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You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / The Debate Part II: The Debating!

The Debate Part II: The Debating!

by Adam L Silverman|  January 14, 20209:59 pm| 261 Comments

This post is in: 2020 Elections, America, Domestic Politics, Open Threads, Politics

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I came in about 1/2 an hour late, then had to hit pause on the DVR, and am running about five minutes behind actual. But it looks like we can use a fresh debate thread, so here you all go.

Open thread!

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Previous Post: « The debate, dog help us…
Next Post: Assassinating OUR OWN Ambassador: “It Would Be Wrong, That’s For Sure” »

Reader Interactions

261Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    We didn’t need a second thread.  It’s a slow night, and news is breaking all over the place.

  2. 2.

    trollhattan

    January 14, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    Wait, I have a quip back on the other one! [skitters]

  3. 3.

    dmsilev

    January 14, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    @Baud: Duct tape will fix the broken news.

  4. 4.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    Warren doesn’t use the term “Medicare 4 All.”  Interesting.

  5. 5.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 14, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    @Baud:

    news is breaking all over the place.

    Then someone should fix it.

  6. 6.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 14, 2020 at 10:03 pm

    @dmsilev: Duct tape will fix anything.

  7. 7.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:03 pm

    @Baud: You people will bitch about anything!

  8. 8.

    trollhattan

    January 14, 2020 at 10:04 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    My kid has rolls of decorative duct tape branded Duck Tape. I lost a battle, right there.

  9. 9.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 14, 2020 at 10:04 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Yes, and your point is?

  10. 10.

    trollhattan

    January 14, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    And your point is…? :-P

  11. 11.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 14, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    @trollhattan: I use Gorilla tape.

  12. 12.

    patroclus

    January 14, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    @Baud: Warren’s pivots on trade and health care are the story of this debate; which she is winning.  I say that as someone who has not been a huge fan.

  13. 13.

    stinger

    January 14, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    Why is every new topic first addressed to Sanders? Apologies if this was addressed on the earlier thread.

  14. 14.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:06 pm

    @patroclus: Interesting.  I don’t get a sense of who is doing best.  I think Pete may be doing the worst (given preexisting expectations).

    Iowa voters may feel differently.

  15. 15.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:06 pm

    @stinger: Yeah, I noticed that too.

  16. 16.

    tobie

    January 14, 2020 at 10:07 pm

    @patroclus: I agree and I’m not a fan.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:07 pm

    Pete improves his answer on the deficit and Democrats.

  18. 18.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 14, 2020 at 10:08 pm

    I’m headed to Costco, anybody need anything?

  19. 19.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:08 pm

    @stinger: The old Jewish guy who yells rule. Old Jewish guy who yells (Blitzer) gets to direct all questions first to the other old Jewish guy in the room who yells (Sanders).

  20. 20.

    dmsilev

    January 14, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Except, ironically enough, ventilation ducts.

  21. 21.

    Amir Khalid

    January 14, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    Some of youse (forgive the unwarranted formality) have been complaining that certain candidates are not being allowed equal time to give their answers. An onscreen answer clock would show just how much time each was being allowed by moderators, and (it seems to me) expose any disparity. Would that help?

  22. 22.

    MomSense

    January 14, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    This is really boring

  23. 23.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: 35 gallon drum of tartar sauce. Don’t ask for what, it’s classified.

  24. 24.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    @MomSense: Boring is good.  Interesting would mean silly stuff was happening.

  25. 25.

    stinger

    January 14, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    @Baud: I missed the first half hour, but I believe that since I started watching, he’s been given first crack at every new question. Odd.

  26. 26.

    Immanentize

    January 14, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    @trollhattan:
    As we say in my house :
    If it moves and shouldn’t? Duct tape.
    If it doesn’t move and should? WD-40.

    Roger Wilco Over and Out (until tomorrow)

  27. 27.

    stinger

    January 14, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: A British royal?

  28. 28.

    Gin & Tonic, Duke of Tanqueray

    January 14, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    @Baud: I wish I lived in a world where nobody gave a shit what people in Iowa thought about anything but the price of soybeans.

  29. 29.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    @Amir Khalid: I think they should run the whole thing like one of those crazy Japanese game shows. So each candidate only has 30 seconds to answer while their head is inside an empty container and before they release a chipmunk inside the container.

  30. 30.

    schrodingers_cat

    January 14, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    @MomSense:

    Agreed. BTW did you know that Giant multinational corporations are gigantic and they are evil?

    Does she have a plan from making them tiny and good?

  31. 31.

    Amir Khalid

    January 14, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I’m not familiar with that unit. How many piints are there in a galloon?

  32. 32.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 10:12 pm

    @Baud:

    Warren doesn’t use the term “Medicare 4 All.”  Interesting.

    if she had figured out to stay away from that anvil a couple of months ago,  we might be looking at a very different race

    @Adam L Silverman: you ever notice how much Cole hates us?

  33. 33.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:12 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: You could say the same about Kamala.

  34. 34.

    Emerald

    January 14, 2020 at 10:12 pm

    Biden looking old old old (and I’m supporting him). Bernie is always Bernie. Amy doing great until she forgot the name of her good friend the governor of Kansas . Pete pre-programmed as usual. EW probably doing best so far. Amy just landed a good hit re EW’s Healh care plan.

  35. 35.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 10:13 pm

    @Baud: and I have

  36. 36.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:13 pm

    Bernie provides no reassurance on the job loss question.

  37. 37.

    Bill Arnold

    January 14, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    @dmsilev:

    Except, ironically enough, ventilation ducts.

    There is also real duct tape, made of aluminum.

  38. 38.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    Ugh.  Term limits.

  39. 39.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    “This is not a complicated problem…  That’s why I’m for term limits.” – Bazillionaire guy.

    (groucho-roll-eyes.gif)

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  40. 40.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    A big fucking deal, Joe.

  41. 41.

    schrodingers_cat

    January 14, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    @Baud: Yeah how is that going to make corporations tiny and saintly?

  42. 42.

    sdhays

    January 14, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    I’m not watching, but I did look up the clip of Warren’s answer regarding whether a woman can beat Donny Dump. I have to say one of things that I’ve really liked this campaign cycle is seeing the women run (Tulsi excepted) without trying to tear each other down. Not that I was expecting them to, it’s just nice to see. A big part of what made Warren’s answer really effective was was how she crafted it to include Amy.

  43. 43.

    patroclus

    January 14, 2020 at 10:16 pm

    Geez.  Term limits.  Get Steyer off this stage please and let us only hear from real candidates.

  44. 44.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:16 pm

    @Amir Khalid:That is a great idea, therefore it will never happen. Though maybe someone out on the inter tubes is doing that on their site.

  45. 45.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:16 pm

    @Amir Khalid: Should be gallon. I fixed it.

