It is dangerous to read too much into any debate —especially one held more than six months before the first Democratic caucus in Iowa. Even so, these first two Democratic debates are instructive. First, they give us a benchmark for evaluating these candidates over time: Who wears well and who withers as the campaign gets into higher gear? They also put these candidates on the record. Finally, Democratic voters prioritize beating President Trump above all else. As such, they are looking to see how these Democrats literally held themselves on stage and imagined how they would look if they were facing off against Trump.
So, let’s take a look at how the back-to-back debates set the stage for the next round of the campaign. CONT.
Amy Walter, Cook Political Report