My Summary of the 5th Dem Debate

MSNBC/WaPo should be banned from hosting debates. Too many of the questions were centered on Trump’s personality. That shouldn’t be the focus of the questions for a presidential debate, but talking about DT has been excellent for MSNBC’s ratings. DT has especially helped Rachel Maddow’s career.

The debates took place in Atlanta, at Tyler Perry Studios. Buttigieg’s camp just had a week of race-related issues and the only people who got questions concerning race were Tulsi Gabbard and Andrew Yang. ? Yang’s response was spot on though. 

Warren – She’s good when she’s prepared to answer non-surprise questions so this performance wasn’t bad for her. I appreciated that her responses were more specific than most of the other candidates’ responses. At one point she said: “And in the first 100 days, I want to bring in 135 million people into Medicare For All at no cost to them. Everybody under the age of 18, everybody who has a family of four income less than $50,000. I want to lower the age of Medicare to 50 and expand Medicare coverage to include vision and dental and long-term care.” This doesn’t sound too different from what is available now through the ACA. ?

Booker questioned Warren’s wealth tax much like Yang did in the last debate. Booker had a great night. I’m miffed that the media puts so much glory on Buttigieg, the Rhodes Scholar, when Booker is ALSO a Rhodes Scholar. I’m glad Booker let people know! ??

Buttigieg – If I weren’t following the race and only saw this debate, I might think Buttigieg was great. He claims the progressive title but he totally isn’t. He has a lot of big money backing him. The moderators favored him so much that instead of addressing him on his manufactured Black endorsements, people from his camp using stock images of Kenyans to show Black support, and being dismissive of his own constituents in South Bend – they tried to bait Kamala to attack him. Kamala didn’t take the bait. I wonder if she didn’t because she thought that if he were to win the nomination he’d seek her out as his VP since she’s a Black woman and he polls at 0% with Black voters. The moderators were really SOFT on him.

Gabbard went after him, but I doubt her attack will affect his polling numbers. He’s a big-money establishment candidate. She is not.

Harris came into the debates with planned statements. Not once did she answer a question. LOL, She’s very evasive. She also seems to get a thrill out of criticising people. I think she’d make a horrible Commander in Chief. A leader who gets off in criticizing others isn’t a good thing. We already have that!

Neither Harris nor Biden could respond to how they could get Republicans to work with them. I think that says a lot.

I’d feel so badly for the person put in charge of typing up the transcript of a Biden vs Trump debate. ?

Klobuchar – She brings absolutely nothing new to the table. She’s a younger Biden in a dress.

Steyer annoyed me. He also isn’t offering anything new but he thinks he is. He also kept saying he’s the only candidate talking about term limits. He’s wrong. Yang has been talking about term limits too. In fact, Yang is for 12-year Congressional term limits and 18-year Supreme Court justice term limits.

Yang made the most out of the little time he was given. He isn’t the establishment and is obviously not an MSNBC/WaPo favorite. All his answers were substantive and teachable moments. Who knew the only other country without paid family leave for new mothers was Papua New Guinea? What other candidate has concluded that we should have a WTO, but for data (new world data organization) and that this would get Russia to the table and make it so they have to join the international community and stop resisting appeals to the world order?

Sanders offers great teachable moments too. He’s the best at revealing the country’s problems and realities.

Similar Read: Who Did Well in the 4th Debate… Sanders, Yang, Buttigieg? 

Why Deval?

A new candidate has entered the Democratic primary for president. His name is Deval Patrick. A Chicago native, Patrick is notably a close friend of former President Barack Obama. While the Democratic Party primary is open to any candidate, there are already over 15 candidates still in the race. Thus, the question becomes why Deval and why now? One can only imagine that he has entered the race because the other candidates are dismal or he has entered because he believes he has the best chance at securing the Democratic nomination next year. We should also consider that Duval chose to enter the race rather than endorse one of the current candidates.

His entry into the Democratic primary for president leads some to believe that he doesn’t think any of the other candidates can secure the nomination. But why would he think this if there are viable candidates in the race, which includes two US senators, a former vice president, a former cabinet official from the last president, a congresswoman and other business people?

We must also examine if the Democratic Party put Patrick up to run for president. Is the Democratic Party so insecure that they would be willing to pull a Hail Mary, or find an “elite” candidate for whom big donors would be pleased? Patrick literally filed to run in the New Hampshire primary on Thursday (11/14) and will foreseeably continue throughout the rest of this campaign cycle. While he is a former governor of the state of Massachusetts and a seasoned statesman, his entry this late in the Democratic primary for President of the United States should raise some eyebrows. But alas, Patrick is not alone.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also said that he is considering entering the primary. Again one has to question, why? And one has to question, why so late? Many of the candidates who are actively running for president entered the race early this year. They have campaign offices and they’ve hired campaign staffs. These are not things that Patrick or other new entrants cannot do, but momentum is towards those who have been in the race longer. Or is it? Could it be the reason Patrick has entered and Bloomberg is considering entering the race is the current field of candidates is dismal? Patrick’s entry and Bloomberg’s question about entering says more about the Democratic Party then it does them. It also shows that the primary next year will be a tough race and the base consolidation that will have to be done after the candidate is decided will be even tougher. The Democratic Party can only hope that with all the candidates that are in the race the party will be able to unify behind the candidate who wins the primary. 

Similar Read: Bloomberg’s Move to Clear the Field

Who Did Well in the 4th Dem Debate… Sanders, Yang, Buttigieg?

My thoughts…

Buttigieg – He expresses himself well but everything about him seems so contrived. Why does he seem so disingenuous to me? He seems like someone who talks over people. I can see how some people might view him as the winner of this debate. I didn’t.

Biden – I wonder if he can respond to a question without saying “Look” and pointing his finger at people. I really hate that. Every response he gave was horrible plus he was patronizing to Warren.

Warren – How she shaded Biden after the patronizing was great ??! Problem with her is that she is vague. She isn’t a straight-shooter when responding to questions and when she’s taken by surprise she gets flustered and grabs her notes. I can’t see how anyone would think she won this debate.

Booker – I’ve either gotten used to his theatrics or he’s toned them down a bit. He made some good points but my takeaways are that he lives in an area with gun violence and he’s a vegan.

Beto – He had to remind us that he can speak Spanish. He couldn’t answer the simple gun question. I think he’s hurting his chances of running for Senate in Texas.

Steyer – It was his first time hitting the stage. He didn’t do badly but I hate the fact that he essentially bought his way onto the stage.

Tulsi – She tripped up Warren as expected. Her interaction with Buttigieg was interesting too. But Buttigieg expresses himself more convincingly even when he might be wrong.

Yang – His best debate performance to date. The post-debate interviews allowed him to get a little more in for people who aren’t familiar with his platform, but I loved how at the end he invited everyone to his website on Friday where he will be answering questions from all tuned-in Americans for 10 straight hours. Brilliant. #AskYang #AskYangAnything #AskAndrew

Bernie – I can’t say I’m a fan of his but I feel like he won the debate. What a way to come back after having a heart attack and the death of his daughter-in-law these past two weeks!