  46. 46.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:16 pm

    “Why does it make sense for the Government, THE GOVERNMENT, to do anything at all, Especially when NOBODY TRUSTS THE GOVERNMENT, huh, Liz?  Huh???”

    Grrr…

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  47. 47.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: He and I discuss it regularly.

  48. 48.

    Bill Arnold

    January 14, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    35 galloon drum of tartar sauce. Don’t ask for what, it’s classified.

    We know suspect.

    I make Very Large Bubbles, for which one of the ingredients is powered personal lubricant, which I buy in bulk from Amazon.This confuses Amazon’s recommendation system, which often suggests handcuffs and latex body suits.https://t.co/tDryk8TTsF pic.twitter.com/w8pLdZ8aXF— Grady Booch (@Grady_Booch) January 14, 2020

  49. 49.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    You people will bitch about anything!

    Didn’t you know that before you signed up? BJ commenters aren’t called jackals for nothing! : )

    By the way, how did you stumble on BJ and become a FPer?

  50. 50.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    “that are legal”

  51. 51.

    schrodingers_cat

    January 14, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    Agree with all those who want Steyer off the stage.

  52. 52.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:18 pm

    Baud! 2020! will take care of your baby!

  53. 53.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:18 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    BTW did you know that Giant multinational corporations are gigantic and they are evil?

    Well, you have to admit, they do tend to fit that description, don’t they?

  54. 54.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    January 14, 2020 at 10:20 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: The one near us stopped carrying those nice whole, fresh Long Island ducks. I could use a couple of those.

  55. 55.

    Barbara

    January 14, 2020 at 10:20 pm

    @Gin & Tonic, Duke of Tanqueray: Wouldn’t that be loverly ((loverly)) . . .

  56. 56.

    dmsilev

    January 14, 2020 at 10:21 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I think they should run the whole thing like one of those crazy Japanese game shows.

    I vote for Iron Chef. In honor of Iowa “cuisine”, all candidates will be required to give their answer in the form of a butter sculpture which is subsequently deep-fried.

     

    Edit: Deep fried _with foie gras_ for proper Iron Cheffery. Apologies for the omission.

  57. 57.

    MomSense

    January 14, 2020 at 10:21 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Fighting!!

  58. 58.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:22 pm

    Wait, EW had an Aunt Bea to help w/ childcare? I thought that only happened in Mayberry.

  59. 59.

    piratedan

    January 14, 2020 at 10:22 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: his ideas that term limits would solve a majority of our political ills make me think he’s terribly unserious and misinformed on just how the sausage is made… Hard pass.

  60. 60.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    January 14, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    @dmsilev: Breaded in donut crumbs, dipped in corn syrup, and then deep-fried.

  61. 61.

    dmsilev

    January 14, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    @Marcopolo: Just as long as none of them talk about their Uncle Ben, who died because they let a mugger or whatever go free.

  62. 62.

    tobie

    January 14, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    @Another Scott: the questions in this debate may be the worst yet of any debate this primary. The time allotted the candidates to speak is also too brief. It’s like a speed dating debate

  63. 63.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:24 pm

    @tobie: I agree.  They need at least 15 more seconds each.

    ETA:  I don’t mind the questions though.  But the past debates are a bit of a blur now.

  64. 64.

    sab

    January 14, 2020 at 10:24 pm

    @Baud: We weren’t getting any news on the old thread. Why try for a new one?

  65. 65.

    Gin & Tonic, Duke of Tanqueray

    January 14, 2020 at 10:25 pm

    And with a wee bit of my son-in-law’s Laphroiag, I think it’s time to call a halt to the festivities.

  66. 66.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:25 pm

    I dunno, you watch enough of these debates & you wind up in a place where assuming Harry & Megan spend enough time in their new lives living in the US You wind up saying just install a caretaker gov’t until Prince Archie is ready to take the reins.

  67. 67.

    Gin & Tonic, Duke of Tanqueray

    January 14, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    @tobie: “And the portions are so small!”

  68. 68.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: if this is Iowa Chopped, there have to be Tater Tots in the basket. Or “shredded potato-product nuggets”

  69. 69.

    sab

    January 14, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    @Amir Khalid: Yes it would. Must digest info.

  70. 70.

    patrick II

    January 14, 2020 at 10:27 pm

    @trollhattan:

    Duck tape is the original name. Used in WW II because of its waterproof attributes. It has only been called duct tape since the mid 60’s when it became popular for sealing air ducts. Yon must have a smart kid.

  71. 71.

    MomSense

    January 14, 2020 at 10:28 pm

    Time to snooze.

  72. 72.

    patroclus

    January 14, 2020 at 10:28 pm

    Senator Warren, many countries have tried a “wealth tax” and the projected revenue is never what the actual revenue is because tax accountants exist and money is moved to where it won’t count for your purposes.  So, in reality it won’t be a “2cent” tax or it won’t pay for all you want to do.  Plus, you get tarred for being for vastly increasing taxes.  You were winning this debate until you didn’t pivot off that.  Why?

  73. 73.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 10:28 pm

    Doesn’t Steyer have enough money to afford a better tie?

    He looks like he belongs in 1950s Lodge of some sort.

  74. 74.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:28 pm

    @tobie: I think the subject mix and the perspective of the question (is it essentially a GOP talking point?) have been both very good and very very bad tonight (cough… Wolf.. cough).

    But, yeesh, enough with the moderators spinning BS hypotheticals, and basing questions on premises and assumptions that are false as often as they are true.

  75. 75.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 10:30 pm

    @patroclus:  I don’t think “we can’t tax rich people because they have clever accountants” is the winning argument you think it is.

  76. 76.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:30 pm

    @patroclus:

    Unlike M4A, I think the wealth tax can be compromised down without causing resentment, so it doesn’t bother me as much as it would if I thought it were actually going to pass Congress.

  77. 77.

    Mr. Kite

    January 14, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Nice idea but I think the chipmunk container is a bit undignified for the dignitude of the office. How about branding with a backwards-B iron? Or sharpied for the squeamish. And maybe any fingers found above shoulder level will be shot at with lasers.

  78. 78.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    @MomSense: Sweet dreams.

  79. 79.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    @jl: Agreed.  Wolf’s questions have been horrible.  The Des Moines woman (? – I’m just listening) have been pretty good (child care, why/why not free college).  And she pressed for answers when Mayor Pete didn’t really answer (her kinda bogus question about whether he would “prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon”).  But there should be time for follow-ups.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  80. 80.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    Honestly I think Ron Reagan is winning the debate.  “not afraid of burning in hell”  ha!

  81. 81.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): I’d read it for a while. In August 2008 my brigade combat team got pulled to do a kinetic operation just north of our area of responsibility. Specifically we were supposed to go up and clear out a bunch of terrorists and insurgents and the brigade combat team that owned that area didn’t want to do it, complained it was too far away from their command forward operating base, etc, etc. So it got tasked to us. The short story on that is no one was there but a family of sheep herders. Any bad guys in the area had fled by the time we’d finished preparing the battlespace.

