The Seven Democrat Dwarfs were on full display at their debate last week. The event turned out to be raucous, tumultuous, and chaotic. Even the moderators were flabbergasted at the constant over-shouting and disregard for the time limits. Once again, the candidates showed their true colors. It is impossible for anyone to take them seriously as standard bearers for their side.
Once Bernie Sanders was the only screamer, but he has now been able to raise the decibel level of his opponents. Instead of Bloomberg being the pinata this time, it was Sanders who took the most savage beating. Even Bloomberg came part way out of his shell when he accurately called Sanders a communist. This was probably occasioned by the fact that Sanders had recently come out in praise of Fidel Castro. Not only did Sanders laud Castro once but also doubled down on it several times.
Apparently Bernie, who never studied math, also forgot about the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Kennedy presidency. At that time Castro had welcomed Russian missiles into his country that were pointed at strategic parts of the United States. In addition, there are many accounts of Castro imprisoning dissidents, releasing prisoners who eventually made their way to the U.S., and seizing all privately-owned real estate on the island. Whether or not Bernie realizes it, he has probably permanently lost the Cuban vote in Florida and other portions of the South.
The most endangered person on the stage the night of the debate was Amy Klobuchar who stood next to Tom Steyer. When Steyer started fulminating and striking out at the other six candidates, his long right-hand jab nearly caught Klobuchar on the chin. Whether Steyer’s former wooden exterior going into psycho mode will help him in future contests is doubtful. Speaking of Steyer, it is reported that he made a supreme effort prior to the South Carolina primary. Because this is written the day before that contest, it is unclear whether the massive amount of money and time he spent will raise his weak numbers.
Of all the candidates the only person who seemed to retain some semblance of propriety was the youthful Mayor Pete. In his case, he continued his peroration of platitudes with no discernable results going forward. In effect, he reminded one of Barack Obama in the 2008 campaign when “Hope and Change” were the key words. In actuality Obama was hoping to change Washington in a fundamental way – which he did.
As for Obama, he too is beginning to panic over the possibility of Bernie winning the nomination. Most Democrats who are not Bernie supporters feel that if Sanders tops the ticket, it will doom other Democrats who are up for re-election.
Even sleepy Joe Biden woke up to the overwhelming barrage of sound that was emanating from the stage. For the first time in a debate he actually raised his voice and seemed more engaged, but that did not prevent him from getting lost in thought a couple of times.
In addition to savaging Bloomberg, Senator Warren was her usual disruptive self. She seems to think that she is the only one on the stage that has a plan for everything. Even though she was a teacher in her previous existence as a Native American, it is quite obvious that like Bernie she never understood basic math. Watching her wild gesticulations, one tends to feel sorry for the students who had to suffer under her.
Witnessing Bloomberg trying to parry Warren’s insults about his treatment of females was reminiscent of the old Punch and Judy puppet shows. Bloomberg reminded me of a comment that the late columnist Herb Caen once made when he referred to turtleneck sweaters. He said that he liked wearing turtlenecks because he had a head to match.
As Bloomberg was sort of in tortoise mode in his first appearance, he finally stuck his head out and joined the conversation in this last one. Instead of being on fire, or having “fire in the belly” as the late Paul Laxalt used to say, Bloomberg only had a glimmer of incandescence.
The two female moderators who started the show let it get out of control so that even the veteran inquisitors who finished the debate were unable to restore sanity.
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