Harris – Lost. It was a huge waste of time when she started pressing Warren on booting Trump off Twitter.

Klobuchar – She was able to get a lot of talking time.

Castro – I think this was his weakest performance to date. I’m glad he stopped attacking people based on their age.

1. Sanders
2. Yang
3. Buttigieg 

Do you agree?

Similar Read: Kamala or Bust? 

Dems Can Learn From the Patriots… “On to Milwaukee”

I’m sure you’re familiar with the phrase “We’re on to Cincinnati.” This was the famous line used by New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick during a Monday Night Football postgame conference. He used the phrase after the New England Patriots were blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs (not those Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes) 41-14, and fell to 2-2 in the early 2014 season.

The reason behind the phrase, and Bill Belichick’s entire coaching style for that matter, was that the loss was not due to the Chiefs, but due to the Patriots. “On to Cincinnati” was his way of saying… look we got blown out, we’ll adjust, it’s on to the next game to do what we do best… win.

The Patriots would hold true to that and beat the tiger stripes off the Cincinnati Bengals… 43-17. And oh, that Bengals team went to the playoffs the year prior and the same 2014 season the Patriots beat them. 

You see, the secret sauce to the Patriots success is their relentless discipline to only focus on one opponent at one time. And each opponent is analyzed with the same mindset that they can beat the Patriots. In other words, the Patriots focus on their own strengths against the weakness of their opponents… in order to beat them. 

2020 Presidential Election… 

At the time of this writing (October 2019), there are more legit Democratic candidates than teams in the NCAA tournament! And though there are many candidates… they all have the same mindset…

DEFEAT TRUMP! 

The same mindset… from the useless impeachment orchestrated by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to each and every Democratic candidate during debates using Trump as their rally call to gain an edge against their opponents. 

We know Trump is terrible, so what… his base is MORE entrenched now than they were in 2016. Which means that if a lackluster candidate wins the nomination for the Democratic Party… you’re looking at a close night come Tuesday, November 3rd 2020. 

So what’s the answer? Go to Milwaukee and double down on bold clear agendas on why a Democratic president is needed moving forward. No matter who it is, the policies are what matter. That’s the Patriots way. That’s why they went 3-1 without Tom Brady and 11-5 overall him during their 2016 Super Bowl Season. Because for the Patriots… opponents don’t matter… THEY DO. 

So go to Milwaukee Dems. Make bold declarations that the Democrats along with its newly elected president will be bold on the environment, be bold on fixing immigration, full legalization of marijuana, universal healthcare, and so on.  

Make the race about principles over (Trump) the person, because the current way isn’t working. Dems need to go to Milwaukee and plan to win in November 2020. The Patriots are great because they focus on one team and one game at a time. Despite starting the 2014 season 2-2, the “on to Cincinnati” Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl. And Dems can do the same. 

Similar Read: The Language of the Soul: The Power of Sports

Impeachment? A Lot of Questions and Very Few Answers

They say that timing is everything and you should not rush into anything that could have a lasting impact. Well on Monday, after much consulting with colleagues and other invested parties, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi decided to call the question of impeachment for President Donald J. Trump. Some question her timing, did she wait too long? What was she waiting on in the first place? Why now and what is the game plan moving forward?

If you go back in time to when he was elected in 2016, there were already hints that he had worked with the Russians through family ties and others to get information on his opponent, Senator Hilary Clinton, that would help him become what we know now as our 45th President. After the Mueller investigation concluded with such lackluster results, the world still wanted to know how is this guy still in office. It was not until an insider with knowledge of Trump’s phone call with the President of Ukraine tipped off authorities did members of the Democratic Party get the smoking gun they needed to enact and solidify Trump’s fate to be impeached. A phone call where Trump tried to strong-arm information on one of his political rivals, former Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden and him doing business in Ukraine. Trump’s response was that of a person who felt he did nothing wrong. “Yes, I did talk to the President of Ukraine. It was a perfect call,” said Trump on his talk with the Ukrainian President.

Trump admitting to talking to the President of Ukraine and asking him to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings to use that against Vice President Joe Biden is a violation of his duties as the President of the United States of America, no matter how you slice it. Trump used his office for political gain just like the former Governor from Illinois, Rob Blagojevich did in 2009, when he tried to sell the vacated Senate seat of President Barack Obama when he was elected to the office. Blagojevich has served 7 years of his 14-year sentence.

So now what?

Well, members of the majority controlled Democratic House have to vote unanimously to impeach him and then the process begins. Looking at how many people have come out in support of impeachment from Congress, Democrats like Al Green of Texas, John Lewis of Maryland and freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, you would think they are ready to take the vote and move it on to the Senate, which is controlled by the Republican Party… the same Republican Party whose majority leader is Mitch McConnell and who some have called a puppet of Donald Trump.

One can only wonder how long this is going to take? Will it impact the election season which is already underway? Will the base that Trump has handled so well continue to support him, or will they slowly drift away? What about Vice President Joe Biden? Will he take a stand for Hunter who was wrongly singled out by Trump… who, of course, is looking for one of his usual distractions from a number of recent bad dealings, such as tariffs, guns and mass shootings, his alienation of all of our allies and lastly, his friend and supporter Putin from Russia.

Looks like we’ll have to wait and see.

Similar Read: Important Takeaways From the Mueller Testimony 

Luke’s Consciousness from Night 1 of the Debates

My thoughts… 

Instead of 2 nights of 10 candidates, they should move to 4 nights of 5 candidates. Too many candidates on one stage muddles the message and it feels more like a spelling bee or an 80s dating show. People committed to watching two nights will watch four. 

Single-payer is the dividing line for the party and candidates. Removing the option for private policies is the sticking point.

Elizabeth Warren does not want to be labeled as raising taxes on the middle-class by supporting Medicare for All, even though the sponsor, Bernie Sanders, says it will require an increase in taxes. 

Kudos to Jake Tapper for making each candidate answer about raising middle-class taxes. 

Beto is trying the Goldilocks approach, but it appears he is provoking both sides instead of uniting them.

Bernie has the healthcare debate cornered in this debate. He will say what others won’t and it shows he is the most comfortable saying it.

Delaney has the policy that is most likely to get through both Houses of Congress, but he is likely to become the Dems John Kasich – possible crossover support, but will not find a receptive audience in a segmented primary. 

The red-state/blue-state Dems divide when it comes to public health care for illegal immigrants. Red-state Dems have had to appeal to Trump-leaning voters, and they view Trump’s landmines very differently. 

Steve Bullock is extremely uncomfortable answering questions about gun violence. Red-state Dems do NOT want to answer questions about guns and are hiding behind changing issues. 

Based on the answers provided on climate change, immigration, and health care, President Obama is a borderline blue dog Democrat. 

These candidates throw out the term ‘trillions’ like Oprah with new cars. 