    During that operation a reporter that had manipulated my higher headquarters into arranging for him to embed with my team got to our forward operating base, basically blew us off, which was the reason for the embed, and started sniffing around for “real action”. When he heard about the kinetic op, he got himself embedded with one of the units going forward. One of them was a company from our Armor battalion and he decided to do a personal interest story about one of the junior NCOs in the company. This junior NCO was actually the company paymaster/money guy for paying the local contractors where that company operated. This information was included in the story, which included a photo of the Soldier and his name. Because he’s the money guy, his name and image were classified. When he went outside the wire to deal with the locals, he wore a mask and a sterile uniform – no name tape or unit insignia or anything else identifying. Of course no one, not his company commander, battalion commander and XO, no one in the command group of the brigade had any idea this story was published in The Wall Street Journal or that this Soldier’s life had just been put at risk by this reporter. I’m assuming our idiot Public Affairs Officer knew, but he was a moron, which is why this got approved for publication.

    I happened to be working off of the combat outpost (COP) where that company, and that company’s battalion were located. After spending the day helping a Civil Affairs Team Alpha (CAT-A) do a medical/humanitarian assistance operation, I got back to the COP, got cleaned up, had some chow, when back to my quarters, pulled out my laptop, tried to IM with my girlfriend and pulled up Balloon Juice, where John had featured the story on the front page. I immediately threw my boots on and a t-shirt, screen grabbed the page, closed my laptop, and went running across the compound to the battalion command building, found the XO who was running things while the battalion commander was forward on the operation that was a dud, and showed him what the idiot reporter had done. We were then able to get on the radio to ensure that Soldier was secured and not at risk. As far as I recall they had to assign a different junior NCO to do the contractor payments after that and this guy was limited in regards to going outside the wire.

    As soon as we were sure the Soldier was secured and the XO had worked up a way forward for him and, most likely, began planning to kick the idiot PAO in the nuts, I went back to my quarters and crashed. At some point after my deployment ended, I had a reason to email Cole. I introduced myself, explained why I was emailing, and then told him the story of how he and Balloon Juice had helped to ensure a Soldier’s safety in Iraq. And that’s how he and I first connected. Shortly after I did a few guest posts for him and when it was time for me to leave where I’d been writing, we discussed and agreed to my coming aboard here. And that’s the story.

  82. 82.

    Chris Johnson

    January 14, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: 

    Yeah how is that going to make corporations tiny and saintly?

    You’re talking about someone who made the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If anyone on that stage can rein in the gigantic trusts and megacorporations out of William Gibson stories that we currently have, it’s Warren. I suspect that it is ONLY Warren who can do this, and Bernie can’t do a damn thing about it but huff, and the others aren’t interested in doing it.

  83. 83.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    I think most proposals for free higher education include community colleges, which function as technical and vocational schools these days.

    Klobuchar talks like a kid has to go to UC Berkeley to get an MBA or study ancient Greek to take advantage of the program. Is she ignorant, or is she cynically spouting a GOP talking point?

    Come kind commenter please correct me if I’m wrong.

  84. 84.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    @MomSense:

    Good night!

  85. 85.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:33 pm

    @Marcopolo: She’s been telling that story for well over a year now. She tells it at every debate and townhall.

  86. 86.

    sab

    January 14, 2020 at 10:33 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Can you ship me frozen tilapi without it thawing?  No! I thought so!

    Wandered in to Costco tonight with bad glasses and a new prescription. Could not believe how easy it was to order new glasses, and with a frame I liked. Not fashion forward, but okay for my weird face.

    Remembered that I had  a brief boyfriend in western Michigan in the early 1980s. He was an optometrist. Better than an optician, but certainly not an opthamologist. Had a house on Lake Michigan by his early thirties, simply by overcharging for glasses.

  87. 87.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:34 pm

    @patroclus: It would be nice if they pressed her (and the other candidates) on things like that rather than “You’re going to have to RAISE TAXES aren’t you?  TAXES TAXES TAXES!!  Muaahh!!” as they seemed to learn in TV Talking Head School.

    (sigh)

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  88. 88.

    patroclus

    January 14, 2020 at 10:34 pm

    Moreover, the entire 20th century has shown that income taxes are FAR more progressive and generate revenue better.  I was impressed by Warren’s pivots on trade and health care; her Bernieistic attitude towards taxes makes me like her less.

  89. 89.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:34 pm

    Baud 2020! is pissy about the debate because his silent strength is not shining through this time. Tough break.

  90. 90.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:34 pm

    Good answer, Joe.

  91. 91.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    @jl: I’m pretty sure they let Cilizza write the questions.

  92. 92.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: I wasn’t sure if Marcopol was snarking or not. Several months ago a woman asked about childcare, and as Warren was drawing in her breath to start her answer, the woman said, “Not all of us have an Aunt Bea”. Warren stuck to the script. I don’t fault her. I think it’s a great story

  93. 93.

    CaseyL

    January 14, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: How about they give each candidate a circle of string and they have to make cats cradles while they answer the question?

  94. 94.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:36 pm

    @Another Scott: I think the ordinary, often local, reporters, when they are given a chance to moderate, generally do a better job than the corporate news media celebrities. Same is true this time.

    I missed the beginning, so I’ll need to check who is moderating later, or catch the chyrons when they come up.

  95. 95.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:36 pm

    “decency check”

    I like.

  96. 96.

    patroclus

    January 14, 2020 at 10:36 pm

    @Kent: In a Democratic primary, I agree.  In a general election, I don’t.  And actual reality isn’t always a “winning argument.”  I want good policy; not a “winning argument.”

  97. 97.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 10:36 pm

    Is there some reason why they can’t ask, “What do you think about the President  encouraging people stalking and planning to assassinate the U. S. Ambassador to Ukraine? What do you think the President meant when he said, ‘She’s going to go through some things’?”

  98. 98.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:37 pm

    @CaseyL: Lawn darts at 20 paces! What could go wrong?

  99. 99.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:37 pm

    @zhena gogolia: The news broke too late for this debate.

  100. 100.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:37 pm

    @zhena gogolia: They probably wrote the questions weeks ago.

    Unfortunately.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  101. 101.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:37 pm

    @zhena gogolia: I’m pretty sure neither the reporter or Blitzer have even seen that stuff yet.

  102. 102.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:38 pm

    What a stupid question to Warren.  Wolf sucks.

  103. 103.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:38 pm

    This may be an unpopular opinion but I am missing Yang. Not because I’m a supporter but I am pretty sure he’d have injected a little good natured humor into a lot of his replies. This debate could use a little more lightness & humor.

  104. 104.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 10:38 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    It just feels like so much trivia compared to having mob bosses in the White House, Dept. of State, and Dept. of Justice.

  105. 105.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:38 pm

    But I’m pissy too, I hate these BS custom tailored questions for each candidate. Unfair,  moderators exploit to manipulate the debate, play gotcha gimmicks, and wastes time with moderator generated horseshit.

