A Disapoointing Democratic Debate in South Carolina

I found tonight's Democratic Debate in South Carolina to be disappointing on several levels.

For starters I was supposed to attend a debate watch party at City College in Harlem. But security officials at City College told me the address on my ticket didn't exist. Perhaps if it were a nicer night I would have explored Harlem but walking on a rainy night is not what I had in mind.

So I ended up watching the debate (well, the last hour or so) at home on my iPad. While I am grateful for the miracle of modern technology I am disappointed that I didn't get a sense of how a predominantly African-American and Latino audience would have responded to the candidates. Absent that here are my impressions such as they are:

Michael Bloomberg - This guy can't debate worth a lick. The fact that he said Chinese President Xi Jinping had to listen to the Politburo as if it wasn't an entity of the Communist Party. I mean even Bernie Sanders recognizes the Chinese government is authoritarian.

Pete Buttigieg - It seemed like Norah O'Donnell and Gayle King wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise and kept talking over him. Is it their way of telling Democratic voters Buttigieg isn't to be taken seriously?

Elizabeth Warren - On the other hand, O'Donnell & King had endless patience for Warren who has turned in single digit performances and let practically filibuster the debate. But giving Warren all this oxygen could be worth it if it cuts into Bernie's support.

Bernie Sanders - There are two ways to get under Bernie's skin. A) Remind him he's a millionaire. B) Goad him into defending authoritarian regimes like Cuba and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. This really stirs his passion. He ended up exclaiming "Excuse me!!!" enough times that he sounded like Trump. Defending Fidel Castro never mind the Maduro regime in Venezuela might go over Big with Democrats, but it won't help him against Trump for all of Trump's support of authoritarian regimes.

Joe Biden - The former VP is not very articulate, but he picked his spots such as when he pledged to appoint a black woman to the Supreme Court. He also won over his audience by not going over his allotted time and being generally affable with good humor. I don't think that will help him against Trump, but right now he needs to win South Carolina and this might do it for him.

Amy Klobuchar - She peaked in New Hampshire and is now living on borrowed time. Klobuchar might be on her way out by this time a week from now.

Tom Steyer - Of the two billionaires on stage, Steyer was far more compelling even though he had far less speaking time. He made a forceful defense of his support for President Trump's impeachment and reparations and connected with the debate audience in a way Bloomberg couldn't. But neither impeachment nor reparations will ever come to pass.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Israel. Major Garrett asked Sanders if he would move the U.S. Embassy back to Tel Aviv. Bernie said he would consider it. I was disturbed by the applause Sanders got when he called Benjamin Netanyahu a racist. With this reaction in mind while Bloomberg said he would leave the Embassy in Jerusalem he downplayed his support for Israel. For her part, Warren wouldn't answer the question saying it was up to the parties. Well, where we place our embassies is up to us. Warren's reply was an utter copout.

With Buttigieg likely to fade I am more and more resigned not only to Trump's re-election but not looking forward to seeing his opponent prevail either. Tomorrow night's convening of The Lousy Bowlers Club cannot come soon enough.