Post Debate comments

[Sandy]

I see that William didn't venture in this time with his usual characterizations of the ten Democrats who get stage time in the debate. Kind of coincides with the sudden silence from some of my social media friends who have, up until recently, been loud, and obnoxious with their choice of nasty memes.

At any rate, last night's debate was the first one I've been able to watch all the way through. Democrats are still policy wonks, probably always will be. It's clear that the feedback they've been getting is rounding off the edges. We're going to get major reform in the health care, that's clear and if they have control of both houses of Congress, it'll come fast. There may actually be a real tax cut for those who earn less than a quarter mil, or in that ball park. The extremist right wing conservative media and Republican drum banging about "socialism and free stuff" seems to have petered out as the polling data resonates with support for Dems on these issues.

The recent state off-year elections surfaced. It's been noted that keys to big Democratic wins in red states are due largely to an increased turnout of African American women. African American overall turnout dropped between 2012 and 2016, 7% which was enough to make a difference. It does not appear African Americans will make that mistake again and the candidates are all aware of it.

Biden's still the frontrunner. Not the best or worst debate performance, but he clearly held his own. If anybody lost footing in this group, it was Tulsi Gabbard who got carved up by Kamala Harris, brilliantly. Other than that I'd say the clear winner was Mayor Pete who came back on a criticism of only being a mayor of a small city but who had some extremely common sense answers for the questions. Next to that, Amy Klobuchar did an excellent job. I'd expect to see both move up in the polls and with money, along with Cory Booker.

[William Thornton]

I intended to watch some of it but was reading a good book on the Rosetta Stone and didn’t see any of it. I’ve said before that klobuchar comes across well, Buttegeig also. Booker just doesn’t have it, seems to. Warren has been in fantasyland with her soak the rich to pay health care.

I done see any of these that I would vote for.

[Sandy]

Actually, I think there are several with outstanding character who have the potential to have a historic Presidency. With the exception of Gabbard, any of the women up there would bring a level of intelligence, integrity, innovation and passionate patriotism to the office that is sorely lacking now. Since there's not likely to be a different candidate on the other side, anyone on that stage last night would be a massive improvement. I'm at an age where anyone who has a reasonable health care proposal for cutting into the profiteering and making a real effort to bring about systematic change in both the provision of health care and the way it is financed gets my vote above anything else.