Gene Robinson thought Biden did well in the debate. He added that in fact "it was

[highplainsdem]

kind of a Biden day" because of all the attention the impeachment hearings give to Trump's obsession with Biden.

Robinson dismissed Biden's misstatement re being endorsed by the only black woman elected to the Senate.

He pointed out that it was just a Bidenism, that he's been occasionally misspeaking for many years, and it hasn't hurt him.

I agree with Robinson.

I thought Biden came across as presidential.

The others came across as hoping someday to be presidential.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I thought his closing statement was quite strong,

and he did a nice job of presenting his foreign policy credentials.

[squirecam]

2. Nope

Biden will likely get the nom.

Biden was poor tonight.

Both can be and are true.

[Thekaspervote]

7. I'll Eugene Robinson and his commentary anytime.

[Thekaspervote]

3. He did great!

[Hekate]

4. Kick!

[emmaverybo]

5. He's been in the field actually doing what a lot of them can only talk about. Liked his optimism at

the end. L.A. Times downright cruel and unfair to him. Robinson was fair.

[Hoyt]

6. Thought he did well too, although I couldn't watch it as closely as I wanted.

Some others did fine too. Don’t think needle will move much after tonight for front runners.

[Demsrule86]

24. I don't think so either. Although Lawrence did his best to hurt Biden.

[StarfishSaver]

8. "Just a Bidenism" grading on a curve

Any other candidate who consistently misspoke the way he does would not be so easily forgiven.

[emmaverybo]

25. And yet he has been entirely substantive and well spoken so often from his launch on. That he

connects emotionally with his audience and is so authentic much of the time overshadows the
glitches which he himself caught tonight. And he does not disrespect his fellows like Cory Booker did with his cheap laugh line. Further, Booker completely misstated Biden’s stance.

You don’t get it, but many do. Not that you are wrong—just that he gets a pass on speech glitches for a reason. Not going to go over his resume of accomplishments but no jabbering talks to as many influential people all over the world and effectively influences them.

He is actually, despite wording glitches, a highly successful communicator, The proof is in the pudding, which he has to offer.

[sop]

9. Everyone knows he was referring to Carol Moseley Braun, first black woman elected to the Senate

If we're going to start judging politicians for a minor slip of the tongue, we're screwed.

[StarfishSaver]

11. Everyone DOESN'T know that

Biden is given passes that no other candidate would be given.

Not a huge deal. But people need to at least admit and own the double standard.

[LanternWaste]

47. The lowest common denominators may not know.

But they don't really watch Democratic debates, so it's moot (at best).

[highplainsdem]

14. Well, Lawrence O'Donnell is not only attacking him for it, but claiming he, Lawrence, was probably

the only person there who remembered Carol Moseley Braun. He also said something about it being the least important endorsement Biden could have mentioned.

O'Donnell's brain isn't working here.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

18. And saying Carol Mosely Braun was unimportant is insulting a black woman senator!

[highplainsdem]

20. Very insulting.

[StarfishSaver]

23. He didn't say she was unimportant - he said her endorsement didn't mean much

And it doesn't. No one is making their voting decisions based in what Carol Moseley-Braun says. She's not a player and wields no influence.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. She has been out of the Senate for 20 years,

but she was the first black woman senator so her endorsement was worth something, and O'Donnell's phrasing suggesting it wasn't important struck me as a bit hypocritical under the circumstances.

[Demsrule86]

45. I think O'Donnell was very disrespectful toward Carol Moseley Braun...what arrogance!

He is off my DVR.

[Cha]

10. Biden will probably

apologize to Senator Harris.. that sounds like him.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. Lawrence O'Donnell totally exaggerated the reference the to first black woman senator,

made it look like Biden was intentionally insulting Harris, which of course he wasn't.

[highplainsdem]

16. Yep. See reply 14.

[Demsrule86]

17. This is why I don't watch Lawrence O'Donnell's show anymore...I don't like his treatment of Biden.

[Hoyt]

27. I've liked his show at times, but O'D kind of flopped on Maher & Colbert. Haven't watched in months.

[Demsrule86]

44. I loved him and watched every night...he has shown more deference to GOP types than to Biden who

is likely to be our nominee...it makes me very angry as Hillary endured the same shit.

[Green Line]

34. Same here

He’s totally anti Biden as is most of MSNBC

[Demsrule86]

43. I hardly ever watch MSNBC these days for that reason. Did you notice last night,they

were forced to acknowledge, he is the front runner? Wait for it...as it becomes clear that he will win the nomination,he will suddenly 'surge' and they will report it in time to save face...I see the beginning of this now.

[oasis]

28. L.O. revealed his bias against Joe. nt

[boomer_wv]

13. It's silly

to parse every word Biden says and try to use them against him. At one point, and for a long time, she was the only black woman elected to the Senate and Biden just fell back into the way he thought about her during that time. A pretty simple mistake that doesn't have any other meaning to it.

