If you want to see America encapsulated, it is this:
A bunch of white people talking about how money corrupts politics after they kicked the black people out of the room for not having enough money.
— michaelharriot (@michaelharriot) December 20, 2019
Didn’t watch the live performance myself, but concensus on the web seems to be that Amy Klobuchar had an unexpectedly good debate, possibly cinching her position as Joe Biden’s VP the ‘moderate / centrist’ candidate. Biden, however, was perceived as having the *best* debate, because for once he didn’t lose focus in the second half (and also, former Trump spokesliar Sarah Huckabee Sanders decided to mock his speech impediment, a choice she had to retract very quickly).
The Washington Post has an exhaustive recap, the Guardian a more succinct wrap-up.
My favorite line of the night:
"Senator Warren, you would be the oldest president ever inaugurated."@SenWarren "I'd also be the youngest woman ever inaugurated"#DemDebate pic.twitter.com/FnKqCv4elY
— QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) December 20, 2019
(It has been pointed out that Hillary used this joke first. I don’t think she’d mind Warren recycling it.)
Sorted by candidates, not timelines:
i can’t tell if biden was actually good or if this is the soft bigotry of low expectations
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) December 20, 2019
“Put your hand down for a second, Bernie.”
“I’m just waving to you, Joe”#DemDebate pic.twitter.com/o7AfVGaEwQ
— QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) December 20, 2019
I was assured that Bernie would annihilate Biden with righteous rage, not have classic Matthau/Lemmon chemistry with him.
— Malarksist Revolutionary (@agraybee) December 20, 2019
Biden engaging with Sanders on M4A at length for the first time, ending the period where he was the nice harmless guy who you could praise for "honesty" en route to hitting Warren
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) December 20, 2019
It's probably the right move, no one cares about it, and this is backed up by polling. https://t.co/7wqCGuG7t7
— Malarksist Revolutionary (@agraybee) December 20, 2019
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Klobuchar is smart, experienced, would mop the floor with Trump, isn't falling for the impossible promises sweepstakes, and locks up Minnesota and probably Wisconsin. And at 59 she's not going to start having flashbacks to the 2nd battle of the Marne like Joe and Bernie.
— Mig Greengard (@chessninja) December 20, 2019
Klobuchar literally did exactly what I said she should do before the debate, so any time a candidate does that I'm going to count that as a strong evening. https://t.co/uoosWFlauF pic.twitter.com/LXpG9WlneG
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) December 20, 2019
Klobuchar has a good point about Pete's ability to win statewide: "you tried and you lost by 20 points" #DemDebate
— Charlotte Alter (@CharlotteAlter) December 20, 2019
This Klobuchar vs. Pete fight has been a long time coming. It’s been an open secret among Dems in and around the Senate that Buttigieg grates on/triggers Klobuchar in a major way. #DemDebate
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) December 20, 2019
oh and before we get too far from it, klobuchar’s answer on voting rights was great
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) December 20, 2019
Midwestern cred on display:
"No I will not be voting for this agreement although it makes some modest improvements," Bernie Sanders says of USMCA. Klobuchar says she's voting for it because Sherrod Brown supports it.
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) December 20, 2019
(Pt. II to come – FYWP acting up)
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
Eddie Murphy returns to SNL this weekend for the first time since 1984.
I’m sure Alec Baldwin will be there too.
NotMax
One heckuva Infrastructure Week, wasn’t it?
WereBear
I AM FIRST.
I get 8 hours now, but don’t know when it will appear :)
WereBear
Durn ya, site rebuild! Seriously, I like it :)
Baud
@WereBear:
Third is the new first.
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
Wilmer opposing the AFL-CIO and the United Steel Workers on USMCA tells you everything you need to know.
Baud
No one tweeted about Bernie refusing to answer the race question?
Everyone is in on the conspiracy to promote him.
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
Well, the french cuffed gown was spectacular (photo)
Anne Laurie
I got some tweets related to that, which will appear under ‘Reheated Open Thread: Last Night’s Debate – Pt. II’ if FYWP ever lets me schedule/post it!
Amir Khalid
@David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch:
What, was it previously not known that she had breasts?
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
@Amir Khalid: Me – I was admiring the buttons and cuff links.
?
Baud
@Anne Laurie: Excellent.
satby
I’ve decided to save time and hate them all.
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
There’s no need to punch down, but it would be nice if someone mentioned Wilmer’s votes/support for wars in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Droooooooooooooooonez, assassinations, Israeli’s bombing of Gaza and a neo-con plan to kill Saddam Hussein and install Ahmed Chalabi (link) Feet of clay.
eta: how could I forget — his vote to keep GITMO open (link)
Butter Emails
Wow. That first tweet is a serious ball of flaming garbage.
Tata
@Butter Emails: Harriot’s? Have you not noticed that other than Yang the field is entirely white?
Butter Emails
@Tata:
I have noticed. That’s why I find the tweet to be garbage. It swaps out race and subs in a class.
1. Booker and Harris were both competitive when it came to fundraising. What they weren’t able to overcome is the systemic racism that makes the default, comfortable, risk averse choice for President an old white guy.
2. The candidates on stage didn’t set the debate participation rules, nor are they responsible for any other candidates poor fundraising or poll showing. Accusing them of excluding minorities from the debate, deflects blame from where it belongs and instead smears several people who actively want to fix the problem.
UncleEbeneezer
JFC dude, it’s a JOKE!!! Harriott writes for the Root and is known for combining social commentary with snark. I’m pretty sure he’s well aware of everything you said.@Butter Emails:
Butter Emails
@UncleEbeneezer:
Oops. My bad then. Hopefully, I’m the only person that wasn’t aware of the full context of the tweet.
DetectiveLove
Harriot is a race-baiting moron. Harris and Booker actually had the most billionaire support of ANY candidates, and Booker especially has done very well fundraising wise:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelatindera/2019/11/18/here-are-the-billionaires-funding-the-democratic-presidential-candidates/
The reason Booker didn’t get on the stage is he didn’t meet the poll criteria. Even Harris wasn’t doing all that well polling wise in the most recent polls. And before anyone jumps in with “but le white people in Iowa don’t like black people”, Booker is actually behind Tom fucking Steyer when it comes to support from black voters in South Carolina, where both have campaigned.