Tim Ryan, Bullock, Hickenlooper, and Delaney are running for the Hillary 2008 voters, who turned to Trump. Bernie, Warren, Buttigieg, and Beto are running for the Obama 2008 voters. It’s Midwest blue-collar working-class union voters versus coastal cosmopolitan upscale liberals. 

Buttigieg is what Beto was supposed to be. Beto had the perfect foil in Ted Cruz, he doesn’t have that luxury in a large primary. 

Watching an entirely White stage debate reparations was interesting because most of the candidates were not comfortable discussing it. 

Delaney embraced TPP! I never expected to see a presidential candidate do that, especially since Trump opposes it too. Delaney has fully embraced the DLC mantle, but that group has not been relevant for more than a decade. He has potential to get Never-Trump former Republicans. 

It will be interesting to see how effective Warren, Sanders, and Biden will be able to combat the potential issue of ageism. 

Warren and Sanders elevated themselves from the rest of the stage when it comes to seizing the progressive mantle. They need to face Biden in the next debate. Delaney has unabashedly seized the moderate mantle. It will get him new donors, but being the moderate candidate has too low of a ceiling to win. Klobuchar reminds me of another former MN presidential candidate, Tim Pawlenty. Solid resume, but in a giant field, she won’t have the dedicated support to make a dent. Beto won’t make it to the Iowa caucus. Buttigieg is a wildcard. He has potential, but he doesn’t have the stage presence Warren or Sanders command. 

Similar Read: Luke’s Consciousness From Night 2 of the Debates

Before Watching the Debate Tonight…

Before you watch the debates tonight and tomorrow night remember these few things:

a. Flint still doesn’t have water

b. Donald Trump has been accused by a new woman of sexual assault

c. Who will speak up about the border crisis

d. Warren and Sanders have proposed student loan debt elimination

e. Biden is still making political gaffes but is it sticking…

f. Pete has a crisis happening in South Bend with white cops killing black men

g. There are multiple women and women of color running for President

h. There are plenty of white men running for president

i. Climate change is real and listen for who speaks up about it

j. The economy is not better under the Trump administration and listen who references that

k. There is a war happening in Sudan- who will speak up about it

l. Healthcare is still not accessible by every American in every state

m. The election is still over a year out

Listen intently and give every candidate a real chance to win you over.

This article was originally published on 26 June 2019. 

Biden’s “Apology” Too Late?

At a recent campaign event in Sumter, South Carolina, Joe Biden decided to apologize for “the pain and misconception he may have caused anybody.” His apology, of course, was in reference to the comments he made a few weeks ago about his previous work with segregations specifically on the issue of bussing. I’m not sure that’s a real apology, but it’ll check the box for many who have been calling for him to do it.

“Now, was I wrong a few weeks ago to somehow give the impression to people that I was praising those men who I successfully opposed time and again? Yes, I was. I regret it. I’m sorry for any of the pain and misconception I may have caused anybody.” 

But was it too little too late?

When fellow Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker demanded he apologize, he refused to do so. In fact, he demanded Booker give him an apology. When Kamala Harris called him out in the first Democratic presidential debate accounting her personal story as a little girl and her experience with bussing, instead of taking the high road and apologizing, he again chose not to.

Well, a week later and the polls reflected Biden’s less than stellar performance at the presidential debate, and maybe his inability to simply apologize in real time, twice. Most notable polls have Biden down nearly 10 points and both Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren have jumped considerably in the polls. Biden’s also lost half of his Black voter support and he’s faced continuous heat on issues of race.

It’s still early in the race for Democratic nominee. Biden was clearly unprepared in the first debate. Can he bounce back and sustain his lead to hold on to win the nomination? Some pundits say yes and others say no. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Similar Read: Joe Biden Doesn’t Deserve Your Vote 

DEMOCRATIC DEBATE: PLAY BY PLAY AND OPINION

I watched the debates with as little prejudice and bias as possible. These are my gut reactions as a straight, White, married, 36 years old, religiously unaffiliated, politically independent, male.

20 Candidates. 10 each night. 60 seconds to answer. 30 seconds to follow up.

NIGHT ONE…

ECONOMY:

Elizabeth Warren is up first. She is asked if her economic policies (which are heavily progressive) are appropriate at a time when 70% of country says the economy is up. She makes the point that the economy is top heavy and is working great for the 1%. Trickle-down is not happening. She is very eloquent and on-point.

Amy Klobuchar: She is asked if her policies are too idealistic. She talks about how Trump and his supporters gloat about the economy, but it betrays the bigger picture of student debts and low wages. She talks about making Community College free and getting help for everyone that isn’t in the top 1%. Says ifBillionaires can pay off their yachts (which I assume is speaking about the big bank bailouts), we can pay off Student Debts.

—Already, I can tell that the tone of this debate is going to be “boring” (as Eric Trump tweeted apparently) and policy heavy. This seems like it will be the Democratic position to contrast Trump: less rhetoric and circus theatrics, more substance.

Beto O’Rourke: “This economy has to work for everyone.” Betospeaks Spanish during his time which feels a bit forced (he clearly planned this with his campaign and it feels political in nature). O’Rourke speaks to the big bank bailout of trillions to the 1% (which happened under Bush AND Obama, we must remember – so this talking point which is now 3/3 of the first candidates is an interesting strategy seeing as how it could be at least politically attached to Obama, if not factually).

Cory Booker: Talks about monopolies and corporate consolidation. Says dignity is being stripped from labor. Small businesses can’t compete. Wants aggressive policies in the Ag(riculture) sector to spur the economy. He lives in “black and brown” communities that are not being helped by any current policies of this administration. Says “Haliburton and Amazon pay nothing in taxes” and we need to change that. In regards toanti-Trust laws, he will appoint the judges that will rule appropriately. Says corporate power is growing and that Citizens United has been very bad in regards to furthering government corruption.

Warren response about “Picking winners and losers” by Booker: The laws are in place already, it’s the courage to take on the giants that is needed. “I want to return the government to the people.” Warren is very believable in her appeal to voters that want the government to fight back against the big corporations and work for the everyman.

Julian Castro: “I know what it’s like to struggle.” Speaks to his difficult upbringing. Talks about MOMS. It starts in the home. He would pass the equal rights amendment. Women deserve equal pay for equal work. “If we want to be the most prosperous nation in the 21st century, we need to make sure women are paid what they deserve.” Short and sweet.

Tulsi Gabbard: Enlisted in National Guard after 9/11. She still serves as a Major. She is making these points rather than answering the question (which was about Equal Pay). “Our leaders have failed us, leading us from one regime change to the next.” Wants to take money from fighting endless wars into healthcare, green energy, and protecting environment. Her answer is so short and to the point that there is an awkward pause after she finishes and the moderators scramble to get to the next question (she is very impressive in her content, but robotic/uninspiring in her delivery).

