My overall reaction is mixed. We certainly learned more, and I believe the winnowing process will start in the next few weeks. With the polling and fundraising requirements going higher, there will be a number of candidates that will not qualify. The polling bar goes from 1% to 2%, and there is a much higher fundraising requirement to be on the stage. Based on what we know now, I think it would be fair to say that the field might get cut in half. That would mean most likely there will be just one debate with all the candidates remaining, which is a much better opportunity for really making evaluations.
For me, there were several things I did not like, that I felt hurt some candidates and, overall, did not help the Democratic Party. For me, attacking President Barack Obama makes no sense. Yes, Obamacare needs improvements. That is easy to agree on. But much of what a few candidates said made it seem like the program had little or no value. That is not true. Getting rid of protections for preexisting conditions alone was a huge step, and it's something many Republicans seem very comfortable taking away. We should build from what we have, not start over. It needs to be remembered that Obama had to get everything passed Moscow Mitch, who made it clear the day Obama took office that his number one goal was to see to it that Obama did not get re-elected and whose approach to governing in the Senate has done serious damage to our system of government.
I also thought too many attack lines may come back on the nominee when fall 2020 arrives. The candidates have to be tough, effective debaters, but that can be demonstrated without being personal. I also did not like the way, for example, moderators instantly tried to set off a food fight between Biden and his attackers as if that was what the whole night was about. At this stage, the focus should have been on giving all candidates equal time so we, the public, can make the best decisions as to who should move forward into the September debate. It should not be the moderators pushing for ratings that keeps that from happening.
On the individual candidates, I say this: Biden did what he had to do and debated much better. He was clearly prepared and showed he learned much from the first debate. I thought both Booker and Harris may have hurt themselves the way they went after Biden. I also know Senator Harris, not answering directly the charges from Congresswoman Gabbard, will hear that challenge again. I suspect there will be no big change in support for Sanders and Warren, and I was a little surprised that they did not make more effort to point out any differences they have. Mayor Pete will move forward for sure and I would love to see, somehow, Senator Bennett and Governor Bullock move forward as well. They are the candidates who have actually done executive work successfully, and the Governor in particular, was very successful in a very red state.
I close by saying I very much hope you watched both nights. As we all know, there is so much at stake. All I ask, as I’ve said before, is you keep in mind the final ticket and their impact on results in Kansas. It does make a difference, and there is so much at stake with in particular the legislative seats up for election in 2020.
For me, there were several things I did not like, that I felt hurt some candidates and, overall, did not help the Democratic Party. For me, attacking President Barack Obama makes no sense. Yes, Obamacare needs improvements. That is easy to agree on. But much of what a few candidates said made it seem like the program had little or no value. That is not true. Getting rid of protections for preexisting conditions alone was a huge step, and it's something many Republicans seem very comfortable taking away. We should build from what we have, not start over. It needs to be remembered that Obama had to get everything passed Moscow Mitch, who made it clear the day Obama took office that his number one goal was to see to it that Obama did not get re-elected and whose approach to governing in the Senate has done serious damage to our system of government.
I also thought too many attack lines may come back on the nominee when fall 2020 arrives. The candidates have to be tough, effective debaters, but that can be demonstrated without being personal. I also did not like the way, for example, moderators instantly tried to set off a food fight between Biden and his attackers as if that was what the whole night was about. At this stage, the focus should have been on giving all candidates equal time so we, the public, can make the best decisions as to who should move forward into the September debate. It should not be the moderators pushing for ratings that keeps that from happening.
On the individual candidates, I say this: Biden did what he had to do and debated much better. He was clearly prepared and showed he learned much from the first debate. I thought both Booker and Harris may have hurt themselves the way they went after Biden. I also know Senator Harris, not answering directly the charges from Congresswoman Gabbard, will hear that challenge again. I suspect there will be no big change in support for Sanders and Warren, and I was a little surprised that they did not make more effort to point out any differences they have. Mayor Pete will move forward for sure and I would love to see, somehow, Senator Bennett and Governor Bullock move forward as well. They are the candidates who have actually done executive work successfully, and the Governor in particular, was very successful in a very red state.
I close by saying I very much hope you watched both nights. As we all know, there is so much at stake. All I ask, as I’ve said before, is you keep in mind the final ticket and their impact on results in Kansas. It does make a difference, and there is so much at stake with in particular the legislative seats up for election in 2020.
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