Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

T R E 4 5 O N

Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

Everybody saw this coming.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

In my day, never was longer.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / First DNC Debate Liveblog

First DNC Debate Liveblog

by | 272 Comments

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The Guardian‘s liveblog is here — that’s probably how I’ll be following along:

… In terms of what we can expect our diez Democrats to discuss tonight, the DNC has promised questions about the climate crisis, which were conspicuously absent from the presidential debates in 2016.

Many of the candidates have said they support the ambitious Green New Deal, but some of the more centrist types – including Biden – are holding off. Also expect quizzing on healthcare, a real point of differentiation where some contenders support Medicare for All, some are only up for improving Obamacare, and others are somewhere in the middle.

The DNC has been at pains to promote this as a more serious debate than we have seen from Republicans in recent times, which won’t be difficult, and expect other big topics such as college fees, student loans, impeachment and, given the current situation at the border: immigration policy…

NBC.com’s liveblog is here (they’re sponsoring the debate, in partnership with MSNBC and Telemundo.

May the best woman candidate win!

Reader Interactions

272Comments

  1. 1.

    dmsilev

    I for one intend to follow it via Trump’s Twitter feed. What could possibly go wrong?

  4. 4.

    Duane

    There’s a middle between Medicare fo all and Obamacare? Don’t get off in the weeds. Pick one and go with it. May the best plan win, but rethugs thrive on dissension. Basically by lying. Stay on point.

  8. 8.

    zhena gogolia

    I made it through 5 seconds of Warren. I’ll have to get it via your reactions. This makes me too nervous.

    None of them can beat Trump.

  12. 12.

    Kent

    My wife, who is Chilean, was totally turned off by Beto’s canned pandering in Spanish. Data point of one.

  17. 17.

    Mike in DC

    I hate moderators who are just trying to get the candidates to go after each other.

  21. 21.

    chopper

    if there ain’t any climate questions there better as fuck be some climate answers.

  22. 22.

    Raven

    Courage. What makes a King out of a slave? Courage.

    What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage.

    What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist or the dusky dusk?

    What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage.

    What makes the Sphinx the 7th Wonder? Courage.

    What makes the dawn come up like THUNDER?! Courage.

    What makes the Hottentot so hot?

    What puts the “ape” in ape-ricot?

    Whatta they got that I ain’t got?

  23. 23.

    dmsilev

    @Baud: The opportunity hasn’t come up yet. As I understand it, he doesn’t come in until the second hour.

  28. 28.

    Soprano2

    It was a mistake not to let them make opening statements. I hate that Booker didn’t answer the question.

  29. 29.

    Doug R

    What’s with all the streaming? I’m watching in HD on my TV on my local NBC station KING-TV. Support local business and all that.

  32. 32.

    dmsilev

    I hope that at the end of this debate, we get to vote on which two candidates get shoved off the boat. Right now, I’m voting for deBlassio and Gabbard to get booted.

  39. 39.

    japa21

    Not qwatching. Will catch later reviews. But any candidate that says he/she supports “Medicare for All” without defining it drops greatly in my esteem.

  43. 43.

    Ben Cisco

    @Immanentize: Thanks, I am doing OK. I hope you are as well. . Most everything is good, and I’m working on the things that are not.

    Going to need a beverage to get through this show.

  47. 47.

    Jeffro

    5/8 of them are too wound up

    7/8 of them agree on 95% of the issues

    Calling it now: “Liz and the Midgets”

  49. 49.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    the horizontal hold is off on my Philco, and I gotta get some tin foil to fix the rabbit ears

  56. 56.

    WaterGirl

    I’m about 10 minutes behind in the debate. Now that you’ve mentioned Tulsi, I know where I can make up my time, whenever she talks. I don’t even know who a couple of these guys are.

    I like Castro’s answer, also.

  68. 68.

    dmsilev

    Who on God’s green Earth cares about Tulsi Gabbard’s views on medical insurance?

    Or anything else, to be sure.

  70. 70.

    Gin & Tonic

    Doing stuff around the house and not watching, but I walked through the room where the non-politics-junkie Mrs G&T was watching, as SPW came on the tube. The Mrs said “I like her.” I replied “so do I.”

