The final 2020 Democratic Presidential debate of 2019 was held Thursday night in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, just one day after the U.S. House approved two Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump. On today’s BradCast, we have lively, smart (and, yes, occasionally snarky) special coverage of both, with returning champion guests DAVID FARIS, Associate Professor of political science at Chicago’s Roosevelt University, The Week contributor, and author of It’s Time to Fight Dirty; and HEATHER DIGBY PARTON, Salon columnist and award-winning opinion and analysis journalist from Digby’s Hullabaloo.
As per DNC requirements for participation at the Thursday night’s debate, co-sponsored by PBS Newshour and Politico, the included candidates were former Vice President Joe Biden; South Bend, IN, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; MN Sen. Amy Klobuchar; VT Sen. Bernie Sanders; Billionaire businessman Tom Steyer; MA Sen. Elizabeth Warren and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
With ballots for early primary states going out to voters any day now, we should also note that NOT featured on Thursday’s debate stage, though very likely featured along with the above candidates on 2020 Democratic primary ballots very soon, are: CO Sen. Michael Bennet; Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg; NJ Sen. Cory Booker; former HUD Secretary Julián Castro; former MD Rep. John Delaney; HI Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; former MA Gov. Deval Patrick; and author Marianne Williamson.
We cover a lot of ground on today’s special coverage program, beginning with the latest in the post-impeachment showdown between House Democrats and Senate Republicans and how the ongoing fight over sending the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate before a trial is likely to play out; what to make of Gabbard’s “present” vote on those Articles; how the PBS/Politico debate format worked out on Thursday night; who should have been included but wasn’t; why Warren has recently lost some of her momentum despite her many proposals and popular plan to tax millionaires (while also landing the line of the night!); why Buttigieg has picked up so much steam in Iowa; why Biden remains the national front runner, according to polling, over all of these months and despite his flaws; how Sanders hit on some key points Thursday night that nobody else did; how our Climate Crisis finally played a prominent role in the Thursday night forum; why Yang and Steyer are there at all (and whether that’s a good thing or bad); and whether Klobuchar can somehow emerge as the Democratic centrists’ option to take on Donald Trump.
Of course, those are just a few of the topics covered, along with a host of clips from the debate and no shortage of both snarky and insightful commentary along the way!
Also, please note: Desi and I will be taking a bit of a break to recharge batteries and spend some long-overdue family time over the upcoming holidays. Nicole Sandler will be filling in for us, along with a mix of a few days of various encore BradCasts until we’re back in 2020. My thanks to all of you who helped us get through this very difficult year in one way or another. From your notes of support and well wishes, to your news tips, to your generous support via BradBlog.com/Donate to help us keep doing what we try to do five days a week over your public airwaves without corporate or political support, helping us to remain 100% listener-supporter radio! Thank you for all of that, and we’ll see you — for better or worse — in the new election year!…
As you noted, Brad, ballots are about to go out, It is time to winnow the field and reduce the candidate list to those who actually have a chance. Many of those you and your guests cited as being desired to have been on the stage are not polling well with the voters and only pull marginal support away from stronger candidates which might be needed.
There is no reason for these candidates to remain silent just because they aren’t on stage. Tulsi Gabbard (more on her below) is the example that the others could follow, in the sense that she’s going around to the various talk shows and putting her opinions into the mix. I agree that Yang has interesting views, as does Williamson. Not too worried about the others doing so since I don’t see them having much to say.
I do, however, want to see Klobuchar gone. She has nothing to say, no support, and takes up space which she hasn’t earned.
Getting back to Tulsi Gabbard, the more she speaks, the less I see any value in her running for President. I support her desire to end regime-changing wars and better support for US military personnel. But I hear a lot of right-wing talking points in her comments. I cannot support her for any office anymore.
I have had enough Democrats posing as progressives while campaigning only to reveal their actual reactionary selves once office is won. This applies to every Democrat since LBJ who won election – Carter, Clinton, Obama. To steal a line from The Who, I won’t be fooled again.
I wish there was really more difference between Democrats and Republicans to Vote Blue No Matter Who. NDAA and USMCA are only the most recent examples of how Democrats aren’t much of an opposition party. Until the Democrats provide someone I can vote FOR, they aren’t going to get my vote. They have done nothing but betray me for 50 years, and I have had enough. I will vote for what I want whether or not enough people agree to deliver a win.
Matt Froelich said @1:
Our elections should be decided by voters, not polling (or money), IMO.
The NDAA (now with additional Paid Parental leave for millions of Americans) and USMCA (now with additional protections for unions) are both anywhere from perfect. In both cases, however, they are far better than their predecessor legislation, thanks to Democrats.
It’s still shocking to me that folks like yourself don’t seem to appreciate that. (And, of course, that is coming from someone who is not much happier with Dems than you are.)
While I will fight every day for your right to vote for whoever you like (whether I agree with that vote or not), I hope you are in a jurisdiction where you can afford to help Trump win, and Republicans take further control of Congress. Otherwise, I’d have to argue that the vote you describe is as short-sighted, selfish and self-defeating as any of the most ardent and hateful MAGA voters.
Merry Christmas!