Bill De Blasio: Talks about NYC policy that has made a difference in income inequality: raising benefits, raising income, pre-K for all, more sick days, etc. The battle for the Heart and Soul of the party – yes, we are supposed to be for the people: free college, 70% tax rate on wealthy, supposed to break up big corporations when they aren’t serving our Democracy. We have to be strong, aggressive, progressive… in NYC, we have proven we can do that. There is plenty of money in this world, it’s just in the wrong hands.

John Delaney: We must do real things to help American people and workers. A real wage. Double the tax credit. Raise minimum wage. Paid family leave. Says he’s very different, an entrepreneur who has spent his whole career helping 5,000 small businesses.

Jay Inslee: I’m a Governor. We need Unions. That’s how we increase wages. CEO of McDonald’s makes 2,100x the people who work there. I will put people to work in the jobs of the present and the future. Wind Turbines don’t cause cancer, they cause jobs. America needs to lead the world.

Tim Ryan: Can you promise Manufacturing jobs will come back? Trump told Ohians not to sell their houses and Ryan speaks to all of the Ohio jobs being shipped out to Mexico and China. Trump’s promises were hollow and manufacturing has NOT come back. Top 1% controls 90% of wealth while wages for everyone have not gone up since the 70s.

—After hearing from every candidate, Warren and Gabbard stick out the most as the best candidates. They “appear presidential” (whatever that means… it’s not so much hair/attire/looks so much as confidence, projection, and rhetoric).

Warren: We have let giant corporations do whatever they want for decades now. And their entire focus is profit. If they can save a dollar shipping jobs to Mexico or China, they will. They have no loyalty to USA. We need to go tenfold on R&D for Green Energy. Then corporations can use that tech, but they have to use it in America (similar to NASA developing space tech and businesses using it). Very confident on American ability to bring back jobs and tech.

GENERAL QUESTION: Who would abolish employer health insurance in favor of a government-run plan? Only Warren and De Blasio raise hands.

HEALTHCARE:

Klobuchar: Obama wanted public option, that’s bold. But it would kick Americans off health insurance. We need to tackle pharmaceuticals first. Trump said he’d bring down prices and prices have gone up 2x. He gave 100 billion to pharmaceuticals. “That’s what we call all foam and no beer where I come from.” (chuckles from crowd, I personally cringe at these comedic deliveries from non-comedians). “Pharma thinks they own Washington. Well they don’t own me.”

Warren: “I’m with Bernie on Medicare-For-All.” Medical Bills are biggest reason people go broke. And that’s for people WITH insurance. Medical Companies want to get every dollar they can. They continually fight with patients to squeeze money out of them with no regard to for health or family situations. Medicare-For-All solves this. Health Care is a basic human right and I will fight for it.

Beto: “My goal is to ensure that every American is well enough to live up to their full potential.” Tells a story about a Texas man who will be dead before age of 40 because he doesn’t have healthcare. He wants to get to get to a Public Option for all as soon as possible. County Jail is the biggest healthcare provider. Adds that Women’s Healthcare is essential.

De Blasio: First to chime in out of turn calling out Beto for not acknowledging that Private Insurance isn’t working.

John Delaney: We can’t support bills that will have every hospital close. We can’t just take away Private Insurance altogether. Let’s add an option, not take away options (Medicare Option, I believe he’s talking about).

—All the Democrats acknowledge Healthcare is broken, but only two want Medicare for All to replace private insurance immediately, while everyone else wants to add the option of italong with the private option.

Gabbard: “We are talking about this in the wrong way.” What we should talk about is our objective: Medicare For All. If you look at other countries that have Medicare for All, private sector still plays into it (maybe it’s enhanced care).

Booker: If you don’t have healthcare, you won’t succeed in school, occupation, and at home.

Warren: Insurance Companies last year sucked $23 Billion dollars in profit out of the system and that doesn’t count lobbying and bonuses. There is a lobby that is paying to keep insurance the way it is.

Jay Inslee: It should not be an option to deny women coverage for their right of choice. “I’m the only candidate who has passed laws to ensure this and I’ve passed laws for the public health option as well.”

Klobuchar: There are three women who have fought pretty hard for a woman’s right to choose. The idea is that you use Medicare and Medicaid without insurance and 23 million people will get covered.

Castro: My plan would cover abortion. “I believe in reproductive justice.” First to bring up Trans Women. Talks about Missouri and Georgia assaulting Pro-Choice. Would appoint the judges that protect these rights (although probably every candidate would).

Warren: (Getting a lot of time) Would ensure women have access to EVERYTHING: abortion, birth control, health care. Roe v. Wade is not enough. State after state has undermined the courts. Most of America supports the Court Decision, it needs to be Federal Law.

Booker: (on Drugs). Pharma Companies should be held criminally liable. Will not take contributions from any Pharma Execs or Lobbies because they are a big part of the opioid crisis.

Beto: Pharma Companies have destroyed the country and have no accountability. His administration will hold criminals accountable and get people the help they need.

—Break. So far, I am still most impressed with Warren (who is taking over) and Gabbard. Everyone else has underwhelmed.

IMMIGRATION:

Castro: First candidate to put forward a comprehensive immigration plan. Watching images of immigrants in these conditions (including the two who passed away trying to swim across the border) is sad, but it should also piss us off. He wants a pathway to citizenship. We need a Marshall Plan so people can find safety at home instead of coming to US to seek it.

Booker: Also speaks Spanish to answer. Does not seemed contrived this time since it’s addressing the immediate issue at hand (Beto’s response earlier was to a general question). Wants to pass DACA.

Castro: (Again) “My plan also gets rid of criminalizing desperation. It should be a civil violation.” Section 1325 is justified to separate from their families. Every candidate should support its repeal.

Booker: (Again) Separation from children and family isn’t just at the border. ICE is going into homes creating fear.

De Blasio: As a father, every American should say: “That photo of that child is not America.” We aren’t being honest about the division that is being fomented in this country. Immigrants have NOT created the problems we have. It’s the CORPORATIONS, not the IMMIGRANTS.

This was the first big moment of the night in terms of an emotional plea that is also on message with Democratic Party. De Blasio is trying to make the claim that he knows the party platform.

Beto: We would spare no expense to bring families back together. We would not detain any families fleeing violence. We would implement a family care policy. Free dreamers by making them US Citizens. Invest in Central America so there’s no reason to make the journey.

Castro: Section 1325 is the reason all of these problems are happening. Calls out O’Rourke and says he needs to end this policy (he won’t).

Beto: I introduced legislation to help…

Castro: I’m only talking about this Section.

Beto: We need to rewrite immigration laws.

Castro: It’s just this one law that is the problem. We need to end it and families won’t be separated.

—Castro and Beto are fighting pretty heavily.

Klobuchar: “Immigrants do not diminish America, they are America.” Agrees with Beto, that we have to have some provisions in place for people who violate the law (Section 1325 is meant to help fight “bad actors,” but it’s being abused by Trump administration). This President has gone backwards at a time when we need immigrants.

Ryan: Crime or Civil Offense to cross the border? Agrees with Castro: it’s already established in law to bring illegal items across the border. No need to repeat. “If you go to Guantanamo Bay, there are terrorists who are getting better care than the children at the border.” Why are we not letting Doctors and Nurses go to the border?

