Democratic Debate Night 1 Review: Elizabeth Warren Sticks To Her Guns, But Donald Trumps Got Nothing To Worry About
Ronald Reagan used to quip that the 11th Commandment was “thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Rep..
Ronald Reagan used to quip that the 11th Commandment was “thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” But Wednesday the Democrats seeking the Great Communicators old job generally appropriated the notion for themselves in a debate that was mainly characterized by its policy wonk approach and being the most polite circular shooting squad ever.
Waiting to take the same stage in Miami tomorrow with nine other candidates, front-runner Joe Biden may want to take off the white gloves and go for a distinguishing TKO.
Introduced by NBC News Lester Holt and an all-white- attired Savannah Guthrie, with Telemundos José Diaz-Balart, and helmed by Rachel Maddow and Chuck Todd in the second technically challenged hour, the first round of this two-night political equivalent of limp speed-dating saw the ex-Vice-President almost unmentioned, and certainly wont leave Donald Trump sweating about his re-election at this point.
For one thing, with the MAGA POTUS watching and tweeting from Air Force One, the gloves barely came off on Tuesday against the man most Democrats want to see impeached and thrown behind bars.
In fact, long after Holt proclaimed on NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo that “Tonight we are going to take on many of the most pressing issues of the moment, including immigration, the situation unfolding at border, the treatment of migrant children,” it took until nearly 50 minutes into the two-hour debate for the first real swipe at Trump.
Almost jumping out of his regulation blue suit and working-class flag waving, Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan passionately chastised the ex-Celebrity Apprentice host for his tainted red meat-tossing stance on those seeking to get into America illegally or asking for asylum.
“What kind of a country are we running here when we have a President of the United States who is so focused on hate and fear and division,” the thwarted one-time Nancy Pelosi challenger declared. “Now weve got kids literally laying in their own snot with three-week old diapers that havent been changed,” Ryan added of the thousands of refugee children being held in ever-deteriorating and caged conditions in what Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others have called “concentration camps.”
Still, on the whole more PBS than pugilistic, and often bordering on going off the TV rails for the Comcast-owned outlets, the clearly and quietly Elizabeth Warren-dominated and closed debate sets the bar pretty low for tomorrows Night 2, with front-runner Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Kamala Harris, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and six others. The second group of 10 Dems barely need to show up to grab the spotlight after tonights cure for insomnia.
Actually, looking at a format better suited for radio, a couple of them jumped the queue and entered the void tonight digitally:
There is only one way to fix our broken health care system. We must get rid of greedy insurance companies and pass Medicare for All. #DemDebate
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 27, 2019
No one should ever go bankrupt or be denied health care because they dont have enough money. Affordable health care should be a right, not a privilege. We must pass #MedicareforAll. #DemDebate
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 27, 2019
Very amusing if it wasnt so necessary, CBS Late Show with Stephen Colbert offered a community service of sorts for those trying to keep straight who was who on-stage tonight:
Not sure who some of these people are on the #DemDebate stage? Dont worry, we got you covered with our Debate Guide! Just print it out and tape it to the bottom of your TV! #LateShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/YRgZBEc0fS
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) June 27, 2019
Center stage among an overall bland line-up of political small change, a purple clothed Sen. Warren got the first question from Todays Guthrie and used her time on the query about the economy to launch into the speed metal version of her substantial structural change stump speech. It was a tactic that the poll-climbing ex-law school professor sharply stuck to for the night.
“@ewarren, do you have a plan for—”#DemDebate pic.twitter.com/a6vHQsIFMV
— Team Warren (@TeamWarren) June 27, 2019
Having spent the earlier part of the day at a photo-op at a Florida immigration detention center, Warrens top tier drew push-back from other candidates, on and off the stage:
Its clear who MSNBC wants to be president: Elizabeth Warren. Theyre giving her more time than all the other candidates combined. They arent giving any time to Tulsi at all. -V (Tulsis sister)
— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) June 27, 2019
On the other hand, since Warrens fellow Senator, Minnesotas Amy Klobuchar, was the first call out Trump in the first few minutes, and New Jerseys Cory Booker got the most air time with almost 11 minutes, it became clear that the depth of tonights gathering was going to be on the soundbite level of Keeping Up with the Kardashians on mute – and about as captivating as television.
Hollywood Reacts To Night One Of Democratic Debates
Prancing for the attention that he once garnered a few months back, unsuccessful Texas Senate contender Beto ORourke toggled between English and Spanish in a showy nod to the Telemundo audience, but said little in the best reality TV stance. This years John Lindsey, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio …well, the co-creator of the Wall Street-set Billions, put it best:
“Im Bill DeBlasio, if there is a speakers agent out there who can tell me I have now locked in the appearance fees, Im happy to step off to my right and be gone. Just say when.”
— Brian Koppelman (@briankoppelman) June 27, 2019Read More – Source