    Of lengthy and deep conversations such as these is a long and happy marriage made.

  72. 72.

    West of the Rockies

    Delaney? Ryan? DeBlasio? Go home. Do good work on a smaller stage. You’re not ready for your close-ups.

  74. 74.

    Betty Cracker

    De Blasio seems like an an asshole. Delaney reminds me of a guy who cornered me at a party once and caused me to experience existential despair.

  76. 76.

    MomSense

    @Ben Cisco:

    I’m having beverages and skipping the show. I figure I’ll catch the highlights (Warren!) later.

    It’s a beautiful night in Portland Maine. People are out walking and sitting in sidewalk cafes and bars. I’m listening to my kid’s band play.

  78. 78.

    WaterGirl

    @Baud: Or Satan’s, depending on how you feel about the new site. :-) But I’m hopeful

    Is the lighting shitty at this debate? Everybody looks really pale, kind of like they are all recovering from the flu.

  81. 81.

    gwangung

    I’m having beverages and skipping the show. I figure I’ll catch the highlights (Warren!) later.

    Well, I’m indulging in the snarkiness that’s littering the internets…

  85. 85.

    jl

    I’m watching for who bloviates and who talks policy.
    Klobuchar OK even though I disagree with her.
    Warren is A plus
    Beto bloviates. Will be interesting if his polls go up or down after his bullshit health care answer.
    Delaney claims to be a businessperson but he doesn’t know much about business or economics.
    OK, don’t like Gabbard but at least she is saying something.
    Booker OK, half way between the dorks Beto-Delaney and Warren.

    If other voters are like me Klobuchar’s and Warren’s polls go up, the goofball guys’ go down.
    All the male candidates are unimpressive compared to the the better women candidates this cycle.

    Edit: Warren is great. From what I’ve heard so far, she is making a great impression. Clear concise excellent explanations and rationales.

  90. 90.

    Betty Cracker

    @MomSense: Sounds like you’re having a more pleasant evening than most! I might have to take a debate break soon because a thunderstorm is coming. Gotta go sit on the porch and watch that.

  91. 91.

    Kent

    DeBlasio? My wife says his picture should be up there in Webster’s under “Mansplaining”

  92. 92.

    Steve in the ATL

    I caught a snippet of hate radio earlier somewhere between Ruby Falls and Rock City (I wish I were kidding). The RWNJ was apoplectic over something Andrew “Who?” Yang said about gun control. “The second amendment is clear!” (Note: it’s not) “I don’t know who Andrew Yang is” (fair enough) “but he shouldn’t get to decide whether I can have a gun!”

    Looks like I picked the wrong week to give up locally sourced, artisanal moonshine.

    Steve in Appalachia

  93. 93.

    dmsilev

    OK, commercial break. When we come back, the Jeopardy round in which all answers must be phrased in the form of a question.

  96. 96.

    Mary G

    Warren’s lapping everyone else, they all sound like the are operating like tape recorders spewing out focus group pap, and are dull.

  98. 98.

    NotMax

    Only in the long shot, O’Rourke looks like a high schooler not quite adjusted to a new “don’t worry, you’ll grow into it” suit.

  104. 104.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Tom Nichols @ RadioFreeTom
    Congressman Delaney is giving a good GOP primary speech. Hell, even I see that. Nice, but not a winning Dem primary message.

    I am vaguely aware that Delaney was a short-time congressman, I’m pretty sure a Dem, from Maryland?

  109. 109.

    West of the Rockies

    @Jeffro:

    I’d be okay with that, but Booker and Castro, Klobuchar and Inslee seem like they something to contribute on some level.

  110. 110.

    Mike in DC

    Are we going to get a foreign policy question at some point? Or a direct question about climate change?

  112. 112.

    Kent

    My Chilean wife says Hispanic twitter is going crazy with all the gringos trying to speak Spanish. “WTF was that. A Klingon accent?” Was one tweet about Booker’s attempt

  119. 119.

    Ohio Mom

    I am trying to pretend I don’t have any background knowledge of any of them. I figure a lot of people are that way.

