Tonight and one night only the Dems will be center stage…..they will be debating among the 2016 Dem candidates for the party nomination…..at long last we will hear the difference between Clinton and Sanders and the other also ran…..
I not so sure if CNN would be the best venue….but at least the American voter will get to hear these candidates and watch them perform…..after all presidential politics is a performing art form…..
We have all been laser focused on the GOP group of 15 or whatever it is now…..the Dems have been an after thought for the media….tonight they are center stage…from CNN a thought or two about tonight’s drama…….
Audience for first GOP debate, Fox News, August 6: 24.0 million.
Audience for second GOP debate, CNN, September 16: 22.9 million.
My prediction for the first Democratic debate, CNN, October 13: 10.3 million.
Big difference in the numbers, right? No big surprise there, as the Trump factor really is that huuuggge when it comes to bringing in casual political viewers and those normally not remotely involved in the process to the table. But apparently my 10M+ prediction is a bit aggressive in the eyes of two industry bigwigs I spoke to, as both believe the number will be more in the eight million range, with each citing past Democratic primary debate audience numbers as a guide.
So sports fans would you like to know what to expect?
The Democrats debate for the first time Tuesday night, with the festivities from Las Vegas starting at 8:30 Eastern on CNN. You can expect Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Jim Webb, and Lincoln Chafee on stage, with Joe Biden still a wild card. Some related developments:
- Biden’s lectern: CNN isn’t just figuratively holding a spot for the vice president if decides to join the debate—it has a sixth lectern set aside. Right now, however, most analysts don’t expect Biden to participate, reports the Hill.
- The wild card: If one emerges, it’s likely to be Webb, according to the Washington Post. The former Virginia senator has “idiosyncratic” views that don’t fit the usual mold. He’s to the left on some things (an early opponent of the Iraq war) and to the right on others (the Confederate flag issue is “complicated,” he says).
- Sanders: His challenge will be to come off as a plausible candidate for the general election, not just a darling of progressives in the primary. “It’s one thing to be a prophet in the wilderness,” a political scientist tells USA Today. “It’s another to be presidential. That’s Sanders’ challenge.”
- Clinton: A new national poll has her in front at 46%, ahead of Sanders at 27% and Biden at 16%, reports CBS News. If Biden doesn’t run, her lead over Sanders only widens. As a result, she’s not expected to attack her opponents aggressively but to focus on laying out her own message.
There you have it……Biden is still the big story….
There should be a few things to watch for in debate……
Democrats stage their first debate at 8:30 Eastern Tuesday night on CNN, and at this point, Joe Biden is looking like a no-show. That leaves Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Jim Webb, and Lincoln Chafee in the mix. Here are five things to watch:
- Clinton vs. Sanders: The two frontrunners aren’t expected to aggressively attack each and focus instead on their talking points, says the Hill. Clinton doesn’t want to antagonize the left, and Sanders needs to prove he can be presidential. Still, “in order to stanch the bleeding in Iowa and New Hampshire, some Democratic observers think Clinton needs to get tough” against him, notes the National Review.
- Clinton emails: How much will they come up? Clinton may be vulnerable on the issue nationally, but CNN notes that it’s tricky for any of her rivals to raise—because Democratic voters may not appreciate it. Sanders is unlikely to go there, but a lower-tiered candidate such as O’Malley might broach the subject, notes the Hill.
- The underdogs: For O’Malley, Webb, and Chafee, this might be do-or-die. O’Malley in particular faces a big challenge. He was supposed to be Clinton’s main rival by now, but he’s gained almost no national traction. As one analyst puts it to USA Today: “This is the last best chance for Martin O’Malley.” (Webb may be the true wild card Tuesday night, however.)
- Sanders’ testiness: He tends to get “testy” when faced with aggressive questioning on the campaign trail, which probably wouldn’t go over well in the debate format, notes NPR. “In Bernie’s case, he has to be in control and not appear unpleasant,” says a debate coach. “If you’re angry, it may come across as extremely harsh.”
- Donald Trump: He or his policies will likely be a prime target, says CNN, but Trump may get the last word: He’ll be live-tweeting the whole “boring” thing.
I wish I could say that this will be a learning debate….but sadly it will not….it will however be pretty dry if they talk about policies….and Americans do not want that….they prefer a mouthy twat spouting crap……so this should not be as popular as the GOP….less morons running for the office.