We need to remember that Trump won the Presidency and he can barely form a coherent sentence. It just not something that people care about.

[tishaLA]

15. Wow. Lawrence just went after him

and a bit too hard, IMO, for what Lawrence saw as Biden's erasure of the black woman on stage with him.

[Demsrule86]

19. I understood what Biden meant...Lawrence deliberately tried to twist it. He has not been

himself for a while now...since he was out sick even before this.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. And then O'Donnell said the endorsement of Carol Mosley Braun was

the least important endorsement Biden could have mentioned - thereby erasing Carol Mosely Braun!

[Thekaspervote]

22. Indeed he did and it was unnecessary and distasteful. Harris and Biden are friends. I doubt

There were any hurt feelings, but if there are, Joe being the gentleman he is will make it right. Publicly if needed

[emmaverybo]

30. People like to trash Biden to make themselves sound good. Going against the front-runner, picking

a very popular, influential, and highly accomplished politician apart gives them an air of expertise, like a fine political connoisseur. Just snobby crap.

[peggysue2]

29. Biden's strongest moments were regarding . . .

foreign policy: how to handle tyrants and the necessary healing of our democratic alliances. That's an arena where no other candidate is even close. Biden has that expertise and geopolitical knowledge. We're going to need that skill after the mess Trump has made.

Joe Biden has the chops. And, of course, the drums.

[emmaverybo]

31. Ah. Exactly. No other comes even within range of his knowledge and experience in regard to

the world situation, which we play a crucial role in, and which is also a part our national security. And talk about your existential crises. No joke. We sit on a powder keg. Not just us!

[Thekaspervote]

40. Yes, and it seems voters being polled are seeing it too! His RCP avg 12.7

That’s an eye popping lead!!

[Tarheel_Dem]

41. I couldn't believe an RCP avg of 12.7%, so I headed over to take a look. That is amazing.

Looks like BS & Warren are both down, and Biden & Pete are both up.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/

[Martin Eden]

42. My biggest problem with Biden was foreign policy

Same problem I had with Hillary.

In 2002 during the mad rush to war with Iraq with all the lies and PNAC agenda we needed strong Democratic leaders to stand up and speak truth to power in opposing this colossal strategic blunder which was, ultimately, a war crime.

It's difficult for me to put into words how hurt and betrayed I felt when nearly half the Democrats in Congress voted to give GW Bush the power to invade Iraq.

I was especially upset with John Kerry, who garnered national attention as a leader of Vietnam Veterans against that disastrous war.

And I have never forgotten or forgiven others who enabled the disastrous war of GW Bush rather than leading the fight against it.

Having said that, i will support whichever candidate I think has the best chance to beat Donald Trump, even if it's Joe Biden.

And I will, of course, vote for the Democratic nominee in the general election.

[Demsrule86]

46. My advice is don't live in the past...we had been attacked...and many good Dems who objected to

this policy were tossed out...Max Cleland comes to mind. Let it go. Every nominee save Obama voted for it...both Kerry and Clinton did...no one ever said much about Kerry but it was used to pound Clinton as some will use Biden's vote...George Bush took us to war...and I doubt any vote would have stopped him...we would have lost the next election worse than what we did...so let it go. Blame Bush not Democrats who did not do this.

[Jewls2]

32. Bidenism. So sad.

[JackInGreen]

33. He demonstrated a massive bias

Swallowed his feet, recovered strong, and Gene says he won....so he won?
It sounds like someone lkinda eft but occasionally as numb-brained as trump is a-ok by that standard.
Not by mine

[squirecam]

35. He was terrible

Punching domestic violence language. Uh....

He will likely win the nom. But he sucked tonight.

[Renew Deal]

37. Which night was he great?

And that's the point.

[phleshdef]

39. Your candidate looked like she was hopped up on cocaine the entire night.

I don't actually think she was, but she was constantly shaking, uncontrollably.

[Renew Deal]

36. I half agree

I don't think the Harris thing is really harmful. He misspoke, but knew his point when challenged. I don't think he was "presidential." Biden is very shaky. I think he's beyond his peak abilities.

[underthematrix]

38. I agree. Biden had a great night because he spoke and carried like

president of the United States.

Biden said he would have an independent DOJ and it would be up to the Justice Department, not the president to determine if Trump should be held criminally liable for his criminal acts.

Biden also said at this time neither a Dem senate or House would pass Medicare for All which would mean moving 160 million from their private insurance to a govt run plan. Real potential presidents recognize there are three co-equal branches of government.

Most of the candidates including some of the senators speak in the same authoritarian tones as Trump did when he was running in 2016.

This is why I really hope Joe Biden is our nominee but I'm committed to voting for our eventual nominee no matter what.

[Gothmog]

48. Eugene Robinson-"sounded authoritative in a way that showed his experience and his stature as Vice P

Link to tweet