Figured it was time to start a new debate thread. Today was the last day to qualify. None of the people on the bubble - Steyer, Gabbard, Gillibrand, Williamson - made it. So there are only 10 in the debate, so it's just 1 night of fun and frolic. There's still a chance for the above people to make it into the October debate, but for September they are out. Can't say I'll miss them, because I won't. The ten debaters: Biden, Booker, Harris, Warren, Buttigieg, Yang, Sanders, Klobuchar, Castro, O'Rourke barfo
I think Warren will surprise some people down the line....I'd love to see her debate Trump one on one......I like Yang as well...bright guy without an ego driven agenda
Still feels like too crowded of a stage. Don't feel like these will really reveal much about the candidates until it gets pared down to about 5 or 6.
I agree, but I don't think that will happen until after Iowa (and probably not until after Super Tuesday). All of these 10 probably can raise enough cash to stay in the race till then. Plus Steyer and Delaney can stay in as long as they want by spending their own money. We should see some more exits from the other non-debaters, though. barfo
I liked the fact that they were having two debates; I wish they stuck with that format. Let the clear poll leaders go at each other for one night, and let the peloton have a bigger stage separate from them where they can talk more expansively about their own positions rather than feeling like they need to attack the front-runners. You know what, I think an even better idea (considering our current reality-star-in-chief) would be to set it up American Idol style. Let the bottom seven duke it out one night, and then set up phone numbers for people to call to say who they think won the debate. Top two vote-getters move on to a second debate two nights later with Biden, Sanders, and Warren. You want to engage millennials--that's the ticket right there.
Hosting debate watch party number 3. I think Mediterranean this time. Have grape leaves to stuff and plenty of lemons.
Agreed. It does feel a bit crowded, but there are a more than a handful of debates and like 9-10 months till the primary. There is plenty of time for the field to be pared down. I think quite a bit has been revealed. Glad it is down to 10, with the top candidates all in the same debate.
good point. Its a ways off still. I wonder if its possible for a unexpected candidate to enter the picture still or they could wait for a few more months.
I think I would have preferred that too, but there are some drawbacks if top candidates aren't on stage together, or if one debate is all 2nd tier people. What about giving everyone twice as long to answer, and doubling the length of the debate? barfo