Comments on last night’s debate:
- I don’t know if it was because he likes the LA sunshine, or his preparation was better, or he had a nap before the debate, but this was, by far, Biden’s best performance. That’s good news! He doesn’t have to win the debates; he just has to avoid losing them.
- We had our first extended confrontation between the two intellectual giants over donors, with no clear winner.
- It occurred to me that you can break the field down into overly hot, intense performers (Warren, Steyer, and Sanders), the icy and urbane Mayor Pete, and everyone else. My guess is that the viewers prefer someone who looks relaxed, but not to the point of being an android. That helps Biden, Klobuchar, and Yang, the last of whom is actually the best of the lot.
- Don’t expect any significant shifts in the polls as a result of this debate, which is fine with the leaders.