—The Trump/Miler policy has been proven to be intentionally cruel to discourage immigration.

Booker: Civil vs. Criminal when it comes to illegal immigration. “Our country has made so many mistakes by criminalizing things: Addiction, Mental Illness, Immigration…” We have a surge at the border with Trump’s policies. We should examine why people come here in the first place.

WHAT WILL YOU DO ON DAY ONE? NO ONE HAS ANSWERED QUESTION:

Inslee: Prevent laws that prevent local Police from turning into ICE Agents. Trump threatened me by saying he’d send refugees. That’s an American tradition (immigrants), not a threat.

IRAN:

Booker: Trump messed up taking us out of Iran deal, now they are threatening. We need to get back into the deal. “When I am President, I will do the best I can to make a better deal with Iran.”

Klobuchar: Obama deal was imperfect, but a good deal. Trump told us we’d get a better deal if we pulled out. Now we are a month away from Iranians blowing the cap on uranium enrichment. I’d negotiate our way back into the agreement and not give unlimited leverage to China and Russia.

—Klobuchar is definitely making her case. Maybe it’s the zeitgeist, but the women are owning this debate.

Gabbard: “Let’s deal with the situation where we are. This chicken-hawk administration has lead us to the brink of war with Iran.” War with Iran would be far more devastating than anything we’ve seen with Iraq. This would turn into a regional war. We have to stand up and say, “No war with Iran.”  Her red line would be military action against our troops. It can’t be just a light spark that provokes the US into war.

—Gabbard is on point with military issues. Her military experience is clutch.

Rachel Maddow and Chuck Todd are now moderating.

PARKLAND FLORIDA / GUN CONTROL:

Warren: When asked about the hundreds of millions of guns out there, Elizabeth Warren talks about 100 town halls and the single hardest question she got was: “When you’re president, how are you going to keep us safe? 7 Children will die today. Not just for mass shootings. They’ll die on sidewalks, playgrounds, people’s backyards… gun violence is a national health emergency in this country.” She suggests universal background checks, more research (and it should be noted that the NRA suppresses gun research that is unfavorable).

Booker: When asked about the buyback program, he first talks about gunshots in his neighborhood. In his neighborhood, seven people were shot last week. Someone he knows was killed with an assault rifle last year. It’s not a policy issue for most Americans, it’s an emergency.

“I’m tired. I’m tired of thoughts and prayers.”

Castro: On active shooter drills and the problem getting worse, Castro talks about being Dad of a 10-year-old girl and the worst thing is thinking your child is safe this not being the case. Castro believes that the White House, Senate, and House will be Democratic in 2021 and the legislation will pass.

Ryan: We need trauma-based care as well as policy.

Beto: When asked about Texans who are single-issue on gun control, Beto talks about all the obvious legislation that are NOT “Democrats coming for your guns.” Young people are changing the laws by organizing.

Klobuchar: Everyone has failed until the kids started talking about it.

Booker: If you need a license to drive a car, you should need a license to own a firearm. Connecticut did it and saw a 40% drop in gun violence and a 15% drop in suicides. In terms of getting anything done, the candidate needs to win 50 votes in the Senate to balance the Supreme Court and start passing an aggressive agenda.

De Blasio: We need a different approach to police in America. Talks about his black son, Dante. Talks about having discussions about race and police. If the Democratic would stop acting like the party of the elites, then they could pressure the working class in red states to support them.

BIPARTISANSHIP:

Warren: On having a plan for Mitch McConnell… “I do.” Democracy means the will of the people matters. Congress has made the country work better for lobbyists and big corporations. The fight starts in the White House and everyone energized in 2020 stays on the front lines in 2021. We must make Congress reflect the will of the people.

Delaney: On doing everything in a bipartisan manner, when asked how, he says we must do everything in a bipartisan manner.

Booker: How to work with McConnell? Talks about building coalitions on criminal justice reform when nobody said they could.

CLIMATE CHANGE:

Inslay: Staked campaign on Climate Change. To start, take away filibuster from Mitch McConnell. Who is gonna make Climate Change the first priority?

Beto: Bring everyone into the solutions and the challenges.

Castro: Puerto Rico was one of his first visits. Everyone should be taken care of.

Delaney: We have a perception problem with the Democratic party. We are not connecting to the people in the middle of the country.

—It’s great that Delaney has identified something that’s fairly obvious, but what is he going to do to make this a “Working Class Party?”

DIVERSITY: 

Gabbard: Apologized to the LGBTQ community when she started her campaign. Why should they trust her now? She says nobody on any level of government should be allowed to tell people who they can and can’t love. When she was young, she held views she no longer holds. She served with LGBTQ service members.

Booker: Talks about LGBTQ Americans and suicides, health issues.

Klobuchar: On what she has done for Black and Latino voters, Klobuchar says her entire career has been devoted to better lives for those people. Better schools, better jobs for minorities. Will make sure everyone can vote. Will work on criminal justice reform.

Castro: Talks about a white terrorist who was apprehended without harm (Dylan Roof), but Eric Garner and others were murdered by police without even committing a crime.

FOREIGN POLICY: 

Beto: We need a united front to achieve our foreign policy aims.

De Blasio: We need the War Powers Act to be respected. President cannot act unilaterally. Even in a humanitarian crisis, we need congressional approval. We learned the lesson in Vietnam that we seem to have forgotten.

Ryan: 12 of 17 years in Congress, has sat on Armed Services Committee. Lesson learned is that we “have to stay engaged.” The question was why are we in Iraq and Afghanistan, but Ryan is railing on Trump’s inability to fill posts.

Gabbard: Makes fun of Ryan. “Are you gonna tell the soldiers, ‘we just have to be engaged?’” She says we need to bring our troops home.

Gabbard and Ryan are arguing about terrorism, Al Quida, and Taliban. Ryan seems hysterical.

Greatest GeoPolitical Threat:

Delaney: China, Nuclear Weapons

Inslay: Donald Trump

Gabbard: Nuclear War

Klobuchar: Iran

Beto: Climate Change

Warren: Climate Change

Booker: Nuclear Proliferation and Climate Change

Castro: China and Climate Change

Ryan: China (stutters on response)

De Blasio: Russia for messing with our Democracy.

MUELLER: 

Beto: Would pursue action against Trump after he leaves office to prove that nobody is above the law. We must begin impeachment now. His DOJ would investigate if impeachment is not pursued.

Delaney: Trump is not above the law. Supports Pelosi’s decisions to not impeach yet. “This President who is lawless should not be above the law.” But does not think the American people care about this issue.

Klobuchar: We must deal with Russia.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Delaney: On a mission to find the America that has been lost.

De Blasio: It matters that we nominate a candidate who raised the minimum wage to $15, passed universal healthcare, and given early childcare for free.

Inslee: Makes emotional appeal about the Climate Crisis. Claims to be the only candidate to make this the top priority.

