Hillary Clinton’s Democratic Debate Magic
Frank Bruni – New York Times
Like her main rival onstage, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, she had complaints about our country. Unlike Sanders, she communicated an unshakable pride in it nonetheless.
Sanders said America should look to Denmark. Clinton countered: “We are not Denmark. I love Denmark. We are the United States of America.” ….
But on Tuesday night an odd sort of role reversal occurred. For much of the debate, Sanders somehow came across as the embattled incumbent, targeted by the other four candidates, while Clinton came across as the energetic upstart.
He seemed bowed, irascible. She seemed buoyant, effervescent. It was as poised a performance as she’s finessed in a long time…
“Enough of the emails!” Bernie Sanders on discussing the “real issues facing America…”
Contrast in Style
Lincoln Chafee – Washington Post
On this stage—on this stage, you didn’t hear anyone denigrate women, you didn’t hear anyone make racist comments about new American immigrants, you didn’t hear anyone speak ill of another American because of their religious belief.
What you heard instead on this stage tonight was an honest search for the answers that will move our country forward, to move us to a 100 percent clean electric energy grid by 2050, to take the actions that we have always taken as Americans so that we can actually attack injustice in our country, employ more of our people, rebuild our cities and towns, educate our children at higher and better levels, and include more of our people in the economic, social, and political life of our country.
Democratic presidential candidates from left, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee at the CNN Democratic presidential debate on Oct. 13, 2015 in Las Vegas. (AP)
Bernie Sanders’ Night: Authenticity Wins the Democratic Debate
The Editorial Board – Chicago Sun Times
… what came closest to electrifying the night was a Vermont senator, a self-described democratic socialist who honeymooned in the Soviet Union, and who probably can’t get elected president. Bernie Sanders demonstrated time and again Tuesday night why he’s the force vector in this race. If you watched, you now know why he attracts the huge crowds, the money, the energy of rank-and-file Democrats — a party to which he doesn’t even belong.
You also know why he gives Clinton conniptions. While she behaved like the front-runner — confident, competent, comfortable — Sanders was connecting with the audience. He even managed to profit from a Clinton problem while tacitly excusing her from it: “The American people,” he said, “are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!” Sanders wanted to talk about issues that trouble Americans.
Hillary and the Four Dwarfs — and Other Thoughts From the Democratic Debate
David French – National Review
I have a sinking feeling that many in the media will take their marching orders from Hillary and Bernie and stop talking about her emails, her numerous, dangerous breaches of federal law, and the resulting potential damage to national security. Less-powerful people would be headed for indictment and would — at the very least — find themselves discredited and disgraced. Soon enough, however, unless the FBI actually has the fortitude to confront the Democratic front-runner and/or her closest aides, the email scandal will enter the “IRS zone” — where each new revelation will demonstrate the length and breadth of the lawlessness, but the mainstream media simply won’t care.