# First Democratic presidential-candidates debate 10/13/15 -- what can we expect? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 1, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151 "2015-10-01T16:17:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [October 4, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/41 "2015-10-04T22:32:03Z")
Call it an “audition,” then. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/42 "2015-10-12T07:33:35Z")
For what it’s worth, the betting markets think that Sanders and O’Malley will benefit the most from the debate, while Clinton’s standing will be the most likely to be harmed. [https://www.predictit.org/Browse/Group/58/CNN-Debate-10-13-2015](https://www.predictit.org/Browse/Group/58/CNN-Debate-10-13-2015) ---
**Author:** ![John\_D\_Adamo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@John\_D\_Adamo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_D_Adamo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/43 "2015-10-12T15:33:48Z")
O’Malley is going to go full on attack mode against Hillary. He’s already been previewing this in his interviews and speeches. Sanders will be attacking Wall Street and MAYBE Hillary’s inconsistency but is going to mostly play nice. Hillary has to keep her head above water and be crisp and parry the blows and she’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/44 "2015-10-12T15:35:15Z")
> [@John\_D\_Adamo](#): > > O’Malley is going to go full on attack mode against Hillary. He’s already been previewing this in his interviews and speeches. Sanders will be attacking Wall Street and MAYBE Hillary’s inconsistency but is going to mostly play nice. Hillary has to keep her head above water and be crisp and parry the blows and she’ll be fine. Nah. O’Malley’s running for veep. He won’t upset the applecart. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/45 "2015-10-13T02:17:43Z")
O’Malley knows Clinton only would consider a loyalist for VP. He’s not running for VP, and if he is, it’s Sanders’ VP, so he’s going after Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/46 "2015-10-13T03:27:07Z")
Bolshevik Sanders will get Berned. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/47 "2015-10-13T03:49:10Z")
That depends on how willing Clinton is to hit him from the right. How wise is that in a Democratic primary? The basic argument against Sanders boils down to “tax and spend”. He’s got more executive experience than Clinton and is more honest than Clinton. Clinton has done everything she can to get where he is on social issues. So that just leaves their differences on economic issues. She can’t even claim to be more electable at this point due to the polling. Sanders does just as well or better against Republicans. I just don’t see a way for Clinton to make a Democratic case for her nomination against Sanders. She can make a pretty compelling argument why she’s the more Republican of the two, however. If she’s willing to look past the primaries to the general election she can make her case to people like me. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/48 "2015-10-13T03:56:08Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > First Democratic presidential-candidates debate 10/13/15 – what can we expect? I can tell you that the set looks fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/49 "2015-10-13T22:53:56Z")
If he’s gonna do it, Biden should announce he’s running during the debate, just for giggles. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/50 "2015-10-14T02:11:05Z")
From what I can tell, O’Malley is the only actual Democrat in the race. [ul][li]Hillary was a Goldwater-girl[/li][li]Bernie is obviously an Independent[/li][li]Webb worked for the Reagan Administration[/li][li]Chaffee, obviously, used to be a Republican (maybe he is a _metric_ Democrat?)[/li][/ul] Then, there is Lawrence Lessig, who once worked for Antonin Scalia. I guess the Democratic party is truly inclusive. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/51 "2015-10-14T03:08:18Z")
Webb and Chafee both fell flat on their faces in different ways tonight. O’Malley did okay but I was disappointed in general. I argued sternously against this but now I am inclined to think yeah, he’s runnig for VP. Bernie was just as good as I hoped. Hillary seemed the most presidential of the bunch. I gotta say, they all won simply because they engaged in a discussion of issues. There was no fearmongering of gays, immigrants, Muslims or black people. That alone was refreshing. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/52 "2015-10-14T03:51:58Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Webb and Chafee both fell flat on their faces in different ways tonight. > > O’Malley did okay but I was disappointed in general. I argued sternously against this but now I am inclined to think yeah, he’s runnig for VP. > > Bernie was just as good as I hoped. > > Hillary seemed the most presidential of the bunch. > > **I gotta say, they all won simply because they engaged in a discussion of issues. There was no fearmongering of gays, immigrants, Muslims or black people. That alone was refreshing**. Will this pull any people towards their side? Will it pull people away from any of the Republican contenders? ---
**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:** [October 14, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/53 "2015-10-14T04:13:00Z")
Post 30: > [@foolsguinea](#): > > Remember when Howard Dean (and before that Paul Wellstone) said he was from “the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party”? > > This time out, it’s going to be a onetime Reagan appointee to SECNAV; the son of a Nixon appointee to SECNAV (and onetime GOP US Senator); an independent “socialist” (who’s admittedly probably more of a progressive Democrat than any of them); Mrs. “New Democrat” herself; and Martin O’Malley? Lest we think Martin “mass arrests” O’Malley is the great Democratic hope, let’s note that his support in his home state of Maryland is pretty low. > > Yeah, this is a healthy party all right. :rolleyes: > > Maybe they can scrape together a barbecue once in a while. > > I’m not sure which is more embarrassing: This gang of posers or the “family business” approach of the JFK/LBJ administrations. Post 50: > [@eschereal](#): > > From what I can tell, O’Malley is the only actual Democrat in the race. > [ul][li]Hillary was a Goldwater-girl[/li][li]Bernie is obviously an Independent[/li][li]Webb worked for the Reagan Administration[/li][li]Chaffee, obviously, used to be a Republican (maybe he is a _metric_ Democrat?)