Posted: 10/14/15 at 12:45am
Mrs. Clinton will become the next president. Deal with it. Bernie is better suited to star in a bus and truck of "Ballroom" or "Fiddler".
Posted: 10/14/15 at 12:55am
When Sanders gets on a roll, I keep picturing Larry David doing the voice of George Steinbrenner with George Costanza trying to slowly inch out of his office...
Posted: 10/14/15 at 1:27am
I'm loving the Jim Webb compilations already on TV, of him doing nothing but complaining about his speaking time. Poor angry Jim.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 6:27am
When do we usually see the first post-debate polls? The morning after? I thought Sanders - who, yes, could always be more polished - did fine except for his messy closing statement. He really should have rehearsed that more. Hillary probably gave one of her best debate performances. But, it was O'Malley I found the most interesting and impressive considering where he is in the race. Webb and Chafee are toast. I'm very interested to see what kind of bump O'Malley gets and whether we can tell if he's taking potential voters from Hillary or Bernie (or both, or neither?).
Posted: 10/14/15 at 7:41am
I know what kind of bump I'd give O'Malley.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 7:44am
"When Sanders gets on a roll, I keep picturing Larry David doing the voice of George Steinbrenner with George Costanza trying to slowly inch out of his office..." --- :)
I was watching the post debate nonsense and it seemed like a lot of people think Bernie crushed it. I thought HRC and O'Malley were much better.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 7:51am
Believe it or not, the folks on Morning Joe made some valid points about the debate. Of course, it wasn't Joe, it was Willie Geist, Nicole Wallce, and others who made the points, but still. Anyway, the point was that Biden might have been the big loser last night. Clinton seemed confident, strong, and presidential. She also threaded the needle with respect to keeping a loose tie to the Obama administration's successes. That leaves little room for Biden.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 7:57am
Biden's attenuated decision, tragedy notwithstanding, has now reached the point of no return. Waiting to see if Clinton is crash n'burnable via debate or next week's Benghazi shenanigans looks more craven as the hours pass. To leap in now and play the incumbency/trust-me-I'm-your-likable-granddaddy card would appear as shameless as it is empty.
Updated On: 10/14/15 at 07:57 AM
Posted: 10/14/15 at 8:35am
What an excellent night for politics. The Democrats looked coherent, respectable, united, and driven- and there was even a sense of camaraderie throughout.
Hillary made it clear she is the only statesperson running for president in 2016. She crushed this debate.
Sanders finished very strongly, as well, despite being flustered at times. He is a very candid man who feels strongly about what he is, his most important attribute as a politician and which came through strongly.
O'Malley came off decently, but was trounced by the powerhouse double act of Sanders and Clinton. But he's so handsome and is in a rock band.
Jim Webb was a joke. Bizarre, China-fixated responses, complaining about not speaking enough (he spoke plenty).
Lincoln Chafee looks like a parakeet and seemed so honored just to be there.
There's no way Biden can enter the race at this point. I suspect a lot of people have already been swayed by Clinton and Sanders after last night.
I fully look forward to Clinton delivering the finishing blow to the Benghazi committee next week.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 8:55am
Yeah... If only she had actually answered Cooper's question RE: being an "insider." She failed to address the issue that I, and so many others, feel is most relevant... How can a corrupt career politician get anything done in a city owned by Wall Street, Lobbyists and Major Corporations?
Putting that aside, I thought it was indeed a strong performance by Clinton. But that and that only. A performance. A political act of insincere expediency.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 8:57am
FindingNamo said: "I know what kind of bump I'd give O'Malley."
WORD.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 8:58am
You can let up on your spoiler efforts for the Republicans now.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 9:34am
I thought O'Malley struggled mightily at the beginning of the debate, seeming nervous and tense. He improved greatly as the night progressed, and I think he established himself as a very viable VP choice.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 10:26am
Posted: 10/14/15 at 10:52am
My first time being old enough to vote in an election, so my first time watching a Democratic debate. The difference between this and the past two Republican debates was striking, as I expected it would be. Lincoln Chafee merely displayed to the nation what a cretin he is, but I doubt he'll damage the party at all, seeing as nobody pays him any attention. Jim Webb is simply in the wrong party. He spent more time talking about how he wasn't getting time to speak than he spent talking about anything important. It's clear that the issues important to him are important to him only. Martin O'Malley...it makes no sense that he's stuck polling barely above the aforemented imbeciles. He demonstrated last night that he has a strong grasp on policy, he is a good speaker, he is passionate about the issues that matter to the Democratic party and to Americans, and that he's personable as well. (Also interesting that he's the only one of the 5 candidates who has never been a Republican or an Independent, but that doesn't mean much.) Bernie Sanders made several great points, but his speaking style was not so much suited to a debate setting. He came across as a bit disconnected at times and he floundered a lot on gun control. Hillary Clinton was a star. I used to hate her and have since come around to liking her, but she was clearly an expert debater. Her defenses of her changes in position and voting history made sense, she was very composed and in control the entire evening, and she seemed relaxed and willing to joke a bit. And most importantly, she looked and sounded presidential. Clinton seemed the clear winner last night, with O'Malley just behind her. Chafee and Webb should just drop out and Bernie should spend more time preparing for next month's debate.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 10:58am
In addition to the formal Dem debates, Rachel Maddow is hosting a forum on 11/6 with Clinton, Sanders, and O'Malley.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/rachel-maddow-to-moderate-candidates-forum-540702787678
Posted: 10/14/15 at 10:59am
It is true that Clinton, for all her warts and flaws, is an excellent speaker and even more excellent debater. Many forget that in one the final 2007/2008 debates, Obama pretty much floundered when he tried to take on Clinton during the debate. Most attribute his loss in New Hampshire to that moment in the debate. Fortunately, however, the majority* of Americans are smart enough to vote based on policies and issues; not on box-checking (skin color/gender/etc.) or how politically "skilled" someone is. The debate doesn't hurt her but it doesn't help either. If you like Hillary, you're voting for. If you dislike Hillary, you'll never vote for her. Unlike O'Malley and Sanders, she will not attract many converts.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 11:04am
Hillary has me uncertain again. And yes, it's been done to death, but for me, it's about Bernie's electablity. I don't think he won any fans last night, other than when he defended Hillary. Most of the people cheering already loved him. He is not polished, he is very different and has big ideas. I love all of that. Many voters want polished, great speakers who they feel can lead. I am only certain that I will vote democrat, no matter what.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 11:25am
acekatherineplumber2 said: "My first time being old enough to vote in an election, so my first time watching a Democratic debate. The difference between this and the past two Republican debates was striking, as I expected it would be."
Welcome! Don't ever lose that inquisitiveness and commitment. It's your future we're all voting for.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 11:51am
I was thinking to myself how great O'Malley came off last night. Then thought the only way he could have done better was to take his shirt off and "voila!" ; Hillary is still IT but O'Malley would be a decent and interesting Vice President.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 12:50pm
O'Malley is not going to be Hillary's VP choice.
Posted: 10/14/15 at 1:49pm
If you vote the party, JerseyGirl, you subvert the headband's intentions to convince people to protest vote (or not vote at all) according to his fluid definition of candidate purity, thereby guaranteeing a Republican presidency. Dang you and your kind!!!
Posted: 10/14/15 at 2:24pm
I have already been called a coward for doubting the bern. I can take it.
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