Debate May Be Last-Ditch Effort For Struggling Democrats To Stay Alive

[nitpicker]

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/29/745606868/debate-may-be-last-ditch-effort-for-struggling-democrats-to-stay-alive

Debate May Be Last-Ditch Effort For Struggling Democrats To Stay Alive

July 29, 2019·5:00 AM ET

Updated at 4:50 p.m. ET

This week's debate could be the last onstage appearance for more than half of the 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls. With more stringent qualification rules from the Democratic National Committee set to severely limit who will make the debate stage in September, lower-tier candidates are now facing a do-or-die moment this Tuesday and Wednesday in Detroit.

As those in the danger zone face what may be their last chance to salvage their bids, don't be surprised if struggling candidates try to take on the front-runners and create their own buzz-worthy moment. However, that still may not be enough to keep their White House hopes alive in a massive field that must somehow begin to winnow.

Currently, about a third of the 24 candidates in the field qualify for the September ABC/Univision debate in Houston. Several are on pace to potentially make it by the end of an August deadline, but it's looking increasingly likely that there could be fewer than 10 candidates who will make the stage. That would make the debate a one-night affair, not two.

As of now, the eight candidates who meet the requirements for September are: former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, California Sen. Kamala Harris, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Booker and Yang met the threshold on Monday. Booker announced that he had met the fundraising requirements after already having reached the minimum in polling; Yang met the polling threshold after already having met the individual donor target.

For the first two debates, candidates could qualify by meeting either a polling or fundraising threshold set by the DNC. But for September, those requirements have not only doubled, Democrats must hit both benchmarks to make the stage. That means registering at least 2% in at least four national or early state polls recognized by the DNC, along with proving they have at least 130,000 unique donors in 20 different states.

Other candidates are getting close. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has met the polling requirements, but is still short when it comes to donors. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro has enough donors, but is only halfway to hitting the polling requirement.
(snip)

[NurseJackie]

1. Let the debates be actual debates... not candidate pageants.

This week's debate could be the last onstage appearance for more than half of the 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls.

Good. Time to start winnowing things down to a manageable level. Let the debates be actual debates... not candidate pageants.