I am a little surprised at the silence here at The Corner about the Democratic debate. So I thought I would depart from my usual topics and share some thoughts.
It is very worth watching and pondering.
I think Hillary and Bernie both came across as anti-cop in their discussion of the law-enforcement controversies that have been roiling the country.
They rightfully decried wrongful shootings, but neither mentioned the assassinations of police officers we have also experienced this year. Worse, they clearly believe that the benefit of the doubt should not be with the cop if there is a police shooting. Sanders wants to federalize every police-officer-involved civilian death. Hillary didn’t challenge him.
Bernie is very good at sticking to his anti-billionaire meme. He hits it again and again. And he means it. Hillary is “me too” on that issue. Of course, she and Bill are part of that class and receive great bounty from their friends–which Bernie didn’t bring up.
Hillary is as phony as ever – and manipulative. Yelling isn’t authenticity when, unlike Sanders, your heart really isn’t in it.
Bernie Sanders’s greatest strength, especially with the young, is authenticity. He is a true, red Marxist. He’s open and proud. There is power in that.
If you want to see a pathetic answer, watch Hillary’s explain how she will inspire the young. She couldn’t inspire a starving man to eat a steak.
The one difference that stands out between Hillary and Bernie: Hillary seems to have come out against a single-payer plan, wanting to “build on Obamacare.” Sanders wants Medicare for all. I think Democrats are with him.
O’Malley is irrelevant and an irritant, something like a mosquito’s whine.
The questioners are so-so, more challenging of the non-Hillary candidates.