Democratic Presidential Candidate Debate

[Astronuc]

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley are on stage with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders
http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/13/politics/democratic-debate-updates/index.html

Lawrence Lessig Missing in the debate
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/who-was-missing-from-the-1277550772576310.html

Despite boasting a bit more name recognition than Jim Webb and Lincoln Chafee, both of whom joined Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley on stage in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, Lawrence Lessig was the only declared Democratic candidate who wasn’t invited.

Podesta: Biden ‘needs to make up his mind’
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/podesta-biden-needs-to-make-up-his-mind-222447667.html

It seemed that CNN and other media focused on Clinton vs Sanders.

What are your thoughts on the debate?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

First of all the beginning was a weird pregame style and I felt like I was about to watch Monday Night Football. I thought Martin O'Malley was surprisingly good. Bernie was solid as always. Webb was whiny and awkward. Hilary was Hilary and Chafee made a big blunder with saying he voted on a bill because his dad died.

 

[Pythagorean]

I had hoped Sanders would do more blowing Clinton out of the water, but I don't think Sanders reached much beyond his current base with the debates. I'm actually surprised with how well Clinton handled herself. I don't like that she's an establishment politician, and I don't know how much she'll do to challenge the status quo, but I think she will probably be the democratic candidate. It's possible that Sanders can pull through, I guess, and I'll support him, but I don't think he will. This would have been his chance to turn the tables and he wasn't able to do much with it.

 

[Astronuc]

I heard some folks saying that Clinton handled herself well, and acted 'presidential', while Bernie Sanders sounded like an angry old man.

There certainly are differing perspectives depending on whether one is looking from the left or right.

Meanwhile - Republicans see advantage as Sanders pulls Clinton to the left
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/republicans-see-advantage-as-sanders-pulls-clinton-212439018.html

Apparently Clinton and Sanders gain momentum from the debate.
http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-sanders-look-build-debate-performances-121312554--election.html

Sanders sometimes looked like he had indigestion, or may be he just wanted to get on talking about issues, while waiting for Clinton to finish talking about emails and testifying before a Congressional committee.

 

[Astronuc]

[The] last three presidents all ran as conciliators who could unite Washington and the country. Bill Clinton was going to create a liberal/conservative synthesis, a “Third Way” that could attract support from both parties. George W. Bush touted his record working with Democrats in Texas. “I want to change the tone of Washington to one of civility and respect,” he said in his 2000 convention speech. Barack Obama, who became a national figure in a 2004 convention speech where he said, “there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America,” thought that he could sit down with everyone, earnestly listen to their concerns, and bring them around at least some of the time. All three presidents failed at this goal.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...-cant-confront-the-real-elephant-in-the-room/

Louisa Adams observed, "In a democratic government where all are monarch . . . there is a perpetual struggle for a position, which gives rise to constant feuds." Little has changed in 210 years.

 

[Derek Francis]

I like how the Democratic debates were, for the most part, mature and civil. It just wasn't O'Malley's time this year, but he groomed himself to be either a VP pick or a 2020 candidate if Hillary and/or Sanders fail to win the election.

Had Biden ran, I probably would have supported him since his views and overall demeanor are the closest to mine of all of the candidates in the race. But, again, it just wasn't Biden's time either. He didn't have the stature of Hillary, nor the energy of Sanders.

Overall in these debates, Hillary was certainly better in policy specifics, but Sanders was better in terms of big picture vision. I always felt that presidential debates have been dumbed down, and it would be better if the debates had less questions, but more speaking time for each issue. This would, of course, mean that Sanders would be challenged to expand on his simple talking points. But that said, his line "We're not stupid. Why does Wall Street donate so much money to these candidates? I guess they just like to throw around money for the fun of it" is something that I'll always remember.