Who won the last Democratic debate? Our panelists' verdict

[BlueMTexpat]

The latest Democratic debate saw a fair number of clashes and several memorable one-liners – but no clear winner emerged

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/21/who-won-the-last-democratic-debate-our-panelists-verdict

One panelist:

Just 10 weeks out from when the first votes are cast in the Democratic primary, four candidates have separated from the rest of the field – Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg. In the fifth Democratic debate last night, those four needed to shore up their strengths and address the weaknesses of their electoral coalitions. [Emphasis mine] The remaining six needed to manufacture memorable moments that would help them make inroads against the leaders.

By this metric, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren emerged from the pack. [Emphasis mine] The first hour was Klobuchar’s best thus far, relying more on responses that showcased her witty, affable side that tends to resonate with voters more than detailed technocratic responses. This was in sharp contrast to the sharp-elbowed responses from Biden and Buttigieg – whose supporters Klobuchar needs – who were fending off attacks most of the night. Meanwhile, nearly all of Warren’s responses addressed racial disparities, a tack surely meant to appeal to black voters with whom she’s underperforming but desperately needs in order to have a shot at the nomination. ...

Another's view is that Biden seems to have regained his footing in the polls, but for how long?

Another feels that Warren was "absent," largely because she wasn't a focal point for attacks, and that Sanders seemed to have done well overall.

The fourth believes that Harris and Booker could see new life infused into their campaigns. He finishes as follows:

...
Will Senator Amy Klobuchar’s condescension toward Mayor Pete Buttigieg about his lack of electoral prowess and legislative experience springboard her to the top of the moderate lane? Will voters unacquainted with Buttigieg be impressed by his fierce attack on Representative Tulsi Gabbard for meeting with Syria’s “murderous dictator” Bashar al-Assad? Did Senator Cory Booker manage to stave off elimination from future debates on the strength of his unmatched eloquence and half-joking supposition that former vice president Joe Biden might have been high (as well as ignorant of the realities of minority communities) when he opposed decriminalizing marijuana? And will Biden see his hitherto solid minority support evaporate for ignoring the black woman a few feet away from him – Senator Kamala Harris – when he gaffe-ishly claimed that he had been endorsed by the only African-American woman senator?

Post-debate poll results await. I suspect that the debate infused new life into the campaigns of Booker and Harris and did little harm to the rest other than Gabbard, although billionaire Tom Steyer and the whimsical Andrew Yang barely registered. It indirectly emphasized how the two potential latecomers to the race, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, are at a severe disadvantage for having missed the debates so far. But the debate, coming after a long day of relentless Republican stonewalling in the House impeachment inquiry, also highlighted the difficulty that a victorious Democratic presidential candidate would have in passing even modestly ambitious policy proposals or in restoring a deeply divided nation to any semblance of unity....

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More at the link.

[Renew Deal]

1. Klobuchar seemed visibly nervous during the debate

It overshadowed most of what she said.

[Unclephil]

2. I personally think the debates

really prove nothing. The only one that was consequential was Nixon Kennedy. The rest people hear what they want to hear. Hilary beat Trump but in the long run it hardly affected the race if it did at all. I find them tedious.

[evertonfc]

3. Debate changes nothing

For one, my guess is it had very low viewership. I work with party operatives and they didn't even watch it. Two- the race is between 3 candidates. Period. These debates rarely change minds or votes. Do you think a Biden supporter is going to switch to Booker this morning? My guess is most voters didn't even know there was a debate. Biden will win the nomination because he has the support of the demographics that make up our diverse part and to be fair and with all due respect, Amy Klubocher would lose to Trump in a GE and it wouldn't be close. Just my opinion..

[bearsfootball516]

6. It'll get better once the field is whittled down.

I'm being brutally honest here, but nobody cares what Steyer, Gabbard, Yang, Booker have to say at this point. If they did, they'd be higher in the polls. A big reason why people aren't tuning in is because there are just too many candidates.

The DNC needs to jack the requirements for the next debates WAY up. Like, 8 percent in at least 3 polls. There are less than 3 months until the Iowa caucus, it's time to get the 3-4 candidates with a serious shot on the stage together and only them.

[Demsrule86]

13. +1000

[LudwigPastorius]

19. Yep

[redstatebluegirl]

4. I know tons of Democrats, not a single one watched or takes these things seriously.

I have said this numerous times, these PR fests are NOT debates. I'm not sure most of America could follow a true debate on policy issues since the majority of America cannot read and comprehend complex material.

[BlueMTexpat]

5. I certainly concur that these are

NOT debates in the true sense and - even more sadly - that the last part of your post is more true than not.

But, in large part, the general consensus of the article is also that nothing really changed the playing field.

[redstatebluegirl]

7. They will never change anything unless someone falls to pieces on air.

[Demsrule86]

12. I agree. Mostly, the debates have not changed anything. Kamala got a temporary bump but it was not

long lived.

[Kaleva]

8. One reads Freepers posting the same thing

That the great majority of Americans are ignorant, lack critical thinking skills and are too lazy to learn about the issues. They (we?) sit around waiting to be be spoon fed knowledge by the talking heads on MSM.

[redstatebluegirl]

9. Well now, you are accusing a Democrat of long standing of being a "freeper".

What I meant, and I think you know this, is that we have an electorate, many of them "freepers" who have difficulty reading anything with any level of difficulty.

I ask that you not accuse me of this again.

[Kaleva]

15. Read what I wrote.

If I had posted that Matt Damon and other Hollywood stars said the same thing as you did, would that mean I'm saying you are a Hollywood star?

Youir comment:

"What I meant, and I think you know this, is that we have an electorate, many of them "freepers" who have difficulty reading anything with any level of difficulty. "

And I said that Freepers also say the same about the electorate.

[Demsrule86]

11. Uncalled for...Peace is no freeper as you must know...

[Kaleva]

16. Who here saud she was one?

[LanternWaste]

14. One also reads freepers posting "one reads libs posting the same thing..." Much as you did.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

And as both are (at best) unsupported allegations doing little more than illustrating our own biases, we can safely dismiss them as bumper stickers merely pretending to be a valid point.




(the important thing though, is to pretend none of this rises to the level of criticizing a Dem candidate's supporters if we vowed not to engage in that petulance, otherwise we may be perceived as little more than self-righteous hypocrites)

[Kaleva]

17. I didn't criticize anyone.

I can't help it if some take offense to the fact that Freepers believe the majority of Americans are ignorant of the issues and lack critical thinking skills. It wouldn't take me long to come up with a number of quotes made by them over at FR saying such things.

[Demsrule86]

10. I don't think anyone won the debate. I liked Biden's closing statement and think when this debate is

years in the rear view mirror, it will be remembered...historic and presidential.

[LovingLife]

18. Amy Klobuchar

A good quick watch.

Link to tweet

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