Plenty has been said about the winners, losers, and nobodies of the 2-night Democrat debates that were held on Wednesday and Thursday nights of this past week. We had the Spanish woke olympics, promises of healthcare for illegals and whatever the hell Marianne Williamson is.
I could go on all day roasting the event itself, but that’s not what this is gonna be about though. I’m gonna put on my analyst hat and tell you what this means going forward, and the impact on 2020 as a whole. Some predictions will be made, which I’m sure will look stupid by the time this is all said and done. Put freezing cold takes on notice, because I don’t care.
So here it goes…
Sleepy Joe Biden
The consensus between pundits on the right and (non-establishment) left is that ol’ Joe didn’t have a great night. He predictably had his age questioned and didn’t have a strong comeback more than once. He was grilled by Kamala Harris on his record regarding several racial issues, which put the former VP on his heels. Biden made absolutely no effort to defend himself while looking utterly hopeless. I guess this is what happens when you abandon the “working man” image (which was always BS) and pander to a far left, radical party that openly talks about how they don’t want “old, white men” in leadership positions.
Biden also finished by saying that his first priority after being elected President was to defeat Donald Trump (because of course you’re supposed to beat your opponent after the election…everyone knows that)! I guess this is what Biden meant when he wanted to take Trump “behind the gym“?
I think that Biden is still in play, but he has to be better going forward. Pushing 75, Biden is a weak candidate in terms of substance, but he still occupies the “moderate” lane of the party, compared to all of the other much more radical candidates.
His best hope is that by the time actual elections start, the field is still relatively crowded so that the more progressive vote gets distributed to the other candidates. His appeal to moderates in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, plus his name recognition still makes him viable. That said, look for the pressure to be turned up another few notches on sleepy Joe. Biden has to do more than be the “I can beat Trump” guy. He has to OWN that moderate lane, and not try to walk the “appease the progressives” tightrope anytime he feels pressure from his left. If not, he won’t get a chance at the orange man.
So far he’s shown no intention of being anything more than a pandering coward, so his chances of beating the orange man look slim. Not to mention the fact that he already looks worn out. How is he gonna look with Trump attacking him 24 hours a day?
Crazy Bernie Sanders
I don’t expect debates to really have a vast impact on Bernie’s candidacy, for better or worse. He is who he is – a crazy old socialist. I swear his first words as a child in the Soviet Union *cough * I mean New York were “healthcare is a right!”. He has his base, but I don’t see many people joining or leaving it. After 2016, we all know Bernie’s brand.
At this point, all he can do is offer more free stuff to appeal to the hipster with the philosophy degree who’s working at Subway and struggling with debt. There’s not much he can do to change perception in my opinion. I’ve never felt that he was or is a serious threat to get to the White House. Americans, while they have certainly become more warm to socialism in recent years, still aren’t there.
Pocahontas
Lost in the lunacy of this clown show was the solid showing from Elizabeth Warren. She clearly distinguished herself from the rest of the more anonymous folks with whom she shared the stage. Pocahantas came with real ideas, and showed an ability to fight for them.
Going forward, I expect her to continue to gather momentum. She seems to have a lot of Bernie-like ideas, but won’t use the S word, nor does she belt out “(insert government handout) is a right!” in a nasally accent. As an added bonus, we can all begin to imagine the first Warren vs. Trump debate, which would be must-see TV.
Warren was ultimately wise to get the “pocahantas” thing out of the way early. Since then, she’s done nothing but gain momentum and is trying to foster the image of cross-appeal with calls to break up big tech. I still think she would have no chance against Trump, but her chances of securing the nomination continue to rise.
Kamala Harris
Kamala was hailed as the big winner of the 2nd debate night by most pundits. She is everything you’d expect from a prosecuting attorney; sharp and ruthless. If you’re a democratic voter and you want someone to dish it out at Trump, you have to love what you saw from the senator from California.
I expect her to rise in the polls and be a serious contender for the nomination. Whereas a lot of people believed that Biden was the most fit for a match-up with Trump, I believe it’s Harris. The only real weakness I see is that she can seem rehearsed and robotic.
Kamala was looking for a boost since announcing and she certainly got it during the Demcorat debates.
Other Observations
While he didn’t talk much, Andrew Yang left an impression. I had heard Yang in the past on several podcasts (Shapiro, Rogan, Rubin). He will be someone to watch in the future. I don’t think the average American is ready for some of his ideas right now.
Not that I consider his “Freedom Dividend” a radical idea compared to some of the stuff being discussed, it is certainly new.
Yikes. That one is sure to get the soy filled tears flowing.
As for Mayor Pete, he was a guy that I had been high on previously. He has attributes that appeal to people all over the spectrum: a gay Harvard grad who served in Afghanistan. Once he learns the game, he will be formidable. He talks over people’s heads at times, but he’ll get there
Last (and least), I had never heard of Marianne Williamson before she left her hippie commune and arrived on stage Thursday night. Williamson was clearly there as a plant to make the other candidates look good, and boy did they need it.
If nothing else, she sure gave herself some nice publicity and provided some great material for memes. We can all only hope she sticks around for a while to spread love.