Ryan: Ready to play offense. The forgotten Americans need to be heard.

Gabbard: This Government is of, by, and for the rich and powerful. Our Government will usher in the new century with justice, prosperity, and peace for all.

Castro: Speaking Spanish on this stage shows the progress of our country. Will work hard for good health care, good job opportunities, and a good education.

Klobuchar: Listens to people and gets things done. Can win and beat Donald Trump. Has won in reddest of districts. Not the establishment party candidate.

Booker: Has taken on bullies and won, not by showing the worst of who we are, but by being our best.

Beto: Can’t return to the same old approach. This is our moment.

Warren: Born and raised in Oklahoma. Dreamed of being a public school teacher, but her family didn’t have money. But $50 a semester commuter college is what gave her the chance that opened her life. She believes we can make this country, government, economy work for everyone.

 

NIGHT TWO…

HEALTH CARE:

Bernie Sanders up first:

Sanders: On if taxes will go up for the middle class with his health care plans, Sanders goes into his usual rhetoric which he has pioneered. Healthcare for All, Single Payer System. He says the vast majority of the country will pay vastly less than they are now in an SPS. He also loops in eliminating student debt and paying for it by taxing Wall Street. When pressed on if he’ll raise taxes on Middle Class, he says essentially “Yes, but far less in Health Care costs.”

Biden: “Donald Trump thinks Wall Street built America. Working Class Americans built America.” Says we need to return dignity to the Middle Class. Wants to close tax loopholes and eliminate Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy.

—Sanders and Biden look very old in high definition.

Harris: Comes on strong when asked about “How are we gonna pay for it?” by talking about how nobody asked this question when Trump and GOP passed tax cuts for the rich. Single Payer. Anyone under $100,000 should get $500 tax credit a month and she wants to repeal the Trump Tax cuts.

John Hickenlooper: “If we don’t define very clearly that we are NOT socialists, Republicans will label us socialists.” He believes Healthcare if a right, not a privilege, but you can’t eliminate Health Insurance for millions and millions right away. Touts his state’s progressive achievements. “I’ve done what everyone else up here is talking about doing.”

Sanders: On a “Socialist” not being able to defeat Trump… dodges question and talks about being 10 points up on Trump because he is a liar, a racist, and has not even fulfilled his campaign promises. “We beat Trump by exposing him for the fraud that he is.”

Kirsten Gillibrand: There’s a difference between capitalism and greed. When ending Gun Violence, it’s the greed of NRA that makes progress impossible. It’s the greed of the drug companies when we want to change prices or get Healthcare for All. We just don’t want corrupted capitalism.

Michael Bennet: Agrees with Bernie on challenges. 40 years with no economic growth. Disagrees with Medicare For All. We need to get to Universal Healthcare, but we should do it by starting with the Public Option first and let people decide.

Gillibrand cuts in and is shut down.

Pete Buttigieg: Does not believe in free college entirely. It does not make sense for working-class families to subsidize rich kids to go to college. It should be affordable to go to college, it should also be affordable to not go to college, we should raise the minimum wage.

Andrew Yang: Asked on how to pay a universal basic income, says a Value Added Tax would add $800 Billion, along with taxing companies like Amazon properly who don’t pay anything. Technology is automating away millions and millions of jobs and AI/Automation/Robots are going to eventually take away millions more job.

Eric Swalwell: “We must value our schools, invest in America’s communities.” Takes a heavy shot at Joe Biden who he quotes as saying “We must pass the torch to a younger generation,” years ago.

Biden fires back: “I’m holding onto that torch.”

The stage erupts – everyone wants to respond to this. It’s chaos. This is the problem with 10 candidates on stage.

Sanders is loudest and gets in: “Who has the guts to take on Wall Street, to take on Pharma, etc.”

Then more loud shouting.

Harris comes in strong: “America doesn’t want to witness a food fight, they want to know how to put food on their table.”

Harris: How are you measuring this economy? The stock market? Most Americans don’t own stocks. Job numbers? People are working 2-3 jobs and suffering for it! They are not happy.

Asks the same question about abolishing private health insurance in favor of a government-run plan.

3 Candidates raise their hands.

Gillibrand: “I ran on Medicare for All and I won.” Single Payer is a right, not a privilege. The fastest way there is by competing with private insurers. If the Government can provide a better option, people will leave the private option.

Buttigieg: How do you explain how you’re getting from here to there. “Medicare for all who want it.” If we are right, then it will be more efficient and less expensive. But let’s remember, in countries that have outright socialized medicine, there is still a private sector. “This is personal to my father was terminally ill.”

Biden: Also says, “This is personal to me.” Talks about his personal healthcare issues and his family’s. Thinks we should build on Obamacare.

—Buttigieg is strong, Harris is strong. Sanders is the same as the last 30 years which is an enormous achievement. He absolutely speaks about the moral and substantive deficiency of corporatized medicine.

Sanders: I find it hard to believe that every major country in the world has figured it out, but we can’t. All insurance and healthcare companies today are trying to make billions. We are paying the highest costs in the world for prescription drugs while pharma makes billions.

Marianne Williamson: We can’t beat Donald Trump by having plans. We have to go deeper. Says we only talk about sickness after people are sick, not before. It has to do with chemical policies, environmental, food, drug, etc.

Bennet: Families should have the choice of Public Option. Talks about having prostate cancer. Sanders will ban all other health insurance under his “Medicare For All” except cosmetic surgery.

Sanders: Doesn’t directly respond to Bennet’s criticism.

Harris: Tells the story of parents who go to emergency rooms and know their child will possibly die, but they can’t walk through the doors or they will be bankrupt.

More yelling.

Another Healthcare Question:

Raise your hand if your government would provide coverage for undocumented immigrants.

Everyone raises their hand.

Why?

Buttiegieg: Our country is healthy when everyone is healthy. We shouldn’t have 11,000,000 undocumented citizens. American people want them to have a path to citizenship so they can pay into the system and receive its benefits. Washington can’t seem to deliver on what the American people want.

Biden: You cannot let people who are sick go uncovered, it has to be taken care of. It’s the humane thing to do.

First break.

It’s a tough call so far. Swalwell, Gillibrand, Yang, Bennett, and Williamson are getting buried.

IMMIGRATION:

Harris: Asked what specific thing she would do about the people coming to the USA for asylum, she would start with reinstating DACA status and protection. She would extend protections for the parents. Undocumented people who are veterans will be taken care of. “I will release children from cages. I will shut down detention centers.” She will use the President’s microphone, “Her microphone,” for good. Trump does not reflect our values.

—Harris was super strong on this issue.

Hickenlooper: Day 1, what does he do? Starts by not answering the question, but talks about how tragic it is that the Federal Government is kidnapping people essentially. Then talks about putting facilities in place to make sure women and children are taken care of at the border.

Williamson: It is kidnapping. This is child abuse. Both are a crime. If your government does it, that doesn’t make it less of a crime. What President Trump has done is not only attacked these children and demonized these immigrants, he has attacked America’s identity at its core.