[/li][/ul] > Then, there is Lawrence Lessig, who once worked for Antonin Scalia. > > I guess the Democratic party is truly inclusive. :dubious: I’m glad you agree with me. To be fair, I note that Hillary Rodham was just a kid when she supported Goldwater. I was a bit of a GOP voter well into my twenties, as rabidly socialist as I am now. People do change. I still don’t trust her, you understand. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/54 "2015-10-14T04:28:17Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Will this pull any people towards their side? > Will it pull people away from any of the Republican contenders? I think it will be more likely to persuade independents. Do they go with a party of nonsense or one that at least tries to address the issues that may affect their daily lives? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/55 "2015-10-14T06:07:30Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > To be fair, I note that Hillary Rodham was just a kid when she supported Goldwater. I was a bit of a GOP voter well into my twenties, as rabidly socialist as I am now. People do change. > > I still don’t trust her, you understand. Yeah, when I was a kid, I had a picture on the bulletin board thing that was my bedroom wall, of that flaming liberal Richard Milhouse (mumble mumble). And after I turned 18, I voted, in the primary anyway, for the best governor our state ever had, who was a Republican. Old-style Republican. These days, the only vote I would cast for a Republican would be as a juror. But Hillary still feels too much like a Republican, to me. Her loving husband was barely to the left of St. Ronnie, and she is barely to the left of Bill, if at all. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/56 "2015-10-14T12:15:44Z")
> [@John\_D\_Adamo](#): > > O’Malley is going to go full on attack mode against Hillary. Nope. He’s running for running mate, and did a decent job of it. > [@](#): > > Sanders will be attacking Wall Street and MAYBE Hillary’s inconsistency but is going to mostly play nice. Hillary has to keep her head above water and be crisp and parry the blows and she’ll be fine. But you got \*that \*right. > [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Webb and Chafee both fell flat on their faces in different ways tonight. Webb spent half his time pouting about not getting much time. Not the best move for a guy polling at zero. Chafee didn’t show a strategy or even prepared answers, and even his attack on Clinton for ethics was pretty damn lame (“Sec. Clinton, would you like to respond?” “No.” ;)). They might both be gone before the next debate. I liked the CNN commentator who noted Webb would have been a big winner in the _Republican_ debates. > [@](#): > > Bernie was just as good as I hoped. He played his role well, bracketing Clinton from the strident left while not damaging her - in fact, he helped her more than expected with the “Enough of the e-mails” speech. > [@](#): > > Hillary seemed the most presidential of the bunch. Yes, I think she clinched it last night. > [@](#): > > I gotta say, they all won simply because they engaged in a discussion of issues. There was no fearmongering of gays, immigrants, Muslims or black people. That alone was refreshing. Their use of polysyllabic words, complete sentences, and even coherent paragraphs was refreshing in itself. Agreed - more generally, the \*Democrats \*won, by advancing their image while the GOP soils its own. The effect will carry over into down-ticket races, too, as I’m sure was intended. Sanders and O’Malley knew why they were there and did their jobs well. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/57 "2015-10-14T16:08:13Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > If he’s gonna do it, Biden should announce he’s running during the debate, just for giggles. You have a vicious sense of humor! 😃 I didn’t watch the debate, but reading the paper today it doesn’t seem like much of anything happened. That is, the non-Hillary candidates didn’t do anything to upset the apple cart. Doesn’t surprise me. I think Hillary is very good debater-- she outdid Obama quite handily in 2008. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone outsmarting her in this type of venue. And with Sanders coming to her rescue on the e-mail “controversy”, there wasn’t even that to get things excited. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/58 "2015-10-14T16:11:12Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > But Hillary still feels too much like a Republican, to me. Her loving husband was barely to the left of St. Ronnie, and she is barely to the left of Bill, if at all. I just have never gotten this criticism. Which Republican does she feel like to you? Have you watched any of the Republican debates? Heck, the GOP has spent so much time calling Hillary a socialist that’d be an interesting general election debate when Hillary has to start by explaining what a Republican Socialist is ;). ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/59 "2015-10-14T16:14:25Z")
She’s actually to the right of some Republicans on foreign policy issues. No one but Graham and McCain were calling for intervention in Libya. That was almost entirely her doing. And a no-fly zone in Syria is significantly more aggressive than what anyone else is calling for, again, other than Graham and McCain, generally the most hawkish politicians of either party. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151/60 "2015-10-14T16:24:19Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I gotta say, they all won simply because they engaged in a discussion of issues. There was no fearmongering of gays, immigrants, Muslims or black people. That alone was refreshing. It will probably sway moderates and undecided into the Democratic camp, maybe even a few Republicans sick of the childish infighting between the GOP too. I don’t expect this tone to change throughout the election even when it comes down to the nominees vs. each other. Especially if Trump is in the picture still, his supporters practically live on this stuff [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate-10-13-15-what-can-we-expect/733151.md?page=4)