to take this country in a truly progressive direction after all.

Bill Clinton and Al From fully understood how powerful the President is in shaping the future of a Party. They succeeded brilliantly. There's no reason we can't succeed on behalf of average Americans in return. Starting with the President is a very good and powerful idea.

[cui bono]

8. He can certainly get elected if people would stop wondering if he can get elected.

There's no way he can't beat whoever the Republicans throw at us. They're all fools.

All we have to do is get him to win the primary. Any Dem should support him being that he is fighting for the people and he is getting them fired up. Let's face it, Hillary is too corporate, too cozy with Wall Street. She even said in the debate that she "represented Wall Street" when she was a senator from NY. That's just plain wrong. You don't represent Wall Street. You regulate Wall Street and represent the people.

[Hoyt]

9. I would like to think you are eight. But I renember McGovern, Carter second term, Dukakis, Gore.

[cui bono]

12. I would like to think that too.

[Uncle Joe]

14. The Internet didn't exist during McGovern, Carter or Dukakis and was only an infant

during Gore's run.

[Hoyt]

15. That's a point.

[Art_from_Ark]

17. McGovern is totally irrelevant

This is not 1972, the Vietnam War has been over for 40 years, and Nixon and his "plumbers" are long gone.

Neither is this 1980, when we were dealing with a hostage crisis that took up half of every nightly newscast, with the blame always pinned on Carter.

This is not 1988, and Sanders has by far greater appeal than Dukakis.

And Gore fuckin won in 2000.

[stillwaiting]

5. If style is being used over substance and consistency to values in measuring a debate winner, then

being the winner doesn't mean much to me. At all.

Style over substance when choosing a nominee doesn't makes much sense. With that said, I like Bernie's style more than Clinton's. He's much more authentic and believable.

[uponit7771]

7. His stances on immigration and guns matter to me, they're up there and to some they're show

.. stoppers

[hill2016]

10. you know you don't make sense right (the part about foreigners)?

What's Bernie's stance on free trade and globalization?

[cui bono]

11. He's against it.

He's also against war unless it's absolutely necessary.

[hill2016]

13. doesn't free trade and globalization

help foreigners especially in emerging markets?

[cui bono]

16. Nope.