    It’s discombobulating to me that Gabbard seems more in control of herself than Warren. I like Booker and Klobuchar more than I thought I would. Beto is annoying me by going over his time.

    Shame on Castro for attacking Beto.

  121. 121.

    Mary G

    Castro’s growing on me, except mentioning Section 13255 of the immigration, not once, not twice, possibly even more. Beto needs to GTFO.

  128. 128.

    Jeffro

    @West of the Rockies: I hear you, but
    – why would one bother with Booker when one can have Castro?
    – why would one bother with Klobuchar when one can have Warren?
    – Inslee…brings absolutely nothing to the table that the rest of these folks don’t already believe/support

  129. 129.

    Suzanne

    I can’t stand de Blasio. I am liking O’Rourke on immigration. I find Klobuchar to be really uninspiring and both-sidesy but I am trying to get over that.

    Came home today just after lunch. The kids just can’t get enough of Spawn the Youngest. Our Luna is definitely adjusting to having a new member of the pack. When the baby cries, Luna immediately goes over to Mr. Suzanne or myself and starts moaning/squeaking and tries to lead us over to the baby. It’s so sweet.

  130. 130.

    Mary G

    Warren’s been shut down a while, because the men yell over each other and ignore the time limits.

  132. 132.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: So I’ve heard. I live in Maryland but never heard of him before. He must not be paying attention because Democrats aren’t interested in a DINO right about now.

  134. 134.

    Argiope

    @WaterGirl: meanwhile, I’m being given the option to edit other people’s comments. Not to worry, I’ll use my powers for good.

  137. 137.

    jl

    IMHO, some of the guys come off as desperate to make an impression and up their poll numbers. Seems like they came over prepared with bloviation lines that are too long for the time limit. Then they panic because they realize they haven’t said anything (while Warren and Klobuchar have said something). and they filibuster and talk over other people. Hope these guys go away after first couple of debates.

    Right now Booker half way between the sad Beto and Warren.

    Commenter above said odd the Gabbard seems more in control than Warren. I think Warren comes off as both very informed, organized and clear, but also committed and passionate. Given that we have no clue what is really going on Gabbards head, no telling whether her eerie impression of control is a good or a bad thing.

  145. 145.

    Soprano2

    Oh the stupid “day one” question. Gee, reporters, can’t you be more creative than that?

  146. 146.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Suzanne: I missed that the kiddo had spawned! Congrats!

    We had the same experience with our youngest. My other daughter was all over being a big sister and the cats were both very concerned for and about the new baby

  147. 147.

    jl

    Good thing is that every candidate is good at navigating the corporate hack news actors’ attempts at biased framing.

  155. 155.

    Mary G

    OK, Tulsi got a good one in with “this president and his chickenhawk cabinet,” then stepped on it by going long with more boilerplate.

  156. 156.

    WaterGirl

    @Argiope: hahahahaha

    @Suzanne: Oh my gosh, I missed that you had the baby already! So happy. When my niece was born, my sister’s cocker spaniel would lie down right by the crib and kept watch over the baby every minute of every day. Instant devotion. I agree with you, so sweet.

  157. 157.

    Kent

    Take from my living room?

    Booker, Castro, Warren, and Insley are gaining.

    The rest? Meh. Klobuchar’s attempt to be the sensible grownup in the room isn’t really playing well for me.

  159. 159.

    dmsilev

    Rachel Maddow coming up as a moderator. Also, Chuck Todd. Hopefully someone will take Baud’s suggestion upthread and set Todd’s beard on fire.

  160. 160.

    TomatoQueen

    @NotMax: Not intermittently, continuously here on Fireyfox. All picture links broken and Mozilla has a stern warning up about stackpath. Oooh dearie me.

  162. 162.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Reading through the comments, it seems that a lot of people are liking the people they liked before and finding problems with the candidates with whom they had problems before. It was also interesting to see that Castro was the first to go after one of the other candidates and that it was an intra-Texas thing.

  168. 168.

    plato

    Just as the moderators ask a question about the migrant father and child who died this week in the water trying to cross the border, Trump tweets "BORING!"— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 27, 2019

  170. 170.