  106. 106.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:38 pm

    @Marcopolo: That’s a fair point.

  107. 107.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:39 pm

    @Marcopolo: What if Senator Warren asks Senator Sanders to pull her finger? Would that help?

  108. 108.

    CaseyL

    January 14, 2020 at 10:39 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Now that is a Cute Meet.

    (And good on you for hauling ass across the compound!)

  109. 109.

    brantl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:40 pm

    @stinger: They think he might keel over any minute, so they take him first.

  110. 110.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:40 pm

    “Climate Crisis – flooding, people displaced from their homes.  What about farms and factories that can’t be moved.”  To Mayor Pete.

    Good question.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  111. 111.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:41 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

     This information was included in the story, which included a photo of the Soldier and his name. Because he’s the money guy, his name and image were classified. When he went outside the wire to deal with the locals, he wore a mask and a sterile uniform – no name tape or unit insignia or anything else identifying. Of course no one, not his company commander, battalion commander and XO, no one in the command group of the brigade had any idea this story was published in The Wall Street Journal or that this Soldier’s life had just been put at risk by this reporter.

    Wow. What a fucking idiot; that PAO and the reporter. I can’t believe an newspaper editor approved this story either, but hey it is the WSJ.

    At some point after my deployment ended, I had a reason to email Cole. I introduced myself, explained why I was emailing, and then told him the story of how he and Balloon Juice had helped to ensure a Soldier’s safety in Iraq. And that’s how he and I first connected. Shortly after I did a few guest posts for him and when it was time for me to leave where I’d been writing, we discussed and agreed to my coming aboard here. And that’s the story.

    In August 2018? I’m remember you doing posts on BJ since at least 2016 or so. Maybe even a few years before that.

    That’s an amazing story that a blog save a man’s life. BJ is a pretty special place

  112. 112.

    Chris Johnson

    January 14, 2020 at 10:43 pm

    @Kent:

    I don’t think “we can’t tax rich people because they have clever accountants” is the winning argument you think it is.

    This, plus with the trade agreements going on and the rise of fascism globally, this is simply not the 80s anymore. I think rich people believe they will always be able to flounce off to New Zealand or wherever, and thus they will get to make any demand however unreasonable.

    Nope.

    There will be no safe haven, and what a President Warren would demand of them would NOT be anything like so unreasonable. Having individual people with the literal wealth of half the sovereign country they belong to, that’s unreasonable. This is just not how personal wealth is supposed to work. It’s out of scale, off the charts, bonkers.

    George Harrison wrote ‘Taxman’ because he was mad that, though he was still wealthy, the government was taking 95 (NINETY-FIVE) percent of his income for themselves. These people are pissed when the government takes ANYTHING and they need to be smacked down. They’re not going to be whacked anywhere near as hard as the Beatles were, or as hard as Americans in wartime.

  113. 113.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:43 pm

    First climate change question promising. Buttigieg, who I don’t support, gives a good answer, given his platform. WTF with the moderator’s follow-up.

    Well, Mayor Pete, what do you do about land that will inevitably be flooded in the near term. How will you fix what can’t be fixed?

    What is with BS moderator questions that take longer to state than the candidates have time to answer?

    Same question to all the candidates would solve that problem.

  114. 114.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:Somehow, as someone who has been supporting & contributing to EW since last March/April I somehow missed that the family member helping her w/ her kids was named Aunt Bea. I knew she had help from a relative not sure how I never heard the name. Lol. But also too I have gotten to the point of generally making all my comments on this debate snarky. Credit debate fatigue.

  115. 115.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    The responses on Pompeo’s twitter feed are pretty interesting.

  116. 116.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    “Mr Steyer – You claim to be the climate guy, but you made your $1.6B in part by investing in coal, oil, and gas.”…

    “I’ve been fighting climate change for 10 years since I divested…”

    Good question.  Stick the (proverbial) knife in him.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  117. 117.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    Ok, Warren’s history seems a bit off here.

  118. 118.

    Jinchi

    January 14, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    @jl: I think most proposals for free higher education include community colleges, which function as technical and vocational schools these days.

    What annoys me about the “we can’t afford free college” debate, is that college was largely subsidized when most of these candidates were college aged, themselves. The public university I attended is 5 times more expensive now, in inflation adjusted dollars, than it was when I attended.

  119. 119.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:45 pm

    @zhena gogolia: There are those who recognize that we are at war and there is everyone else. Unfortunately there are many, many more of the latter than the former.

  120. 120.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:45 pm

    Seems like many ‘how will you square the circle?’ questions in this debate.

    I guess that is better than recycled GOP talking points, but Wolf is there for that.

  121. 121.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    @CaseyL: I don’t have a lot of speed, but once I’m at pace, I’m basically like a grader going downhill with its break lines cut.

  122. 122.

    mad citizen

    January 14, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    @sab: Yes, glasses at a regular eye doctors are one of the most marked up things there are.  I still do my exam at a regular eye doctor, but then buy and wear glasses from costco.  They always have some fashion-forward (I guess) frames set off in separate cases.  I have some of those, but once I bought a second pair because of a sale they were doing, and added on a Field & Stream frame which are my main ones around the house.  I’ve also bought a couple on Zenni.com as well–easy to buy when the frames are $20/30.

  123. 123.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    Another stump speech.

  124. 124.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Corrected the typo, it was 2008 when I was deployed.

  125. 125.

    clay

    January 14, 2020 at 10:47 pm

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ukraine-prosecutor-offered-information-related-to-biden-in-exchange-for-ambassadors-ouster-newly-released-materials-show/2020/01/14/cc45d19e-371e-11ea-9541-9107303481a4_story.html

    This seems significant.  One may even say “quid pro quo”.

  126. 126.

    tobie

    January 14, 2020 at 10:47 pm

    We haven’t had an immigration question or a gun control question yet. Wish we would.

  127. 127.

    TS (the original)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:48 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Interesting story (much moreso than the debate). Thanks for the history

  128. 128.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:48 pm

    @tobie:

    Nothing on race or the war on women yet either.

  129. 129.

    mad citizen

    January 14, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    @jl: How to fix the flooded land?  Obviously the answer is to detonate nuclear bombs on the ocean floor to create more space for the world’s oceans, thereby lowering the level of oceans back to what they used to be.  Or if you do more mega explosions, create even more land for humanity.  Pretty simple.

  130. 130.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    “Mayor Pete – Why don’t black people support you?”

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  131. 131.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:I was thinking maybe asking all the candidates to do a 30 second interpretative dance that shows how they feel about their IA campaign experience to date.

  132. 132.

    stinger

    January 14, 2020 at 10:50 pm

    @brantl: That makes more sense than anything I was coming up with!

  133. 133.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:50 pm

    @Chris Johnson:

    Yeah, that song I never really liked by the Beatles.

