So it took almost a week but I managed to watch the debate. First of all, way better than the previous debates and it was nice not having the dead weight of low pollers. Still a crowded stage but everyone had something to contribute. The overall quality went up big time. Moderation was also better than CNN.
Biden - much better night than he’s had before but still some moments that make you question whether he’s up to the job, especially his answer on schools. I wouldn’t be surprised if this debate helped his standing though.
Warren - Clearly the best candidate. She never goes after other individuals and is focused on winning the battle of ideas. This is a stark contrast to non front runners who are desperate for headlines to maybe have a long shot victory. The meme is that she has a plan for everything and it’s true. No explosive viral moments, but a steady beat of showcasing her policy, her credentials, and her qualifications. No wonder she’s been climbing in the polls.
Bernie - He had a decent night. Really his biggest problem is that the ideas he had that were radical in 2016 are mainstream now so it’s hard to set him apart from the crowd. The things that do set him apart are disadvantages: he’s very old, he’s in some ways a party outsider who would struggle to navigate congress. His stump speeches are what you expect and he’s failed to give it a fresh spin that other candidates have. 2016 was his year and I struggle to see how he’s the best choice in 2020.
Harris - it’s so obvious that her dip in the polls affected her debate style. Lots of desperate attempts at clever one liners and she spent a ton of time thrashing trump. I don’t think it worked. Everything felt forced and I didn’t feel the same excitement from her that I’ve gotten in the past. I still consider her a very strong candidate with charisma and great speaking style, but I see a campaign that’s about to enter a death spiral.
Mayor Pete - Great performance, better than his first two. He’s one of those candidates who, in another election year, would be the obvious front runner. This will definitely not be the last time we hear from him.
Beto - better performance than before, the El Paso shooting almost seems to have rejuvenated his campaign by reminding him why he is interested in being a public servant in the first place. He’s clearly passionate about the issue and he came off more genuine than in the past. That being said, taking away the guns (as much as most democrats probably agree with him) makes him unelectable. It doesn’t matter here because he was never going to win the nomination anyway, but he’s also now a non starter for any Texas election in the near future.
Booker - Another great candidate who is just disadvantaged by a crowded field. Not much else to say that I haven’t already in the past. Didn’t like him prior to the election but I have a lot more respect for him now. Very rare for an election to do that.
Klobuchar - same as Booker. She’d be a great choice and she’s the only moderate who manages to do it without antagonizing the progressives. She’d be an effective leader.
Castro - meh. Obvious low poller trying to have a moment by going after Biden, looks like a small jerk in the process. Bad move.
Yang - I like this guy more and more every time I hear him speak. I’m glad he’s still in it if just to get his ideas out there. Despite being an outsider, he’s more presidential than more than half the field. The other candidates obviously don’t respect him or take him seriously though, so I doubt he’ll have that much of a significant impact on the party platform.
Btw, if I have to hear “let me be clear” one more time....