Gillibrand: Talks about all the horrible things Trump has done. To solve, says similar things: DACA back in, appoint immigration-friendly judges. Stop spending money on for-profit prisons.

Should it be civil offense instead of a federal crime?

Buttigieg: Republican party likes to cloak itself in the language of Religion. Talks about the hypocrisy of Republicans. “God would smile at putting kids in cages?” Mayor Pete gets an enormous response on talking about GOP Religious BS.

Biden: Would put billions in help toward the region (Central America). During term, Obama/Biden focused on issue and it worked. $740 Million towards helping this problem. No more children separation. Ever.

Obama/Biden administration deported more than 3 Million Americans.

Biden: We shouldn’t be locking people up. We should be examining why they are leaving in the first place.

Sanders: “I agree with a lot of what Kamala said.” Honduras has massive corruption. We’ve got to invite the leaders of Central American countries and work with them.

Swalwell: If someone’s only offense is not having proper documents, they should not be deported. They can still be a part of this great country.

Harris: Absolutely do not deport these people. Harris disagreed with Obama Administration on very few things, this was one. As Attorney General of California, she said that Sheriffs did not have to comply with detainers and only act in the interest of public safety.

TRADE: 

Starts with China. Talks about them manipulating currency.

Bennet: Biggest national security issue is Russia, not China. But on China, President is right to push back on China, but he’s done it the wrong way. Also addresses border issue and talks about his Mom being separated in Poland during Holocaust.

Bennet comes on strong here, but it’s strange because the topic has passed (another problem with the many candidates).

Yang: Agrees that Russia is greatest geopolitical threat because they have been hacking our elections and “Laughing their asses off” about it. China is a huge problem because of stealing intellectual property and pirating. “We need to crack down on Chinese malfeasance in the relationship.”

Buttigieg: The Chinese challenge is a serious one. They are using technology for the perfection of dictatorship. Tariffs aren’t going to solve this. China is about to run circles around us on Artificial Intelligence. The biggest thing we need to do is invest in our own industrial and technological competitiveness.

Buttigieg gets a huge round of applause.

RACE: 

Buttigieg: Asked about police shootings and lack of black police officers. Takes full responsibility for the problems in South Bend right now. Talks about the bigger racial divides and trying to ensure that in the future, white and black people react the same to seeing a police officer.

Hickenlooper: Talks about actual reforms in Colorado that worked for police accountability.

Swalwell tells Buttigieg he should have fired the Chief because he’s the Mayor.

Williamson: The average American is not a racist, but the average American is woefully ignorant of racist issues.

Harris: Owns the issue on race. “A neighbor told her kids they couldn’t play with us because we were black.” Tells Biden she does not believe he is a racist and commends him for trying to find common ground. But it was hurtful to hear him talk positively about two Senators who built their reputations on being racists. This subject is not an intellectual subject. Police Officers should have body cameras on and keep them on.

—Coming into the debate, I was not impressed with Harris in terms of excitement and rhetoric. She has won me over as a completely viable candidate here.

Biden responds very weakly, trying to tout his accomplishments.

Harris is on fire attacking Biden. Biden is on his heels.

DIVERSITY: 

Sanders: Democrats lead on diversity, but we should not focus on this issue as much as fighting special interests

Gillibrand and Bennet do not seem in control although they are sound in their policy and rhetorical mastery.

Bennet: On if gridlock will disappear. Says it will never disappear as long as Mitch McConnell is there.

Biden: Touts his record again. Talks about getting the bailout passed. Talks about bailing out the auto industry.

I used to really like Buttigieg and Harris, but now I like Harris/Buttigieg.

ABORTION: 

Sanders: Woman’s right to choose is a constitutional right. “I will never appoint anyone to Supreme Court that doesn’t defend Roe v. Wade.” Thinks we should rotate judges.

Gillibrand makes an emotional appeal to Women in this country and the Men who love them. She is tired of playing defense and thinks we should play offense. Touts her record on abortion. A little all over the place.

CLIMATE: 

Harris: “I don’t call it Climate Change, it’s a Climate Crisis.” Supports Green New Deal, Paris Agreement reentry. Trump is the greatest threat to national security.

Buttigieg: We must prevent Climate Change for getting worse. Carbon tax. Buttigieg had to use emergency procedures for flooding in Indiana. With the right kind of soil management, rural America can really be a part of the solution.

Hickenlooper: As a scientist, does not think Socialism is the solution. In Colorado, they’ve worked with the oil and gas industries and have improved the State’s climate situation. We can’t demonize businesses.

Biden: On cutting carbon emissions without Congress, does not answer the question, but talks about going to a fully electric vehicle future. Would invest $400 million in science research.

Sanders: This is a global issue. Scientists say we have 12 years before there is irreparable damage. We need to transform the country’s energy system to renewable, green energy.

Swalwell: “Pass the torch.”

Williamson: John Kennedy said, “We are gonna put a man on the moon.” Stay inclusive. Don’t try to win an election, try to

What’s the one issue that you get passed through?

Swalwell: Ending gun violence

Bennet: Climate Change

Gillibrand: Family Bill of Rights

Harris: Middle-Class Tax Cut

Sanders: Doesn’t take the bait, but says take on Special Interests.

Biden: Doesn’t agree with the premise, but defeat Donald Trump

Buttigieg: Take on Money in Politics

Yang: Universal Basic Income

Hickenlooper: Climate Change

Williamson: Make America a place where a girl can grow up.

GUNS: 

Swalwell: We have NRA on the ropes, but I’m the only candidate who wants buy backs for 15 Million Guns. He is impassioned here, but it’s still very political.

Sanders: Is quoted directly and said he was mischaracterized (audience laughs at this). Sanders touts his D- voting record from NRA. Wants comprehensive gun legislation. End gun show loopholes. Assault weapons are from the military, don’t belong on the streets.

Harris: Agrees with Swalwell and says there are many great ideas, but wants congress to put together a bill in the first 100 days or she will ban by executive order the sale of assault weapons. She talks about seeing more damage done by gun violence than anyone as a prosecutor.

Buttigieg: With military experience, asked about military families having a different take on this. “We trained on these kinds of weapons.” If guns made us safe, we’d have the safest country in the world, but it’s not the case. There are weapons that have no place in American cities in peace time.

Biden: “I got Brady Bill passed. I’m the only guy who’s beaten the NRA.” Biden is really on fire here. Talks about Smart Guns that require biometrics to fire.

FOREIGN POLICY: 

Bennet: We must restore Democracy at home. Our current President is corrupt. We must restore our relationships with allies.

On resetting relationships abroad:

Williamson: Would call European leaders.

Hickenlooper: China.

Yang: China. North Korea.

Buttigieg: Who knows who is most insulted by then.

Biden: NATO.

Sanders: United Nations.

Harris: NATO.

Gillibrand: Iran.

Bennet: European Alliance and every Latin American country.

Swalwell: Break up with Russia and make up with NATO.