    Fun fact about the song “Taxman”, via wiki:

    In 2006, Virginia State Senator and future Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli introduced an amendment to make “Taxman” the state song of Virginia, stating that taxes were an important part of Virginia history. He gave the example of Patrick Henry‘s strong opposition to British taxation during the American Revolution. The measure did not pass.

  134. 134.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 10:50 pm

    @Another Scott:

    @zhena gogolia: They probably wrote the questions weeks ago.

    Unfortunately.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

    And cleared them through a big internal review panel probably.

  135. 135.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    “People will warm to socialism because Donald Trump sucks.”

  136. 136.

    Jinchi

    January 14, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    @Baud: I vaguely remember Mitt Romney, nobly declaring that unlike many politicians, he would commit to serving only 2 terms in the Senate.

    If he keeps his promise, he’ll be about 83 years old when he retires.

  137. 137.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    @tobie:Wait, is something happening on our southern border?

  138. 138.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Gotcha.

  139. 139.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    “Bernie – 2/3 of people don’t want Socialism.  Aren’t you going to have trouble beating Trump?”

    “Nope … (insert stump speech here)”

    (sigh)

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  140. 140.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:53 pm

    @mad citizen: thanks. I thought it would particle beams from space. I stand corrected.

  141. 141.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 10:53 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Oh, that’s amazing.

  142. 142.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:54 pm

    Pete’s answer was good, but this is like the 3rd or 4th time Pete’s mentioned his faith.

  143. 143.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 10:54 pm

    Good answer from Buttigieg on faith.   Even though I have none.

  144. 144.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 10:54 pm

    @Baud:

    To be fair, the party and Americans in general have moved further left under Trump it seems. Not enough for Sanders to probably win a general. He legitimately scares. His ego is disqualifying in and of itself because he’s not a team leader. Even if he were to win, I doubt he’d get much accomplished even through executive order. He’s a buffoon who surrounds himself with sycophants who attack those that don’t 100 percent agree with him. Sound familiar?

  145. 145.

    Marcopolo

    January 14, 2020 at 10:54 pm

    Okay I gotta head off in a minute but here’s some good news out of MO. Today the MO Supreme Court (once again) struck down the Voter ID law that Rethuglicans in the state lege have been trying to impose on us since 2016.

    Y’all have a lovely evening.

  146. 146.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 10:54 pm

    @Baud: He’s speaking to my 77 year old parents who never miss church and are loyal Dems.  They eat that up.

  147. 147.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:55 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): We’ve been moving left since 2004.

  148. 148.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:56 pm

    @Marcopolo:

    Excellent news.

    @Kent:

    “What a nice looking young man that Pete is.”

  149. 149.

    schrodingers_cat

    January 14, 2020 at 10:57 pm

    @Baud: me too. Also liked EW’s answer.

  150. 150.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:57 pm

    “Object of his affection.”  Nice bon mot.

  151. 151.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    @Baud:“What a nice looking young man that Pete is.”

    Don’t forget “clean cut!”

  152. 152.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    Klobuchar’s answer on how she’ll inspire voters is not inspiring. Not sure I caught the last bit about living in a basement helping a relative get through 2 year college education. Shit, that is what people are complaining about now.

  153. 153.

    Elizabelle

    January 14, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    Interviewer:  Trump is known for  … telling lies …  I love hearing that, so boldly.  It’s true.

    Biden says he has been the object of Trump’s attention.  Witty

    ETA:  Yes, I think it was “affection.”  Anyhow, clever.  A good answer by Joe.

  154. 154.

    tobie

    January 14, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    @Marcopolo: nothing new, just the usual Trump horrible. Children still in cages, the Remain in Mexico program taken to new extremes.

  155. 155.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 10:59 pm

    @Elizabelle: I think a lot of the questions have framed Trump accurately.  Kudos to the moderators on that.

  156. 156.

    J R in WV

    January 14, 2020 at 10:59 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Now that you’ve spent a lot of time typing that great story, I’m pretty sure I’ve known that, though I had forgotten until re-reading it.

    Saved that kid’s life, perhaps.  And brought the Jackals a huge amount of knowledge over the years since then!

    Thanks for all you do! Keep up the good work.

    ==========================================================

    PS:

    We saw some great headline news on MSNBC this evening. Chris Hayes had the document dump from Les Parnak, released by the House this evening. Wonderful stuff, lots of Republicans who belong in jail may get there thanks to this data.

    Amazing plot to deal with the Ambassador to Ukraine — unbelievable stuff!

  157. 157.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 10:59 pm

    @Jinchi:

    I vaguely remember Mitt Romney, nobly declaring that unlike many politicians, he would commit to serving only 2 terms in the Senate.

    Susan Collins made big noise when she first ran in ’96(?) about only serving two terms. I believe she’s currently running for her fifth.

  158. 158.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:00 pm

    @J R in WV: The President is a thug.

  159. 159.

    Elizabelle

    January 14, 2020 at 11:00 pm

    @Baud:   That’s excellent.  I have missed 75% of this debate; doing other stuff.  Might try to look at a transcript, eventually.

    This is the first debate I have watched.  It’s been good.

    And I love the Ron Reagan, proud atheist, commercials.

  160. 160.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    @Baud:

    and the Secretary of State and the Vice President and the Attorney General. Don’t forget. That’s the beauty of it. Oh, and the Senate Majority Leader.

  161. 161.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    @Kent:

    “Articulate”

  162. 162.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:02 pm

    @Baud: She (the moderator woman) is clear eyed about Trump and lots of other things.  If she were able to give, say, a 3 hour interview with each of the candidates, that would probably be very enlightening.

    This “at 75s I’m going to talk over you so don’t say one more word” stuff is annoying though.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  163. 163.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:02 pm

    Debate is almost over.  I think they just have closing statements left.  I don’t have a sense of a clear winner.  I doubt this will move the polls much.

  164. 164.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    Rich anti-union group decides to pay for anti-SEIU, anti-Dem ad during the Democratic debate.

  165. 165.

    Ruckus

    January 14, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    @Gin & Tonic, Duke of Tanqueray:

    Welcome to my world.

  166. 166.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Susan Collins made big noise when she first ran in ’96(?) about only serving two terms. I believe she’s currently running for her fifth.

    I think out of all the so-called GOP “moderates”, I dislike her the most for some reason. I guess it was the Kavanaugh vote that did it. I hope Maine kicks her butt to the curb this fall

  167. 167.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 11:04 pm

    @Another Scott: I’d talk over the moderators, just to retain some dignity and respect after the insulting parts of their questions.

  168. 168.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:04 pm

    @Baud: “money can’t buy you love”

    I think this debate might nip some of the billionaire love in the polls.  Steyer isn’t ready for prime time.  And his tie???  Some 1958 Moose lodge called and wants it back.

  169. 169.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 11:05 pm

    I missed the beginning. Was there a question about housing problems? Has there been a question about housing in any of the debates.

