I missed large parts of the debate due to a lousy internet connection, but here are my reactions to what I actually saw:
- Bernie looked and sounded much better. Good! He deserves a chance to lose on the merits, not on his health.
- I don’t think we will see any major shifts in the polls until the field is cut to, say, five or six.
- The principal battle was between Warren and the moderates. I just wish Biden could be as effective as his potential replacements—particularly Klobuchar.
- I will be commenting on a number of Warren’s statements in the coming days. For now, I will simply say that I wish someone had slid in the knife when she (accurately) argued that Beto’s mandatory gun buyback plan was unrealistic and an obstacle to real progress. What happened to having the guts to fight for big, bold ideas? That’s the entire basis for her candidacy.