# First Dem debate field set **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 13, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499 "2019-06-13T22:16:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/41 "2019-06-16T00:58:02Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Looks like they’ve set up Warren to be the big winner in the first night in hopes that she will knock off Bernie, who is problematic from their standpoint. Look for the post-debate talking heads and media coverage to be lauding Warren despite a mediocre performance. Easy opportunity for a free day of positive media. Very smart move by DNC. Even assuming the draw was fixed, I doubt this would even be possible. This early in the process the only one who can knock off Bernie is Bernie himself, if he has a really poor performance. My guess is that Warren probably won’t even mention Bernie, choosing instead to explain her platform to the American people. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/42 "2019-06-16T01:24:59Z")
If Warren remains strong, then I think Bernie gradually fades out of the picture. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/43 "2019-06-16T01:41:45Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > The selection will be somewhat arbitrary, but I would rather see a manageable debate of 3-5 top candidates that two debates, with the front runners split between the two, just to adhere to a sense of “fairness” to let someone will 11 supporters be heard. I know you’re being hyperbolic, but even fake candidate Mike Gravel had more than 11 supporters. > [@Chronos](#): > > But then, I also thought that it was perfectly kosher for the DNC to favor Clinton over Sanders, even though I myself supported Sanders. Just because _you_ think something is a “stupid rule” doesn’t mean breaking the rule is kosher. (Oy.) Especially when they stated the rule, published it, and then broke it. Not for nothing did Donna Brazile later try to apologize for some of that nonsense & at least appear to repudiate it. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/44 "2019-06-16T01:45:47Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > If Warren remains strong, then I think Bernie gradually fades out of the picture. I…no, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Or rather, he’s so big & his base are so attached to his particular message that even if he fades, he’ll still be very visible next summer. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/45 "2019-06-16T01:52:19Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > I…no, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Or rather, he’s so big & his base are so attached to his particular message that even if he fades, he’ll still be very visible next summer. There’s only room enough for one of them, IMO. At some point, you have to win a contest; you can’t just finish 2nd or 3rd again and again. At the moment, Bernie is still arguing the second strongest candidate, but he’s a distant second behind Biden, and the most upward movement in recent weeks has come from Warren and Buttigieg. Suffice it to say, we will know more once the post-debate polls start coming in ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/46 "2019-06-16T12:06:23Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > I…no, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Or rather, he’s so big & his base are so attached to his particular message that even if he fades, he’ll still be very visible next summer. And a substantial number who were motivated, at least in part, by misogyny towards Clinton will be similarly motivated towards Warren. But he’s yesterday’s news, yes - infatuation has an expiration date. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/47 "2019-06-16T17:34:38Z")
Ultimately, of course there’s only room for one of them. There’s only room for one of all of the dozens of Democratic candidates, because there’s only going to be one Democratic nominee. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/48 "2019-06-17T17:03:39Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > A balance must be struck. > > While I have significant quibbles with the specifics the idea of a debate in which those who have met some reasonable minimal standards get a _chance_ (even be it vanishingly small of one) to break out is reasonable. The CNN town halls were also that chance (and was part of Buttigieg’s breaking out into the second tier pack). This. I hardly think it would constitute a thumb on the scales for the DNC to have put the top 5-8 (Biden, Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, Harris, and maybe Klobuchar, Booker, and Beto) in the main debate, and put the rest in a ‘kiddie table’ debate. And one or two participants in the ‘kiddie table’ debate would have stood out from the crowd, and gotten enough support to be included at the grownup table in the next round. > [@](#): > > But no question after round one the criteria need to be tightened, and then more as the round after comes along. Because, yeah, this won’t be any debate so much as Cliff Notes stump speeches and scrolling through dating app profiles. After this it needs to get down to a list small enough to at least meet for a cup of coffee. Then real dates, before we decide who we want to meet momma. Seconded, and I like your imagery. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/49 "2019-06-18T20:38:44Z")
highest poll people are in the middle of the stage [Top-polling candidates will be center-stage at first Democratic debates - POLITICO](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/18/democratic-debates-2020-election-1368691) sort of like Olympic swimming where the fastest guys/gals are in the middle of the pool ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499/50 "2019-06-19T17:28:25Z")
Had a good interview with Bullock on the PRE politics podcast recently. Wish he had made the debate stage, and it was frustrating to find that he missed by either one polled voter in or a weighting issue depending on how you see it. Personally, I think there should have been a snake draft by the candidates. Biden gets first pick of the 18 candidates, then Sanders gets two and three, Joe gets four and five, etc. I like seeing how the candidates want the matchups to shake out. (Of course, I want playoff teams in sports to pick their matchups too.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-dem-debate-field-set/835499.md?page=2)