| | | | 5 things the debates taught me |  | | Over 48 hours this week in Detroit, I -- and all of you -- got to see the 20 most viable Democrats running for president up close and personally. While a two-hour debate with 10 candidates isn't enough time to draw lasting conclusions about the state of the race, I did have a handful of observations about where the race is and where it's headed.
Here they are -- in no particular order, other than how they occurred to me:
1. Biden was better -- but not best: The former vice president was more energetic and forceful on Wednesday night than he was in the first debate. But better than terrible isn't great. Biden struggled several times to spit out the words in his answers -- and his "Go to Joe 30330" gaffe at the end of the debate will linger. He did enough this week to stay ahead in the 2020 race. But not enough to grow that lead or silence the doubters.
2. Harris struggled as the target: Remember this about Sen. Kamala Harris' political career: She hasn't had a tough race in almost a decade. She won her current Senate seat virtually by acclimation in 2016 and was re-elected easily as California AG two years before that. Which means that being on the receiving end of a whole bunch of attacks is not a place where she has a ton of experience. It showed in this week's debate, when Harris struggled to fend off attacks from Biden and, interestingly, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
3. Buttigieg is in play-it-safe mode: Of the half dozen (or so) candidates with a plausible path to the nomination right now, the South Bend mayor took the fewest risks in the debate. He stayed out of any and all fights -- choosing instead to push the idea that his youth (he is 37) is an asset not a liability for a country whose older politicians have failed them. That strategy tells me the Buttigieg people feel very good with where he's positioned in the race.
4. Warren showed she has more speeds than Bernie: The more I thought about Tuesday night's debate, the more impressed I was with Warren's performance. (My winners and losers from that debate are here.) Why? Because her Vermont colleague, Sen. Bernie Sanders, has one speed: Loud. He shouts his answers and dismisses those who disagree with him. Warren, on the other hand, showed a far defter touch in this debate. She's quite clearly a liberal but one who wants to explain her positions and convince you as opposed to shouting down your doubts. All that said, Warren has embraced a lot of views -- decriminalizing illegal immigration, abolishing private insurance -- hat will make it very tough for her if she is the nominee.
5. Yang has real potential: For all the focus on Marianne Williamson's performance in Tuesday night's debate -- and don't get me wrong, she is interesting -- I thought that Andrew Yang was the best performer out of the long-shot tier. Unlike the first debate, where Yang spoke sotto voce and barely registered, he was much more forceful and on message this time around. If you watched any of Wednesday night's debate, you know one big thing about Yang: He favors giving every person in the United States over 18 years old $1,000 a year. (It's known as universal basic income -- much more on it and Yang here.) And Yang is only one poll away from qualifying for the next two debates in September and October.
-- Chris
Below, the week in 26 headlines. Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | "It was a Rocky Week, get home ASAP A$AP!"
-- President Trump tweeting about the rapper's release from a Swedish prison. | | | | 8 & 118 8: The number of current House Republicans who have announced that they won't seek reelection, now including Texas Rep. Will Hurd, the only black Republican congressman. 118: The number of House Democrats who support an impeachment inquiry for President Donald Trump -- it's now half of the Democratic caucus, amping up pressure on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to act. 🎧 Hear more from Lauren about the two numbers that tell the story of this Congress in today's The Point podcast. | | Biden Inc., via Ben Schreckinger
July was the hottest month on Earth. Ever.
A very cool New York Times map of where each of the major Democratic candidates get most of their money
Charles Blow wants to hear more from Andrew Yang. So does David Brooks!
I want ALL the Christian Pulisic content
"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," reviewed | | | A new one from Angel Olsen. She can do no wrong musically. | |
LAUREN'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL SCHEDULER | | | Coming next week: Much of the Democratic field attends a union forum in Nevada, and even more head to Iowa later in the week for the can't-miss Iowa Democratic Party Wing Ding Fundraiser and their turn atop Iowa State Fair's iconic political soapbox.
Saturday, August 3 - The AFSCME 2020 Public Service Presidential Forum: Convenes in Nevada. Expected to attend: Cory Booker, Julián Castro, Bill de Blasio, John Delaney, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris, Jay Inslee, Amy Klobuchar, Seth Moulton, Beto O'Rourke, Tim Ryan, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren and Marianne Williamson
Monday, August 5 - Cory Booker: Participates in a South Carolina town hall from Charleston, hosted by state Sen. Marlon Kimpson
- Amy Klobuchar: Speaks at UnidosUS Annual Conference in San Diego, California
Tuesday, August 6 Wednesday, August 7 Thursday, August 8 - Joe Biden and Steve Bullock: Kick off the storied political soapbox at the Iowa State Fair, as each candidate gets a microphone, a raised platform and 20 minutes to address the Iowa fairgoers
Friday, August 9 - The Iowa Democratic Wing Ding Fundraiser: Draws Elizabeth Warren, Marianne Williamson, John Delaney, Steve Bullock, Bernie Sanders, Beto O'Rourke, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Bennet, Julian Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jay Inslee, Joe Biden, John Hickenlooper, Tim Ryan and Joe Sestak for a fundraiser for local Iowa party committees
- Julian Castro, Andrew Yang, Beto O'Rourke, John Delaney, Marianne Williamson and Tulsi Gabbard: Get their turns at the political soapbox at the Iowa State Fair
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