This isn’t really the first night of the election season. Some of the candidates actually filed for this election all the way back in 2017 and many of them have been on the ground for months building their organization, shaking hands, and eating life-threatening county fair food. But this is the first big public event of the cycle. For the more casual political viewers, this could be the first time they really see and hear the people who will contend for the White House in 2020. Even for more dedicated political types—like those who tend to hang out at Daily Kos—this could be the first time seeing some of the less prominent members of this exceptionally large field.
Everyone on stage Wednesday night managed to get donations from at least 65,000 people, with better than 200 donations coming from each of 20 states. They also managed to crack the 1% barrier in a respected national poll. And … no, in the days of social media, those hurdles aren’t exactly Everest scale. But then, there’s something to be said for starting with a broad field. Even if one of those candidates on the outside edges of the stage doesn’t make it to round three, or four, or ten of this cycle, even if they don’t stand for the applause at the convention, they still might introduce ideas or challenge assumptions in a way that alters the campaign for everyone.
Of the twenty candidates who qualified, ten will be on stage Wednesday night. The candidates you’ll be watching are:
- Senator Cory Booker
- Mayor Bill de Blasio
- Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro
- Former Rep. John Delaney
- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
- Gov. Jay Inslee
- Senator Amy Klobuchar
- Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke
- Rep. Tim Ryan
- Senator Elizabeth Warren
Because of the number of people on stage, answers are going to be brief. Questions will be put forward by reporters, candidates will have one minute to reply, and 30 seconds to respond to any follow-up questions. There will be limited opportunities for cross-chatter and no opening statements.
This first debate is hosted by NBC News and Telemundo. Those channels, or sites, along with MSNBC, are your best bet for live video of the action.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:04:37 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Elizabeth Warren fields the first question. Asked about how her plans would affect what many view as a “good” economy. Warren correctly notes that the economy is better than good … for a thin slice of the nation.
Question played right into her wheelhouse, and she was prepared to jump on it.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:08:00 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Beto O’Rourke asked about setting a 70% marginal rate on highest earners. Beto follows on the same path that Warren laid about the economy not working for everyone — then repeats what he said in Spanish, which is great, but when answers are limited to one minute, cutting the content in half is going to make it tough for O’Rourke to get across much in the way of details. He doesn’t answer the question on 70%, dodges away to talk about tax on non-earned income.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:10:18 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Booker also set up to attack a statement from Warren. Starting to look like the whole evening is going to be taking something that Warren said and asking someone else on stage to attack it.
Booker’s question, about breaking up large companies, allows him to swing back to the same “the economy isn’t working for everyone” territory. Savanah Guthrie clearly unhappy that candidates insist on giving answers without picking on Warren.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:15:50 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
John Delaney gets a chance to talk, and like Gabbard does a little intro speech. Both of them probably think that it’s necessary considering how little they are known, but it’s not going to give them any kind of break out moment.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:17:17 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Jay Inslee gives a shout out to unions — something that had not appeared in the discussion of income from either de Blasio or Delaney. “Lookit, Donald Trump is simply wrong. He says wind turbines cause cancer, we know they cause jobs.” Lists some good union jobs. One of the best answers, and then NBC stepped on it before he could collect any applause.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:19:28 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Tim Ryan focusing on manufacturing. Gets in some digs at Trump’s claims on jobs.
Warren gets the chance to follow up, immediately races into her plan for green technology. “We need to go ten fold into our research on green energy.” Makes a case for America as the “leaders and the owners” of green tech.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:22:44 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Warren doesn’t shy in embracing Medicare for all. She’s not just the woman with the plans, she also the woman who is capable of delivering those plans in one minute in a way that seems to relay a good deal of information without seeming hurried. So far, Warren seems to be emerging as Just As Smart And Knowledgeable As Expected.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:27:47 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
O’Rourke diverts from answering health care question to tell a personal story, which eats up a lot of his time. However, he gets in mentions of how paid prison, abortion, and unions into his healthcare answer. He was doing pretty well … then gets tangled up as the defender of private insurance as the first cross talk of the night emerges.
NBC is thrilled to see people disagreeing with each other, and with the answer that Warren gave. Delaney claims that Medicare for All would “cause every hospital to close.” De Blasio defends an undefined combo of private health. Both Gabbard and Booker come in on the side of Medicare for All.
Booker is given the time to answer and length and does a bang-up job of both defending Medicare for all and explaining why it’s important.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 · 1:29:53 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Warren jumps in to point up the money drained from the system through insurance. Inslee piles on with a good point again, about defending women’s rights, but then makes a big ego blunder in claiming to be the only one on stage who has really done something about defending a woman’s rights. Klobuchar immediately gives that one an applause-gathering kick.