    Immanentize

    @dmsilev:
    Well, there is no longer any hair to set on fire. Poor fellow. And to increase the catty quotient — I had no idea how little he is. How short. Wee in fact. Until I saw the photo of the moderators in the Times. I wonder if he has a little Hobbit winky as well.

    Or just a regular sized Hobbit winky.

  172. 172.

    Alain

    I’m deleting and rebuilding the cache to see if that helps purge whatever crap is clogging some of y’all’s tubes.

  174. 174.

    dmsilev

    Someone in the audio control room hates Chuck Todd. Anonymous audio tech, we stand with you!

  178. 178.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I am vaguely familiar with Samantha Savannah Guthrie’s name, but can’t say I really know her. Is she always this vapid, or is she making a special effort for the debate?

  181. 181.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Okay, so WaterGirl broke the blog, and now Maddow and Todd broke the debate. WTFF?

  184. 184.

    zhena gogolia

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Yeah, I think if you’re all in for Warren, she can do no wrong. I’m trying to look at her from the Average Voter’s point of view, and I’m not sold. But then I’m not watching, after the first 5 seconds.

  187. 187.

    Mary G

    And the sound guys hate Chuck SO MUCH they’re playing other people backstage over him. Wouldn’t stop and they had to go to commercial.

  188. 188.

    Suzanne

    @Ohio Mom: Sinuses are quickly returning to normal. Not 100% of the way there, but definitely better.

    Youngest was born at 11:19 AM yesterday. We got some FABULOUS news today….while she was in utero, it was observed on ultrasound that she had a hole in the ventricular septum and it was suspected that she would need open heart surgery. However, it wasn’t known, because she wasn’t done developing and it is hard to see that level of detail on fetal ultrasound. Anyway, they did an echocardiogram this morning and I got a call from the pediatric cardiologist saying that it appears that it has totally resolved and that no surgery is necessary. WOOT!

  190. 190.

    jl

    Looks like the miserable Todd, gazillionaire ignorant corporate hack news actor couldn’t figure out how to find a way to be fair and give each candidate a chance to answer the same question? Did I hear that right? IF so, good to know he is either incompetent or a miserable biased hack with an agenda.

    Todd is on my shit list. I saw a clip of that goof delivering a BS outraged bothsidesdoit commentary on the AOC concentration camp flap. If he doesn’t know that the term ‘concentration camp’ far predates the Nazi era he is too ignorant and incompetent to deliver local entertainment news. If he does know he is a dishonest hack.

  195. 195.

    WaterGirl

    @Omnes Omnibus: Okay, it’s 10:05 ET and I’m closing the BJ thread and turning off the computer. You’ll have to let me know tomorrow if that helped.

  196. 196.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Tulsi Gabbard @ TulsiGabbard
    It’s clear who MSNBC wants to be president: Elizabeth Warren. They’re giving her more time than all the other candidates combined. They aren’t giving any time to Tulsi at all. -V (Tulsi’s sister)

    Good

  201. 201.

    NotMax

    I swear if someone asks Gabbard “How about the weather today?” she’ll start off with “Well, compared to the weather when I was serving in the military in Iraq….”

  205. 205.

    TomatoQueen

    @Barbara: Also, sidegirl replacement to Ann Curry, gushed all over Matt Lauer, back in those innocent sorry days. Reminds me of Princess Beatrice.

  206. 206.

    patrick II

    @Ohio Mom:

    I think Beto is the candidate both Castro and De Blasio think they must step over if they want to hang around. They both interrupted and talked over him.

  211. 211.

    Ohio Mom

    @Suzanne: Yes, WOOT! And whew!

    I know two babies who needed that surgery. They did fine but not what you want to live through.

  215. 215.

    Immanentize

    He seems to have prospered. I am just reporting relative heights. But I am sure Chuck Todd feels like he is suffering micro aggresions all the time at like 7,000$ per hour.

    ETA. Why do you hate Hobbits?

  217. 217.

    Kay

    I think Kolbachur is having a good night. You cannot rattle her, which I find very appealing.