  170. 170.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:05 pm

    @Kent: Heh.

     

    @jl:

    Nothing on housing tonight.

  171. 171.

    patroclus

    January 14, 2020 at 11:05 pm

    @Baud: Fair point.  The Ways and Means and Finance Committees will actually write the next tax bill; not the next President or Treasury Secretary.  I’ll calm down about Warren’s answers on that.  And aside from that, I was actually impressed with her tonight, which has not been the case until now.  Amy did okay, but I’m not expecting her to last long, so for me, it’s now down to between Warren and Biden.

  172. 172.

    PsiFighter37

    January 14, 2020 at 11:06 pm

    I just tuned in. Klobuchar has a decent closing statement. Steyer – meh. Listening to Mayor Pete now.

  173. 173.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:07 pm

    @patroclus: I’m probably in the same place.  I suppose if Amy does surprisingly well in Iowa, I might consider her anew.

  174. 174.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:07 pm

    “The Spectacle of Division”

    Grrr…

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  175. 175.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:07 pm

    @J R in WV: I was out when all of that broke. I’m just about caught up, but this guy in Connecticut is in a lot of trouble.

  176. 176.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:07 pm

    Nice close by Warren.  What we DIDN’T talk about tonight.

  177. 177.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:07 pm

    @Baud: I suppose you’re right. I wasn’t as politically aware then as I am now

     

    @Baud: It’s been noted here and elsewhere that the GOP is terrible on education. This is not a smart play imo. Teachers tend to be Democrats and many people across the country tend to support teachers

  178. 178.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 11:08 pm

    @Kent:

    So she brought up the fact that the President put out a hit on a US Ambassador?

  179. 179.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:08 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    I wasn’t as politically aware then as I am now

    It’s hard to do when you’re a fetus.

  180. 180.

    PsiFighter37

    January 14, 2020 at 11:09 pm

    Oh Jesus Christ, Bernie’s closing statement is his usual shtick. Shut the fuck up, old man.

  181. 181.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:09 pm

    Bernie.  Shouting at the 1%

  182. 182.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 11:09 pm

    @Kent:

    Nice close by Warren.  What we DIDN’T talk about tonight.

    was one of those things judges? something I think our candidates ought to start talking about

  183. 183.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:09 pm

    Good summation by Warren.

    Bernie is playing his stump speech.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  184. 184.

    lamh36

    January 14, 2020 at 11:10 pm

    @JoshNBCNews

    FollowFollow @JoshNBCNews

    More

    NEWS – Robert Hyde reacts He tells me tonight via text message: “How low can liddle Adam Bull Schiff go. To take some texts my buddy’s and I wrote while we had a few drinks to some dweeb I met a few times…. Bull Schiff is a desperate turd.”

    9:47 PM – 14 Jan 2020

  185. 185.

    Mnemosyne

    January 14, 2020 at 11:10 pm

    @mad citizen:

    Man, I envy you guys for whom the most expensive part of getting glasses is the frames. I have Incredibly shitty eyesight, so my lenses inevitably cost more than even designer frames. ?

  186. 186.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:10 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: No and they need to start fucking explaining that everything they want to do from college education to clean air can get yanked away from them by out of control right wing Trump judges.

  187. 187.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    Biden replayed his standard closing “… there’s nothing that we can’t do as Americans, so let’s go do it.”

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  188. 188.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    “In May, Hyde was removed by police from Trump National Doral Miami in Florida. According to an incident report filed by the Doral police department, Hyde told the responding officer that he was in fear for his life and ‘a hit man was out to get him.’ Hyde gave police with a variety of names and contacts to provide information about why he felt his life was in danger,” the newspaper reported.

    See, this is what explains the bizarre behavior of the Repubs. They’re all afraid of being whacked.

  189. 189.

    Elizabelle

    January 14, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    Elizabeth would not take Bernie’s hand, extended as the candidates dispersed.

    Anyway, good closing comments.

    Proud to be a Democrat.

  190. 190.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    @Baud:

    I was already 9 in 2004, Baud. Don’t you know your future constituents better than that? : p

  191. 191.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 14, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    @PsiFighter37: “The only problem we have in this country is INCOME INEQUALITY!” (wags all his fingers at you)

  192. 192.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    @lamh36: That’s what they do.  They try to distract with their over-the-top rhetoric and insults.  Thankfully, Schiff is too disciplined for that.

  193. 193.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 11:13 pm

    @lamh36: same reporter just said Hyde wouldn’t say there was not a surveillance camera on Yovanovitch, which could prove interesting

  194. 194.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 14, 2020 at 11:13 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): LOL!

  195. 195.

    zhena gogolia

    January 14, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    @lamh36:

    Yeah, it was just some drunken prank texts. That’s why the President of the United States said to the President of Ukraine, “She’s going to go through some things.”

  196. 196.

    Mary G

    January 14, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    That was mostly dull.

  197. 197.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    @Mary G: Dull is good.  YMMV.

  198. 198.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:16 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: @lamh36: If Hyde was smart, and he’s not, he would shut up and lawyer up.

  199. 199.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 11:17 pm

    reading tweets and posts about Wolf Blitzer and thinking “How the hell has CNN not put him out to pasture”, and now MSNBC, my regular network, is cutting to fucking Tweety, looking very smug.

    I’ll give him props, he went after trump hard on the new evidence of massive conspiracy

  200. 200.

    lamh36

    January 14, 2020 at 11:17 pm

    This is the ONLY Oscar category I care about this year!

    And this is why..BTW, I bought the Hair Love book for my nieces for Christmas!

    @MatthewACherry

    FollowingFollowing @MatthewACherry

    More

    This my favorite picture ever. #RepresentationMatters #HairLove

    https://twitter.com/MatthewACherry/status/1217186133555081217

  201. 201.

    hilts

    January 14, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    Hoping Warren’s great performance will carry her to a win in the Iowa Caucuses.  Klobuchar was very good, but I’ve got Warren as the clear winner tonight.  Warren’s response to the woman question was the best answer given in any debate during this election season.

  202. 202.

    PsiFighter37

    January 14, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    Since I only tuned in for the end – was there anything memorable? Did Warren shiv Bernie?

  203. 203.

    stinger

    January 14, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Same here. And the “one hour” places take days to provide my glasses, as the lenses need to be special ordered. So I stick with my small town, locally owned, non-chain optometrist.

  204. 204.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    @Baud: They generally seem to be getting better.

    SPW was better.

    Amy K was a little better.

    Biden was better at times, but still gets tongue tied at times.

    Pete seemed the same to me, and not in a good way.

    Steyer shouldn’t be there.

    Bernie is Bernie.

    I think SPW had a lot to lose tonight and showed that she can take the pressure and get better.  I like her chances going forward.

    My $0.02.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  205. 205.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:19 pm

    @PsiFighter37: Bernie desperately lied through his teeth and Warren just smiled and moved on with a better answer about women in politics.

