South Carolina debate winners and losers
This was the last debate before South Carolina and Super Tuesday, so candidates came out with a bang.
Winners:
Former Vice President Joe Biden
As his campaign hinges on a win in South Carolina, the former vice president came to play. He landed hefty blows on new frontrunner Senator Bernie Sanders over his supposed support for primarying former President Barack Obama and his lack of support for the Brady Law on gun control.
He also landed a significant blow on businessman Tom Steyer over his past investments in private prisons. While, to many, the attack on Steyer may not have seemed as natural as an attack on Bernie, Steyer is actually polling second in South Carolina, making him Biden’s closet competitor; the billionaire spent $22 million in the state.
Beyond that, the former vice president also showed a readiness to be commander in chief when discussing how he would combat coronavirus. He showed that when the moment comes, he can, indeed, show the fire many remember him having during Obama’s campaigns.
If he wins South Carolina in strong fashion, he will be incredibly well positioned to go into Super Tuesday and compete very well in the South. With his debate tonight, he has set himself up nicely for that.
Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Coming off once again as cool, calm and collected, Pete presented very well on the debate stage once again. He consistently presented well when discussing what it meant to wear the uniform of this country. Attacking Bernie on the senator’s Fidel Castro comments and health care, the former mayor also made a good point against former Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s stop-and-frisk policy.
Crucial to note: he was especially helped tonight by the moderators choosing to not dwell on his iffy history with race relations in South Bend during his time as mayor. On a debate stage that was often descending into chaos, Buttigieg’s measured approach stood out amid the carnage.
Losers:
Senator Bernie Sanders
He offered the same old, same old once again tonight. The big difference was that he got asked new questions. Facing attacks from practically everyone, Bernie repeated his normal answers and stressed the need for a political revolution.
When asked for specifics on perhaps his most key policy, Medicare for All, which his campaign provided monetary expectations of for the first time this week, he stumbled, and his opponents pointed out his constantly changing cost evaluations.
Furthermore, he faced serious questions about his recent complimentary comments of Castro’s regime in Cuba for providing education. His opponents attacked him for the comments and vocalized their fear of having a nominee who would alienate many moderates — and even some Democrats — across the country. Constantly on the defense and seemingly rattled by an unsupportive crowd, this was one of Senator Sanders’ poorest performances to date.
Senator Amy Klobuchar
In what might have been her final chance to make her case to Democrats before Super Tuesday (in which a poor Minnesota result likely sees her out of the race), the senator was outshined. Although she had some moments, especially when she instructed debate viewers to head to the C.D.C. website, she failed to stand out at any point.
In a debate in which others managed to make the case against others, something she has historically done well at, Amy struggled to breakout. This debate certainly did not capitalize on any of her (fading) momentum. She was left largely out of the debate as candidates went after Sanders and Bloomberg; as a result, she got little rebuttal time. You cannot make your point effectively when you are not talking much.
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