Biden: asked about Iraq vote. Biden regrets the vote to go in, butwas responsible for getting troops out.

Biden stumbles a lot.

Sanders: Touts his opposition to Iraq war. Wants to solve issue with Saudis and Yemen. Prevent Iran War.

Chuck Todd is super condescending, by the way.

FINAL THOUGHTS: 

Swalwell: Can’t look to the past.

Williamson: Talks about Trump. Will only be beaten by someone who understands that Trump has harnessed fear for political purposes. Love will beat fear.

Bennet: Generational improvement is at risk, that’s why he’s running.

Hickenlooper: Touts Colorado achievements. Don’t need a big government to do big things. Socialism will reelect Trump.

Gillibrand: Appeals to Women who are currently under attack.

Yang: Beat Donald Trump by solving the problem that got him elected.

Harris: Talks about prosecuting the case against Trump. Wants to lead with dignity, honesty, and give the American family all that they need to prosper.

Buttigieg: Talks about his personal experience in war, marriage, and office. He wants his generation to solve climate change, racial equality, and endless war.

Sanders: Why has nothing changed? These are all good people on stage. Nothing WILL change unless we take on Wall Street, Pharma, Military Industrial Complex, and Fossil Fuel companies. 

Biden: Wants to restore the soul of our country.

 

SUMMARIES:

NIGHT ONE…

Elizabeth Warren: TOP 3. She’s got the confidence, the policies, the brains, and “looks Presidential.”

Amy Klobuchar: A less exciting Warren.

Beto O’Rourke: Lots of heart, but was clumsy and did not connect.

Cory Booker: Many good things to offer, but doesn’t have the “it” factor.

Castro: Incredibly authentic and likeable, but not tough enough(especially for Trump).

Gabbard: A contender. Needs more time to shine.

De Blasio: Great politician and very bright, but not a serious consideration.

Delaney: Forgettable.

Inslee: Forgettable.

Ryan: Forgettable.

NIGHT TWO… 

Swalwell: Seems to exist only to take out Biden.

Bennet: Forgettable.

Gillibrand: Not electable.

Harris: TOP 3. Very powerful performance. I came into these debates with her as my top pick for VP and now I see her as Presidential.

Sanders: Same Sanders as always. He’s truly someone you’d want to be President, but he seems to come from somewhere else that doesn’t line up with where we are, but where we want to be and this could be risky when this upcoming election needs a sure thing.

Biden: Seems out of it. Fitness is a real issue here.

Buttigieg: TOP 3. Very authentic and in command. He has his own tone in this race and it’s definitely unique, if not completely viable.

Yang: He is hilarious because he just doesn’t seem to care about the politics of it all. He’s stoically confident in his positions to the point of seeming like he doesn’t care if you agree with him or not because it won’t change the truth (which he knows). I like him a lot, but there’s no chance for this guy to win politically despite his vast intellect.

Hickenlooper: Forgettable.

Williamson: She is not representative of most Americans. She reeks of coastal elite. (She’s also incredibly brilliant, original, and entertaining…)

Critiquing the Candidates

Record, platform, and history do matter in the Democratic primary, and pointing out the differences does not harm the candidates, it strengthens the team. 

20 candidates have declared their run for the Democratic Party nomination for the 2020 presidential election. That’s a massive list filled with candidates from different backgrounds, different experiences, different platforms, and different visions for the future. Already, conversations and social media comment boards are filled with opinions on who the front-runner is, who has the ability to sustain a run, or who can unite the party. Also included in these discussions (arguments), is why one should never criticize another candidate by bringing up their record or any other unfriendly information for fear that Democrats will weaken their own eventual nominee. Comments such as, “Democrats eat their young again,” or “here we go again with Democrats badly damaging each other -save it for the general election!” Not only is this idea unfair, but it is misguided and will lead to a flawed nominee rather than a strengthened team.

In 2016, there were two candidates for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. The argument that Sanders damaged Clinton and her ability to win in the general election has been proven false by many metrics. Hillary Clinton, largely, ran a campaign for the presidency that lacked substance and a clear vision. Mostly, she ran on a platform of ‘I’m not Trump.’ She failed to energize voters and create a high voter turnout, particularly among young people. Verified exit polling numbers show that the 18-29 year old demographic only created 13% of the electorate, with roughly 29% of the electorate coming from the demographics of 30-49 years old, 50-64 and 65+, however, all four of these demographics represent about the same population. Further, Bernie Sanders could have 1 created a contested convention and required super delegates to cast the final nominating votes, which many of his supporters probably would have liked considering the ethically questionable things the DNC did during the primary season, but he stood on stage and waited for five minutes for the cheering to subside before conceding the nomination to Hillary Clinton. He then campaigned on her behalf for the rest of the election, across the country and using his extensive network to urge his supporters to get out and cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton for president. During the 2016 primary season, there were no negative ads run by Hillary Clinton against Bernie Sanders, or vice versa. Neither of the Democratic candidates ever told their supporters to vote against the other should they win the nomination, or not to vote at all. But, what they did do is to expose the Democratic electorate to truths about each others history, past voting records and what they would do differently. The impetus was on the nominee to excite the Democratic base, get out the vote and create a platform that people would want to vote for. As has been well documented, Clinton failed to do this by running a moderate campaign with few specifics except that she would be better than Donald Trump. She did not see what was so exciting for much of the electorate in a candidate like Sanders or, in a much different way, Trump, and did not speak to these people about what they needed from the government. She avoided states like Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan because they have been reliably Democratic – and she lost 2⁄3 of them. She did not create a campaign that felt authentic to Americans who don’t believe politicians are authentic, and she lost because of it.

Bernie Sanders offered Hillary Clinton an opportunity to be in touch with the electorate, to answer for a voting record that many Americans viewed as questionable, and to create a platform for the general election that would appeal to further voting blocs than what Democrats have traditionally enjoyed. He offered her a stronger campaign, but she did not capitalize on it – this does not mean he harmed her campaign. Similarly, in the current primary season, the Democrats and their supporters, are going to expose the history, experience, voting records, policy stances and many other things about each other. While this absolutely must remain civil and rooted in fact, and there should be no negative ads run against each other, the sheer breadth of candidates is going to open additional voting blocs to the eventual nominee, should they have the vision and insight to see it and act on it. By listening to the voters, who they donate to, who they show up for at rallies, what policies they like and don’t like, and being able to speak to those voters in the general election, the nominee will be strengthened. By having their ‘dirty laundry’ aired out in the primary, they will have an opportunity to formulate an answer for it, evolve on unpopular stances, and adapt their platform to reach more voters. If a fair, honest and open election is held, no Democratic voter should be able to say the nominee does not represent them when all is said and done, and a formidable candidate will represent the team in the general election. 

1 “An examination of the 2016 electorate, based on validated voters ….” 9 Aug. 2018, https://www.people-press.org/2018/08/09/an-examination-of-the-2016-electorate-based-on-validated-vote rs/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2019. 

This article was originally published on 1 May 2019.