A Little popcorn, a beer, the wife and I watch the debates.
For so long Trump and the Trumpeters dominated the media. Their daily activity was so chaotic that when you tried to comment on anything the country was dragged to a new subject. All of juvenile in nature addressed to the republican white only base. You needed a score card to keep up with the constant bouncing around
This uncertainty should have been mooted by the midterm elections alas the lost of the house by the Republicans who intensified their resolve to obstruct our democratically elected house from doing the people business.
The media (the press, TV, radio ETC.) continued to practice censorship on the citizens by suppressing the truth of Mitch McConnell’s obstruction and open disdain and contempt on our democracy.
Then there was the start of the Democratic debates. At last the media is reporting on the issues of substance that the citizens have longed for in the public discourse.
With popcorn and our skeptics hats on and settled in on the televised journey to who will be the nominee in 2020. Taking in both nights my wife, a veteran of the Chicago Democratic convention protest, and I, A labor leader and veteran of many a protest including the Battle in Seattle settled in too find whom should be the candidate we’ll support.
In the 2016 election we supported Bernie Sanders, having listen to his weekly visits on the Thom Hartmann show we came to understand the he truly believed in his positions. That alone translated to honesty that we found reminiscent of our younger political activism.
There has been untold analyses of the debates. I would like to give our impressions of the candidates and invite the discussion to be framed not on the meme of who can beat Trump. But who can best run the country and restore our democracy.
In the first debate after the opening free for all and the candidate settle into sort of resemblance of order the top tier candidates’ quicly stood out. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Julian Castro lead the pack. Elizabeth Warren presented herself with confidence and commitment to her positions. Cory Booker and Julian Castro had a strong showing.
The second tier was Jay Inslee, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Kolbucher and Beto O’Rouke. Jay Inslee started his campaign by boxing himself in to a one issue candidate. I know Jay from when he was my congressman and the times the union worked with him. He isn’t a one issue guy, he just set himself up that way
Tulsi Gabbart unfortunately came across as inexperienced and that hurt her, we really wanted to like her but the lack of a commanding presence on stage hurt her. Beto O’Rourke seem to off game and Amy Kolbucher gave a condescending smile through the debate.
Tim Ryan and John Delaney Bill De Blasio and were out of place there and seemed to old school. They were not very inspiring.
Bill De Blasio who used his son as why he felt the black experience when stopped by the police. I’m sorry but as a white guy, we’ll never really experience being black while we can sympathize with the community we can never be black.
The Presidential ticket from the first debate (in no ticket order) was Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren.
Debate two, we again popped corn, grabbed a beer, after all we’re really blue color people, and sat down to watch the debates. Again our take was based on our experiences in the world of activism.
The top tier candidates from night two was Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Bernie Sanders. Kamala Harris owned the stage. She had command of the debate, had the confidence and several times spoke from the heart. I have seen practiced Prosecutor’s crocodile tears in the courtroom.
Kamala Harris schooled Joe Biden on being black, how it doesn’t matter if your not a racist,, and she acknowledged that Joe wasn’t a racist, but that words matter, and how you use them. She didn’t ask for an apologize but to me that Joe showed he understand that words can hurt.
Pete Buttigieg did something truly human, he accepted responsibility for not fixing the policing system in South Bend. He expressed sadness and frustration that a shooting and death of a young black man. In the rest of the debate his answers were confident and specific,
Bernie was Bernie. True to his believes and his presence keeps the debate and other candidates focused on the issues. Kamala Harris seemed to echo Bernie’s stands on many subjects.
The second tier could have been Joe Biden and he will occupy the spot alone. Joe appeared out of place almost rookie like in not tracking on the discussion. When Kamala Harris explained that as the only black person on the stage and then tried to explain too Joe about being black Joe would defend his actions rather that trying to show the past was gone and he had had become enlightened.
Our third tier picks were Andrew Yang, who seemed to stumble on his universal income program and Hickenlooper who as the former Governor of Colorado had some chops but isn’t presidential material
The bottom tier had no business on the stage, Mike Bennett, Eric Swalwell whose only response to Buttigieg’s problem with equality in the police force was to holler across the stage to fire the chief of police. And then there was Marianne Williamson, who my wife asked “who is Pollyanna?” none of these guys belonged on stage let alone in this race.
The presidential ticket from the second debate was a split between my wife and I we both liked Kamala Harris and we could decide on a second place winner.
The final six candidates as we get closer to the third debate (we think the second debate on CNN will not change our view of the top six) will be Booker, Warren, Harris, Buttigieg, Sanders and Castro.
My wife predicts the ticket going into the general election will be Booker-Warren.
What Say you.
