First of all, I didn’t watch it. I followed the Twins on Gamecast. They won 6-4 and are now 52-27, best record in the American League. But my wife and daughters watched, and based on their innumerable texts, here are some thoughts:
* Before the debate, there was speculation that Elizabeth Warren was the only first-tier candidate, and may dominate. That didn’t happen. The Washington Post counted the words spoken by each candidate. (It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.) Cory Booker spoke the most, followed by Beto O’Rourke, then Warren, then Castro and Klobuchar.
* NBC lost the sound for a while and they had to take a break. Lindsay Graham tweeted:
God bless the NBC technician who gave us a “break” from the Democratic debate.#AmericanHero
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 27, 2019
Unfortunately, NBC managed to get the sound back on.
* The craziest Dem was Bill DeBlasio. If he were running for General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, he might have a shot. If the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics still existed.
* Beto O’Rourke apparently hasn’t figured out that the only reason he was, briefly, someone is that he was running against Ted Cruz. It’s over, Beto.
* The candidates all genuflected in the direction of climate change and moved on. The great Dan Rather tweeted:
Wait, are we done with the debate on climate change already? What did I miss? I had just gone to the fridge to get my Diet Dr. Pepper and. when I came back.. okay, I guess so much for the greatest existential threat to the planet
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) June 27, 2019
Here’s the question: was Rather being ironic? If it were anyone else, I would say Yes. But Rather has never been known to make a joke. I don’t think he knows how. So I’m guessing he meant it.
* The prize for narrowest base goes to Julian Castro, who is the candidate of abortions for trans women. Trans women are biological men, so….probably not a lot of call for abortions. But if there is anyone in that category, (s)he will no doubt vote for Castro.
* Local favorite Amy Klobuchar didn’t do too badly. She didn’t do well in the identity politics competition, however, struggling to say what she had done for blacks and Hispanics.
BETO: I speak Spanish.
BOOKER: I can't believe you did my thing before me.
DE BLASIO: I have a black son.
BOOKER: I'm actually black tho, Bill.
KLOBUCHAR: …Um, I have an uncle with a deer stand?
WARREN: *don't say it, don't say it*
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) June 27, 2019
People talk about the “lanes” Democratic presidential candidates occupy–radical lane, black lane, female lane, etc. If the Democrats had a sane lane, Klobuchar might be a contender. But they don’t.
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