Clinton Cleans Up

[Historic NY]

The Democrats -- Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley -- put on another spirited debate. Granted, hardly anyone was watching on a Saturday night before Christmas.

Sanders did what he's in the contest to do: Make the case for the most liberal wing of the Democratic party. For him, it really does come down to the rich vs. the rest. His most telling moment was turning a question about domestic terrorism and ethnic profiling back to income inequality, saying, "I believe we stand together to address the real issues facing this country, not allow them to divide us by race or where we come from."

Sanders is knowledgeable in many areas, but the reason he's not in sync with his party isn't so much specific differences on policies as it is that he seems to be saying that other concerns -- ISIS, race, immigration and so on -- aren't "real issues."

As for Martin O'Malley: His low point was leveling a prepared charge of "bickering" at Sanders and Clinton (over the campaign data issue that blew up late in the week). Had he noticed that only a minute earlier Sanders had apologized, and Clinton had accepted the apology and played down the issue? It didn't get better: The audience booed him when he brought up the age difference between himself and the other two.

Clinton remains much better at this than any of the other twentysome candidates who have debated for the presidency this year, Republican and Democrat. She almost certainly won the soundbite war -- first by deftly apologizing for returning late to the stage after a commercial break, and then, when asked if Wall Street should love her as president, confidently responded that "everybody should." (And that's not even counting her "may the Force be with you" comment at the end of her final statement.)

Her strong debate performances might help Clinton avoid an embarrassing loss in Iowa or New Hampshire. But even if they don't, she has had the Democratic nomination wrapped up for some time, and nothing changed she did on Saturday night changes that.

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-12-20/clinton-cleans-up-in-democratic-debate?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5676bb6a04d3013122c965e8&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

[Thinkingabout]

1. She shows very presidential in debates.

[RKP5637]

2. This IMO is a very good summery! Thanks for posting! n/t

[Cha]

3. Wow.. I hadn't heard this when the debates were being discussed..

"As for Martin O'Malley: His low point was leveling a prepared charge of "bickering" at Sanders and Clinton (over the campaign data issue that blew up late in the week). Had he noticed that only a minute earlier Sanders had apologized, and Clinton had accepted the apology and played down the issue? It didn't get better: The audience booed him when he brought up the age difference between himself and the other two".

Like people need to be told that! jeez.

I did read there was a lot of yelling from sanders and MOM.

And, what's with that crack some BS fan made about her wearing a "bathrobe"?

What did she say when she came back late from the break? I know there were a lot of petty mean cheap shots about that, too.

[DURHAM D]

4. Here is clip of late return after the break -

Sorry


ETA: The moment Hillary said "Sorry" I thought she sounded like Gilly, the Kristen Wiig character. Maybe Hil was on SNL one time when they had a Gilly bit and it stuck with her.

[Cha]

7. OMG.. I'm cracking up here and I don't why.. that struck me as funny! And the

bernies were all.. she did it on purpose... stepped on his answer. wah!

Thank you so much, Durham!

I don't know about the SNL skits but Hillary's a natural.. not flustered at all that she had to come back late and walk to Center Stage with her noticeably missing.

[yallerdawg]

11. It was perfection!

Hillary is an SNL "hipster"!

[Cha]

12. Rofl! There's the Gilly Durham was talking about..

Sorry.

Mahalo yallerdawg!

Sorry. LOL

[brush]

10. When you gotta go, you gotta go.

[brer cat]

6. There was a lot of shouting.

I had planned to watch it to the end, but frankly Sanders' yelling gets to me quickly and I went to bed even before the break.

As for the "bathrobe" crack, you can tell she's winning the debate when they make snide remarks about her appearance. Pitiful.

[Cha]

8. Scaping the bottom of barrel.. It really didn't matter what she was wearing.. she

drank their milkshakes.

Thanks brer~

[Tarheel_Dem]

16. Yeah, that stuck out for me as well. O'Malley was was an alternative for me, whereas BS never was.

I'm confident Hillary will win this race, she has to; otherwise I'd be stuck having to choose between a thief and an increasingly apparent asshole.

[Tommy2Tone]

5. The perception of Hillary

and the Clinton we see are strikingly different. May the force be with you was the line of the night.

[Cha]

9. That is so cool she said that..

[Kath1]

13. Very cool.

The next President nailed it last night!

[Cha]

14. And, then when she came back late from the break and said "Sorry.".. Durham

posted the clip on that.. it was so funny!

Sorry.

Durhamhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1107&pid=30383

[leftofcool]

15. Hillary=Presidential

[SunSeeker]

17. Another night of Bernie yelling, Hillary looking presidential and O'Malley looking desperate.

I don't know if I can sit through three more of these things. Who hasn't made up their minds at this point?