Tonight 4 of the candidates that are polling in the top 5 are on the stage. Here are thoughts from Dan Rather and News & Guts staff.
10:58pm: Harris came in with a plan to attack Biden on civil rights and executed it well. And she had other effective moments. Biden had to play more defense all around than he would have liked. But he had a number of bursts where he showed command of foreign and domestic issues. Sanders passionally stated his case But we’re any of them significantly help themselves. More importantly, did the Democratic Party help or hurt itself tonight? What do you think?
10:38pm: Gillibrand isn’t doing herself any favors tonight. Hasn’t had any memorable moments.
10:18pm: Context here is question as to whether or not we are witnessing a significant change in the dynamics of the primary race with Harris rising and Biden leveling off-or not.
10:13pm: Colorado Sen. Bennet puts Biden on the defensive about his economic record in Senate. Biden sailed through first hour. Choppy waters for him in second hour.
10:07pm: Harris attacks Biden on race. Hits him hard and often. The tensest moment so far. First time Biden has been placed on clear defensive. This heated exchange is likely to frame rest of evening and coverage that follows tonight and tomorrow.
10:00pm: In the first hour Harris and Biden appear to have come out ahead. Biden because he’s been passionate but calm, well versed in domestic and foreign policy.
Harris because she ,candidly stared, has been on point and on fire right from the git go
9:45pm: Biden is talking like this is already a race between him and Trump. He’s not really taking on other candidates. He’s instead acting like Trump is on stage.
9:42pm: The subtext of much of what’s been said so far is that the country is been run by a cruel, dangerous man.
9:38pm: Kamala Harris refers to the president in 2020 as “her.”
9:24pm: Sanders risks coming across as ranting old uncle. He is walking a fine line.
9:22pm: Eric Swalwell is the first to come after Biden saying, “Joe Biden was right when he said it was time to pass the torch to a new generation of Americans when he said it 32 years ago.”
9:20pm: As candidates talk over each other, Kamala Harris gets lots of applause for saying, “America does not want to witness a food fight they want to witness how we’re gonna put food on their table.”
9:18pm: These candidates tonight went to school on those of last night. They have come out of the gate with more energy, more passion.
9:12pm: Sanders put on defensive early by Harris and Hickenlooper over his socialist background, policies, and ideas.
They seeking to use this event to cut into Sanders good poll numbers..
9:00am Here we go. Round 2. The struggle tonight, inside the Democratic Party, is over whether to move move to the left or edge some more to the center. (As in Sanders vs. Biden)