  206. 206.

    danielx

    January 14, 2020 at 11:19 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I really would have preferred not to have to contemplate potential images.

  207. 207.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:20 pm

    @Another Scott: Biden has a stutter, right?

  208. 208.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:20 pm

    @Another Scott:

    That was a good closer by Biden. He’s not my first choice, but when he hits it, he hits it

    @Elizabelle:

    Elizabeth would not take Bernie’s hand, extended as the candidates dispersed.

    I don’t blame her. The dude’s an ass and I’m sure she feels betrayed

  209. 209.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 11:21 pm

    @Another Scott:

    Pete seemed the same to me, and not in a good way.

    the ghost of a dead president agrees

    Richard M. Nixon‏ @dick_nixon 4m4 minutes ago
    Buttigieg has hit his limit, and I think he knows it. There was a sense of the piano player playing the tune for the fourth time tonight.

  210. 210.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:22 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I always thought he would have difficulty getting in front of Biden.

  211. 211.

    Baud

    January 14, 2020 at 11:23 pm

    @PsiFighter37: Nothing too memorable.  Warren had the best line of the night about a woman being able to win.

  212. 212.

    Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]

    January 14, 2020 at 11:24 pm

    So I am declaring a new political rule.  Friday is no longer the best time to bury a major political story.  The best time is during a primary presidential debate.  TWO HOURS AGO I posted that Michel Avenetii was brought into federal custody, and Popehat (who has a history) tweeted an hour ago on the case. It will never be seen in the MSN.  You could shoot somebody on fifth avenue during a primary debate and it would barely raise a ripple.

  213. 213.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:24 pm

    Oopsie!

    Love those frames we see them later on here in Congress pic.twitter.com/xnJMfmq2GF

    — George Millennial ?️‍? (@MillennialPriml) January 14, 2020

    And yes, that’s Victoria Toensing’s reflection in the mirror.

  214. 214.

    lamh36

    January 14, 2020 at 11:25 pm

    @PsiFighter37: Idk, wasn’t able to watch the entire thing, but most folks now talkin bout this at the end.

     

    @notcapnamerica5m5 minutes ago

    More

    Oh shit. Bernie went to shake her hand and she pulled back. Looked like they were both giving each other a piece of their minds

    Tracy Freeman
    https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1217300005939240962

    And apparently Stoyer was caught in the middle of them!

  215. 215.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 14, 2020 at 11:25 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    Elizabeth would not take Bernie’s hand, extended as the candidates dispersed.

    The video is interesting…. almost reminds me of the time Obama walked Joe Lieberman back on the Senate floor

  216. 216.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:25 pm

    @sdhays: Indeed. It was excellent. It’s in this tweet:

    Keep in mind that the men on this stage have lost ten elections. The only people on this stage who have won every race are the women—Amy and me. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/K4aMQ3VB6d— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 15, 2020

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  217. 217.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 14, 2020 at 11:26 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

     I introduced myself, explained why I was emailing, and then told him the story of how he and Balloon Juice had helped to ensure a Soldier’s safety in Iraq.

    Must have been in ALL CAPS since Cole read it.

    P.S. Got the tartar sauce, where should I send it?

  218. 218.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:27 pm

    from the TPM debate blog

    A single exchange that captures a quality in Buttigieg that, anecdotally, turns some people off: Steyer dings him for his scant private sector experience — “Mayor Pete has three years as an analyst at McKinsey” — and Buttigieg simply cannot let the insult stand.

    “You demoted me, I was actually an associate but that’s okay,” he says, spelling out a distinction indistinguishable to all but his former McKinsey colleagues.

  219. 219.

    2liberal

    January 14, 2020 at 11:28 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    I’m headed to Costco, anybody need anything?

    I’ve been already, thanks!

  220. 220.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:28 pm

    @danielx: What you and your imagination get up to is not my responsibility.//

  221. 221.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:29 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    @Adam L Silverman:

    @lamh36:

    Is this is as serious as it sounds? Was Trump and these thugs planning on bumping off a US Ambassador?

  222. 222.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:29 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Thanks for the pointer.  I was just listening.

    His hands seemed to be making excuses or trying to down play it.  It looked to me like she wasn’t having it.

    Good.  She, and the rest of the party, needs to stand up and let him know that he doesn’t have enough support to be the nominee and he better stop his replay of 2016.

    Cheers,

    Scott.

  223. 223.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:30 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    Got the tartar sauce, where should I send it?

    Someone will contact you with further instructions.

  224. 224.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:31 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): That is a plausible reading of the texts. I don’t know if it is a probable reading of the texts, but we are going to find out.

  225. 225.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:31 pm

    @Baud: Yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about.  I’m talking about him trying to talk about 5 things at once in a sentence.  He’s not good when he’s rushed.

    Cheers,
    Scott.
    (“Who thinks that Obama has a stutter too, at times.”)

  226. 226.

    Sebastian

    January 14, 2020 at 11:32 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

     

    You have a lot of fish to fry apparently.

  227. 227.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:32 pm

    @Sebastian: I prefer cocktail sauce for that.

  228. 228.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 11:33 pm

    @Kent: And Buttigieg identifies himself  with a corporate exec with a job title more appropriate for a corporate exec than an analyst drone. And gives an inaccurate picture of what he did, not to his benefit. Nice job, Mayor Pete. Kill three birds at once in a bad and unnecessary response.

  229. 229.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    @Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]:

    I don’t feel too bad about it. He’s a slimeball.

    He also had this to say recently about impeachment:

    Turning over the articles of impeachment is yet another blunder in a long list of blunders by the Democrats. Once again, they caved and got out-maneuvered by the Republicans.

    He’s a Monday morning quarterback. There was very little the Dems could do. McConnell has absolute control over the the Senate.

  230. 230.

    jimmiraybob

    January 14, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Glad you cleared that up.  I was assuming something to do with 35 gallon drums of tartar sauce.  And maybe scotch.

    As someone said earlier, thanks for being here.

  231. 231.

    different-church-lady

    January 14, 2020 at 11:35 pm

    @tobie: I know. And such small portions.

  232. 232.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:35 pm

    @jl: Yeah, that seemed like an own goal to me, too, but for some reason it got a laugh from at least a few people in the audience.

    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  233. 233.

    Jinchi

    January 14, 2020 at 11:36 pm

    @lamh36: To take some texts my buddy’s and I wrote

    Nice that he just straight up confesses to it. Usually they blame a maid or a mistress while shouting ‘Anybody could have accessed my phone!’

  234. 234.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:37 pm

    @jl: No one over 40 nit-picks the exact title of their first job out of college.

  235. 235.

    divF

    January 14, 2020 at 11:38 pm

    @Sebastian: Obligatory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1QfXQakX2w

  236. 236.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:38 pm

    @Another Scott:

    What do you think the appeal is of Mayor Pete?

