Takeaways from the First Democratic Debate

#1 Bernie Sanders Is No Longer ALONE

In the two weeks since the first round of Democratic debates of the 2020 primary campaign, clear patterns have emerged in the polls, fundraising numbers have been released, and we’re finally getting an idea of which candidates could capture the nomination.

One of the more unexpected developments of recent weeks is Sen. Bernie Sanders’s comparatively unremarkable performance — both debate-wise and in terms of fundraising. In the debate on June 27, Sanders echoed his trademark attacks on the “big banks” and advocated for the abolition of private health insurance under his Medicare-for-All plan. But while his proposals were no less progressive than four years ago and he brought that same curmudgeonly charisma that many liberals adore, Sanders felt dull compared to his rivals on the debate stage. South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s poised concision and Sen. Kamala Harris’s tangible passion stole what many expected to be Bernie’s show. Then, last week, the Sanders campaign released its fundraising totals for the second quarter of 2019, revealing that he is trailing not only Joe Biden, but Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren as well.

Part of Sanders’ poor performance in recent weeks is because he’s old news; the newcomers have replaced him as the exciting, previously unknown outsider. But it’s also due to a fundamental difference between this Democratic field and that of four years ago: 2016’s slate of candidates was nowhere near as progressive as 2020’s lineup. Of the four candidates with whom Sanders and Clinton were competing, two had significantly conservative streaks in their records: former Sen. Jim Webb served as Navy Secretary under Ronald Reagan, and Lincoln Chafee was a registered Republican until 2007.

Sanders stood out in 2016 as the only Democratic candidate to embrace far-left economic proposals. He is no longer holds that title. Though only four of the twenty candidates featured in the first debates openly endorsed his Medicare-for-All plan, they all favor comprehensive healthcare reform of some kind. Almost all of them favor decriminalizing illegal border crossings. They all recognize the need for immediate and large-scale federal intervention in the climate crisis, and they’re even considering the prospect of reparations for slavery.

In February, I noted that 2020 marks the most diverse field of presidential candidates in American history. They are also the most progressive candidates in history. While that may not bode well for Bernie Sanders, it sure is a good sign for the future of our country.

#2 Several Candidates Could Beat Trump

Not only are many of the 2020 candidates refreshingly progressive; they also have what it takes to win the general election. Sanders, Buttigieg, Warren, Harris, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and former Housing secretary Julián Castro demonstrated they have the charisma needed to rally voters to their cause on a massive scale.

Concern is already brewing in media and voter circles that nominating a Democratic who leans too far left — as several of these most promising candidates do — could guarantee Trump’s reelection. I think this analysis is misguided.

Some recent polls suggest that a majority of Americans fear socialism. I believe they fear the word “socialism” — the residual product of Cold War paranoia and propaganda — more than they fear actual socialist policies. Otherwise, Bernie Sanders would not have received such an enthusiastic reaction to his healthcare proposals during his Fox News town hall. Nor would he have captured so many rural, working-class counties in Midwestern states like Michigan in the 2016 primary.

The most charismatic and passionate politicians tend to reside at either end of the political spectrum because the want to change the status quo. Those in the center tend to be whiter, richer, older, and more boring. After all, there aren’t many people who are passionate about keeping things the same.

Voting down the progressives in favor of a more moderate candidate could mean losing the candidate who most excites the masses — and sacrificing our chances of victory in the general election.

#3 My Pick for Nominee

With the first debates behind us, I am finally ready to make a preliminary endorsement for the 2020 Democratic nomination. This is not a final choice; I’ll be updating my pick at significant junctions in the campaign. Nor is it necessarily a prediction of which candidate will capture the nomination. Rather, this endorsement reflects the candidate whom I believe stands the best chance of igniting a nationwide adoration and beating President Trump.

That candidate is Kamala Harris. It may seem like an easy choice; Harris was easily the most talked-about after the debate thanks to her rivetingly personal attack on Joe Biden. It was a beautiful moment, but I’m more interested in how she carried herself during the rest of the debate. Harris was not as poised as Buttigieg, Warren, or Booker, but she was easily the most passionate of all 20 candidates on stage across the two nights. Her oratory was commanding and full of life, provoking some of the most enthusiastic cheers and the most striking silences. She wasn’t debating so much as delivering a sermon. In other words, she has the rousing presence needed to inspire voters and win the presidency.

Follow State of the Glewnion on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.