Elizabeth Warren was the clear front-runner, accompanied by nine hangers-on
THE PACK of Democratic presidential contenders is too big for all its members to debate at once. So they must be dealt with in shifts. The first ten debated in Miami on the evening of June 26th for two hours—a second batch arrives on June 27th for a similar slugfest. Although party officials made the placements randomly, it so happened that the first event’s crew was light on heavyweights.
For those predisposed to like Ms Warren, her performance was admirable. Her star shone brightest in the first hour of the debate, where she deplored an economy that is “doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at a top” but “just not doing great for people who are trying to get a prescription filled”. She won loud applause for her defence of Medicare for All, a plan for universal health-care coverage devised by her presidential rival Bernie Sanders.
Unlike the previous cycle of Republican debates, which was characterised by personal attacks, the Democrats kept their disagreements civil and confined to policy matters. Much of the two hours was spent with them strenuously agreeing with each other: on the right of women to have abortions, on the necessity of seriously addressing climate change, and on the impropriety of Donald Trump occupying the office of president.
Perhaps the most striking rupture was prompted by Mr Castro, who pushed the decriminalisation of illegal immigration—an idea that is out of step even with the party’s base—and challenged his fellow contenders to endorse that too. Majorities of Americans tend to support Democrats on issues like health care and climate change; immigration is an area more easily exploited by Mr Trump.
A fuller showing comes on June 27th when the remaining favourites—including Mr Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, and Bernie Sanders—will tussle. Watching his possible challengers, Mr Trump did not appear to be fazed in the slightest. “BORING!” he tweeted a mere 35 minutes in. Perhaps he will be more excited by the second debate.
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