Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumDebate coach: Elizabeth Warren gets an A+
By Todd Graham
[CNN Editor's Note: Todd Graham is the director of debate at Southern Illinois University. His debate teams have won five national championships and he has been recognized three times as the national debate coach of the year. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this commentary belong solely to the author.]
As a debate coach, the most common question I get asked is this: In the Democratic field, who can stand up to President Trump in a debate?
Last night's performance gave us at least one clear answer to that question. The candidates' debate grades say it all.
A+ Elizabeth Warren
Warren hit all the right notes with her tone, demeanor, language choices and especially her policy-specific answers. She struck the right balance between progressive and pragmatic while pounding away at corporations, the rigged system, greed by insurance and pharmaceutical companies and more.
I first realized Warren was owning the debate stage at the onset of the event -- actually, during a mistake she made. She decided to begin an anecdote about Ady Barkan, a man with ALS who was being failed by a broken health care system. Unfortunately, Warren ran out of time to tell the whole story. But, on her next speaking turn, she continued the anecdote to some mild chuckles from the audience. What she did next was perfect. She looked at the audience and said, "This isn't funny. This is somebody who has health insurance and is dying."
She lectured the audience and didn't give a damn what they thought. And she continued dominating throughout the evening.
To Delaney: "I don't understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can't do and shouldn't fight for."
To the voters: "We can't choose a candidate we don't believe in just because we're too scared to do anything else... Democrats win when we figure out what is right and we get out there and fight for it. I am not afraid. And for Democrats to win, you can't be afraid, either."
To everyone: "We need to call out white supremacy for what it is: Domestic terrorism."
Importantly, Warren's policy answers also were the best on stage, with her explanations of why we must change the immigration laws (because we shouldn't ignore laws) and how a no first-use policy on nuclear weapons will make a safer world. My own debate teams have won countless rounds on this very argument.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/31/opinions/debate-grades-warren-wins-opinion-graham/index.html
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
theaocp
(4,232 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
democrank
(11,084 posts)Her responses were swift and concise and she didnt shy away from saying how screwed up the current systems are. Shes brave as can be and knows full well whats at stake. Shes a gem.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
True Dough
(17,245 posts)She made some compelling statements but she rarely provides any sort of tangible solutions.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
bloom
(11,635 posts)If you don't know about them - then you haven't been paying attention.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
True Dough
(17,245 posts)and LOVE. Lots and lots of LOVE.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
True Blue American
(17,981 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
sagesnow
(2,824 posts)Keep it up Warren- Love to hear her well thought out plans.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
crazytown
(7,277 posts)Her folksy humor she uses to great affect was missing. Her personal introduction sounded a little scripted.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
dragonlady
(3,577 posts)It looks like she hasn't lost a step since then. If Donald Trump is still a candidate next year and agrees to debate her, she will mop the floor with him.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
elocs
(22,538 posts)and those were certainly more debate-like than having 10 people on the stage at he same time.
How did that work out for her?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
warmfeet
(3,321 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
elocs
(22,538 posts)Can't, can you? Winning debates is not the whole thing.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
IronLionZion
(45,380 posts)We shouldn't start with compromised policies in the hopes the GOP will accept it, because they won't. Whoever we nominate will be called a socialist regardless.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Merlot
(9,696 posts)"Whoever we nominate will be called a socialist regardless."
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
IronLionZion
(45,380 posts)"It's time to stop worrying about what the Republicans will say. It's true that we embrace a far left agenda, they're going to say we're a bunch of crazy socialists. If we embrace a conservative agenda, you know what they're going to do? They're going to say we're a bunch of crazy socialist. Let's stand up for the right policy, go up there and defend it."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
bdamomma
(63,788 posts)has a way with words doesn't he, I like him. He should consider running for the Senate.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
SleeplessinSoCal
(9,081 posts)Warren became a star member of the debate team at Northwest Classen High School and won the state high school debating championship. She also won a debate scholarship to George Washington University (GWU) at the age of 16.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)You can tell when someone is simply waiting for a pause in order to stick in a talking point, and not really able to listen and be coming up with a thoughtful response at the same time.
When someone like that is debating Warren, the difference becomes painfully obvious.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)used against her, like it was against HRC.
She'll be called "robotic" with "those stats" and "overprepared" and "not really likeable." She doesn't apologize vocally or physically when she lands a point.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Karadeniz
(22,459 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Quixote1818
(28,918 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Stinkfoot007
(19 posts)I thought scolding the audience was the only weak moment of her debate performance. The audience were not laughing at her friend; they were laughing at Warrens stubbornness in insisting on telling this story no matter what.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided