OCTOBER 14, 2015
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Photo: REUTERS
On Tuesday night, it was the Democrats’ turn.
After two highly-watched debates among the GOP contenders, the five Democratic candidates met last night onstage in the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas for the first Democratic debate. Free of some of the more incendiary topics heard at the Republican get-togethers, the Democratic contest at least appeared to be more substantive, taking on issues of guns, trade, family leave and the Mideast. Let’s look more closely at last night’s debaters and see how they did.
HILLARY CLINTON
Best Moment: The gun discussion. Right out of the box, she came at Sanders hard on his past support for laws protecting the gun industry and particularly for his 5 votes as a congressman against the Brady Bill, an act that went on to prevent 2 million prohibited gun purchases from happening. The forcefulness of her attack may have surprised some of the audience and perhaps even Sanders. She scored early and never looked back.
Runner-up (Best): It’s not a quotable zinger but a brilliant strategic move by Clinton. Considered by some to be a moderate Democrat, she took a definite step leftward last night with her answers on income inequality, family leave and gun control. She even revised her description of herself to be “a progressive who likes to get things done,” which places her as the center-left candidate in the field, thus standing in the way of Joe Biden’s only conceivable route to the nomination.
Worst Moment: Probably her answer to why she flip-flopped on the TPP trade agreement, which she supported over 34 times and now opposes. It was a practiced answer but not very convincing.
Analysis: Clinton was smooth in her delivery and very prepared on the facts. If the only rationale left for a Biden candidacy is the complete collapse of the Clinton campaign, she demonstrated why she won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Mission accomplished.
GRADE: A-
BERNIE SANDERS
Best Moment: The moment of the evening was certainly Sanders’ defense of Clinton regarding the GOP attacks on her e-mail server. “Let me say something that may not be great politics, but the secretary is right. The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!” Sanders said to thunderous applause. “Enough of the emails, let’s talk about the real issues facing the United States of America.” Clinton reached over to clasp Sanders’ hand and thanked him. In the clip, which has already been rerun hundreds of times on cable news shows, Sanders appears gracious and above the political fray and will be a positive introduction to him for the many voters who had never before heard the Vermont senator. (Of course, it does take the e-mail server off the table as an attack issue for Sanders, but that’s a small price to pay for the good will it has generated.)
Worst Moment: The gun segment was problematic for Sanders. What plays in an election in rural Vermont may not work so well among the national Democratic base, and Clinton’s use of his 5 votes against the Brady Bill was damaging. Even O’Malley got a few licks in, and when Sanders tried to play the “rural state” card with him, O’Malley countered that Maryland has many rural areas and gun control laws, so it can be done.
Analysis: Sanders had a strong night and certainly did much to shore up his base on the left. Whether he was able to expand that base to include moderate Democrats may be open to question, since his calls for “revolution” and his citation of Denmark as a model for workers’ rights could be out of the comfort zone of some moderate voters. And Sanders virtually disappeared during the foreign policy segment, so he’s going to need to bone up on that. Still, his passionate and persuasive arguments likely stood him in good stead with those meeting him for the first time.
GRADE: B+
MARTIN O’MALLEY
Best Moment: Probably his closing statement was his high point — it was gracious, inclusive and compassionate, everything that Democratic voters would wish the party could be. He was pretty forgettable throughout the rest of the evening, but at least he ended strong.
Worst Moment: It’s not what he said, it’s what he didn’t say. O’Malley had several opportunities to offer a memorable quote, but it never came. For a candidate who needed a Carly Fiorina-style big performance, it just didn’t happen for O’Malley.
Analysis: He’ll probably still be around for Debate #2 and likely helped his chances for being picked as VP, at least name recognition-wise. But, based on this performance, I doubt there’ll be much movement in his polls.
GRADE: C+
JIM WEBB
Best Moment: When Sanders called for a revolution, Webb successfully positioned himself as the center-right alternate in the field with his response: “I got a great deal of admiration and affection for Sen. Sanders. But, Bernie, I don’t think the revolution’s going to come. And I don’t think Congress is going to pay for a lot of this stuff.” It was respectful of Sanders, while implicitly dismissing the practicality of his platform.
Worst Moment: A series of whiny outbursts about his not getting the same amount of airtime as the other candidates. Webb was supposed to be one of the adults in the room, yet his complaining came off as a childish tantrum.
Runner-up (Worst): The night’s weirdest moment came at the end when the candidates were asked what enemy they were proudest of making. The other candidates named the usual suspects (the GOP, the NRA, Wall Street). But when it came to Webb, he responded, ” I’d have to say the enemy soldier that threw the grenade that wounded me, but he’s not around right now to talk to…” Call me a debate stickler, but I don’t think “I killed a guy” is a wise way to end the most important debate of your life.
Analysis: Webb was surprisingly stiff throughout the evening, even when the subject turned to his specialty, foreign policy. I think Webb is running in the wrong year — there’s no stomach in the party right now for a center-right candidate, and there appears to be no path left left for him to the nomination. I’d be surprised if he made it to Debate #2.
GRADE: D
LINCOLN CHAFEE
Best Moment: None.
Worst Moment: After Chafee attacked Clinton’s ties to Wall Street, he was asked why in 1999 he voted to repeal the Glass Stegall Act, a regulatory act whose repeal significantly empowered Wall Street. Chafee responded, “The Glass-Steagall was my very first vote, I’d just arrived, my dad had died in office,” Chafee explained. “I just arrived to the Senate. I think we get some takeovers and that was one. It was my very first vote, and it was 95, 90 to 5.” When pressed on why he voted on a bill he wasn’t really sure about, Chafee said, “I think you’re being a little rough.” Just cringe-worthy.
Analysis: Thanks for playing. The door’s over there.
GRADE: D-
The second Democratic debate will take place on November 14 in Des Moines. See ya there!