    Also- did not know that Castro hates Beto :)

  218. 218.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Major Major Major Major: I was expecting Beto and Klobuchar, neither of whom I care for,

    I like Klobuchar, but I think she came in with the idea that she was going to be the anti-Bernie and get the VSP to swoon for her. I don’t care for Bernie, but I think Klobuchar took the wrong way from the get-go

  219. 219.

    jl

    Todd takes too far far too long bloviating out crap framing for a debate where each candidate has such little time to talk.
    If my blood pressure prevents me from getting through this, it will be moronic ass Chuck Todd and his infuriating shit eating gap.

    Looks like Todd pissed off Warren enough for her to really lose control and filibuster.

    I hate this crap of not allowing each candidate to answer the same candidate. Looks the pissant Todd (and Maddow?) thought it was a great idea. I think especially bad approach when each candidate has such a short time to respond.

    And now Maddow, not noted for brevity, starts talking too much for her question too.. Maddow and Todd together may not be the best pairing.

  223. 223.

    Kay

    I feel like Tim Ryan is contributing by attacking Trump. Maybe keep him around a bit just for that.

  228. 228.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I hope one of them takes a swing at Todd. “Well, Chuck, one thing that helps the president is unprepared interviewers who let him steamroll them with lies and word salads…”

  230. 230.

    chris

    Toad trying to get someone, anyone, to say that they’ll take guns away from people. Who’s paying him?

  236. 236.

    Barbara

    @Kay: Tim Ryan can deliver stinging blows. His anti-Iraq war speeches could have lit fires. It’s his saving grace. Whereas, his everyman schtick wears thin.

  238. 238.

    NotMax

    Thing to contemplate during the next commercial break: which of the men could pull off wearing a purple jacket a la Warren?

    :)

  239. 239.

    Jeffro

    Yes…gun confiscation…the burning issue of our times…

    I like the occasional focus on the need to take back the Senate

  240. 240.

    Steeplejack

    @Alain:

    The formatting breakdown seems to be triggered only when you refresh a page, not when you first open it, at least for me (Firefox on Win10).

  241. 241.

    Kent

    Booker is growing on me. Great answers on guns and SCOTUS. It is a team game and everyone needs to help get us to 50 and beyond.

  246. 246.

    Keith P.

    I’m starting to warm up to Booker. He does better in this format than interviews. And “FLOTUS Rosario Dawson-Booker” has a nice ring to it.

  247. 247.

    Mary G

    I get the feeling that I’m not the only woman watching certain men talking over each other and using too much time, while the women only get a word in when the moderator asks a question.

  248. 248.

    Steeplejack

    @Steeplejack:

    Hmm, when I posted that comment the page came back with proper formatting—which went away again when I refreshed. Go figure.

  252. 252.

    Betty Cracker

    Well, that nice little thunderstorm I mentioned upthread knocked out the power, so I’m relying on y’all for commentary. Stop hating on our Rachel, goddamn it!

  256. 256.

    Immanentize

    @japa21: I know…. But please let me never have my brother tweet for me when I run for President.

    Billy Carter?
    Hugh Rodham?
    Anyone?

  261. 261.

    eldorado

    via a private source…apparently audio has been a real issue behind the scenes from the get go.

  262. 262.

    Anne Laurie

    New post up top, same topic.

    P.S. I’m getting some version of the mobile layout on my desktop, and it’s disconcerting. But at first I thought the mess was MY fault, so I can focus on being grateful for Major Major Major Major and Alain.

    Sincerely, guys: THANK YOU for doing the heavy lifting here!

  264. 264.

    Kay

    @Barbara:

    It’s his saving grace

    Oh, now Ryan’s blowing it. I knew I didn’t like him. He should have just attacked Trump.

    I cannot bear Delaney. He feels like every man who has ever lectured me. Why is he yelling at us?

  265. 265.

    RandomMonster

    I’m with some others here on Booker— the guy is a good speaker, and I like his responses. I’m still all in for Warren for now though.

  267. 267.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Immanentize:

    Billy Carter?
    Hugh Rodham?
    Anyone?

    Jeb “Please Clap” Bush?

    (I imagine Shrub watching that one and calling Laura in to watch it on the TiVo, “You think Daddy saw his “smart one” there?”)

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