  237. 237.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 11:39 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    ” I don’t blame her. The dude’s an ass and I’m sure she feels betrayed ”

    My hunch is that Warren raised this now to get some attention for her campaign. She’s starting to make a slight comeback in national and early state polls, but not big and not fast enough for her like.

    But I also think Bernie did tell her that he didn’t think a woman could win in 2020, but in passive aggressive ‘Berniesplain’.

    But the nonsense about Warren appealing more to upper income voters is toxic BS from BS’s campaign.  If I am right and Warren is bringing up the ‘women can’t win’ issue now for campaign reasons, then it won’ have lasting impact. But the talking points about Warren’s base of support will last longer.

  238. 238.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    @jl: She is a hell of a lot more believable than him.  Especially to any woman who has ever had a boss like Bernie.  Or ever got cornered at a bar by an old guy like Bernie.

  239. 239.

    Jinchi

    January 14, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): There was very little the Dems could do. McConnell has absolute control over the the Senate.

    Pelosi was smart to delay sending over the articles of impeachment. McConnell was hoping to brush this whole thing off before Christmas, while most Americans were distracted by other things. Just making Trump miserable over the holidays was worth it.

  240. 240.

    Another Scott

    January 14, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    Probably should be at least one question about what you're going to do about purges, poll closures, voter intimidation and everything else Republicans are definitely going to do to keep Americans from voting?— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) January 15, 2020

    +1

    It sure would be nice to see the League of Women Voters running these things again.

    (sigh)

    Cheers,
    Scott.
    (“Rassin’ Frassin’ Visual Tab…”)

  241. 241.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:42 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    but we are going to find out.

    I hope so. If my and others’ interpretations are true, then it means Trump is becoming far worse. The GOP can’t stand by while a US president tries to murder a high-ranking diplomatic offical and above all an American citizen. If he can try to do it to MY, then he can do it to anyone, including you and me

  242. 242.

    Barbara

    January 14, 2020 at 11:43 pm

    @jl: “Don’t vote for someone you like, vote for someone other people like.”  That’s real quality logic.

  243. 243.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 14, 2020 at 11:43 pm

    @Another Scott: What did you do?

  244. 244.

    NotMax

    January 14, 2020 at 11:44 pm

    Assumed the couch position, changed the TV channel, intending to watch, and next thing I knew was waking up 2 hours and 15 minutes later.

    The nappage is strong in this one.

  245. 245.

    Jinchi

    January 14, 2020 at 11:46 pm

    I usually follow the livestreams, and I was surprised to read that Warren and Klobuchar had the most speaking time (18.8 and 17.2 minutes) according to the Guardian. It seemed like Bernie was dominating at the start.

  246. 246.

    Kent

    January 14, 2020 at 11:49 pm

    First Warren rejected Bernie’s handshake and then they appear to go at it. Steyer didn’t know what to do. ? #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/hr8EWlI1L2— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) January 15, 2020

    comments on the twitter thread are priceless

  247. 247.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 11:49 pm

    @Barbara:  I think Sanders dished out that nonsense, even if not in so many words in order to retain plausible deniability, and he knew it was BS when he said it. But that’s just my guess.

    Edit: and he said to Warren’s face. Which I find hard to imagine. But politicians don’t care about saying hilarious and insulting things if they think they need to.

  248. 248.

    jl

    January 14, 2020 at 11:55 pm

    @Jinchi: “It seemed like Bernie was dominating at the start.”

    You recall the yelling for quite a spell afterwards from the ringing in your ears. Seems to have lasted longer than it did.

  249. 249.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 14, 2020 at 11:57 pm

    @Jinchi:

    Exactly.

    @jl:

    My hunch is that Warren raised this now to get some attention for her campaign. She’s starting to make a slight comeback in national and early state polls, but not big and not fast enough for her like.

    That’s very possible and speaks to Warren’s political chops.

  250. 250.

    Raven Onthill

    January 15, 2020 at 12:02 am

    @schrodingers_cat: “Does she have a plan from making them tiny and good?”

    Several, actually. Look here: https://elizabethwarren.com/plans/promoting-competitive-markets

  251. 251.

    StringOnAStick

    January 15, 2020 at 12:04 am

    @Adam L Silverman: Thanks for the whole story; I had assumed you had met John in Iraq.  I’m very happy you saw that post and got that story to the necessary people asap.

    I have an elderly aunt who was a reporter in a small town state capitol.  She would have likely done something like that if it got her a story, because I know she trashed a person ‘s career in pursuit of a story.  Why anyone trusted talking to her after that I will never understand..

  252. 252.

    Mnemosyne

    January 15, 2020 at 12:04 am

    @Kent:

    Well, I do usually try to make it clear that I was the second assistant manager at Crown Books, not a first assistant manager. ?

  253. 253.

    Sebastian

    January 15, 2020 at 12:10 am

    @Adam L Silverman:

     

    The plot thickens. I suspect shrimps.

  254. 254.

    Kent

    January 15, 2020 at 12:19 am

    @Mnemosyne: ‘assistant to the regional manager not assistant regional manager’

  255. 255.

    Another Scott

    January 15, 2020 at 12:20 am

    @Adam L Silverman: Posted the twitter embed in the Visual tab.  So I had to do an edit to paste it into the Text tab to fix it.

    You know, the usual stuff that happens on a day ending in “y”.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  256. 256.

    NotMax

    January 15, 2020 at 12:21 am

    @Sebastian

    Shrimp are treif.

    Just sayin’.

  257. 257.

    Mnemosyne

    January 15, 2020 at 12:25 am

    @Kent:

    I mean, I did skyrocket to being the first assistant manager at a different store that only had one assistant manager. But I got that extra 25 cents in my paycheck, baybee!

    Ironically, the store I ended up at was only a few blocks from where I now live, but I moved to this neighborhood a good 20 years after the store I had worked at closed. But I still have the sciatica to remember that job by! ?

  258. 258.

    Kent

    January 15, 2020 at 12:30 am

    @Mnemosyne: https://theoffice.fandom.com/wiki/Assistant_Regional_Manager

  259. 259.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 15, 2020 at 12:30 am

    @Another Scott: I’m not particularly thrilled with the two tabs issue either. I’ve raised the objection and have been told it can’t be changed. Which I don’t actually believe.

  260. 260.

    tomtofa

    January 15, 2020 at 1:07 am

    @Bill Arnold:

    I make Very Large Bubbles, for which one of the ingredients is powered personal lubricant, which I buy in bulk from Amazon.

    Powered personal lubricant? Huh. I’m torn between looking it up and just imagining what that might encompass.

  261. 261.

    tomtofa

    January 15, 2020 at 1:20 am

     

     

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Wow. That might not make a movie, but it would make a hell of an episode.

    A question – I’ll pose it again later if I’m too late to this thread; are there others like you out there, experienced and well-founded both academically and operationally? What are they up to?

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