On the State of the Debates

Here’s what we know about the debates, so far:

1. Elizabeth Warren is the most skilled debater of the lot, by a large margin.
2. There are too many people on stage to have anything more than a superficial discussion of the issues.
3. The format is predictably driving the candidates to the left, to the ultimate benefit of the GOP.
4. No potential Biden replacement has emerged to eclipse the real deal.

Here’s what we don’t know:

1. Can Warren somehow annihilate Biden without turning off his supporters or pushing the party way too far to the left?
2. Is it too late for any of the other realo candidates to get into the top tier?

We’ll know a bit more after Thursday night, although the sheer number of people on stage will probably prevent anyone from landing a knockout blow.