So, the third Democratic debate was last night. But, really, let’s start with a confession. I think these debates are pointless. Lots of grandstanding and one-liners. As a result, I usually don’t watch. I follow some of the coverage and watch highlights.
Most of what I have to say is based on that.
1. How many more of these things are they going to have?
Okay, okay. It’s fine to have a lot of debates, and it’s good to press the candidates on the issues. Not that these debates really involve a lot of pressing on the issues. They’re more about soundbites and attack lines.
Grumble, grumble.
But, really, I do prefer the 2020 Democratic debate to the 2016 model of one big name (i.e., Hillary Clinton) clearing the field early and one insurgent candidate (i.e., Bernie Sanders) representing everyone else. There’s really only so much you can get from that frame. On the other hand, 2020 delivers diminishing returns. Especially with the size of the field. How many times do we watch Biden appeal to morality in a bid to dodge substantive issue? How many times do we see candidates one-upping each other with personal insults and grandstanding about Trump, Russia, process reform, et al.? And how many times do 10 candidates speak for about 15 minutes each?
At least this time Marianne Williamson wasn’t on stage. Small victories, everyone. Small victories.
2. The minor candidates won this round.
I didn’t hear much consensus regarding the winner. Insofar as I did hear it, the minor candidates supposedly won. I heard a fair bit of praise for (in alphabetical order): Buttigieg, Castro, Klobuchar, and O’Rourke. Will any of these candidates win the nomination? Very unlikely. It could happen, but don’t put money on it.
3. On issues of substance, nothing changed.
I think the race took its basic form, in terms of candidate quality, quite awhile ago. Julián Castro and Elizabeth Warren are a step above all the candidates not named Bernie Sanders. And Bernie Sanders is a step above Castro and Warren. I haven’t seen anything in the highlights or coverage challenging any of that.
And so, it’s extremely unlikely that will change, unless Castro, Sanders, and/or Warren drop out. Will that happen? Probably not for awhile. It’s highly unlikely Sanders or Warren will drop out before the Iowa Caucuses. Castro might, though I think he’ll hang on as long as he continues making debates.
Until we start hitting events like that, there’s not much doing in the presidential race concerning issues of substance. Of course, there will be folderol. I’ll mostly write about non-electoral topics in coming weeks, but I’m sure I’ll have a thing or two to say about the folderol.
