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| First Democratic debate: five fail moments for five candidates | First Democratic debate: five fail moments for five candidates |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tuesday’s Democratic debate provided a marked difference to the Republican party debates. No one talked about kicking out immigrants or only having Christian presidents or about how good looking – or otherwise – their fellow presidential candidates are. | Tuesday’s Democratic debate provided a marked difference to the Republican party debates. No one talked about kicking out immigrants or only having Christian presidents or about how good looking – or otherwise – their fellow presidential candidates are. |
| But there were still mishaps, for each candidate. | But there were still mishaps, for each candidate. |
| LINCOLN CHAFEE | LINCOLN CHAFEE |
| Chafee did not have the best night. Things started to go downhill – like a big stone rolling down a slope – when he compared himself, twice, to a “block of granite”. | Chafee did not have the best night. Things started to go downhill – like a big stone rolling down a slope – when he compared himself, twice, to a “block of granite”. |
| “Anderson, you’re looking at a block of granite when it comes to the issues,” Chafee told CNN moderator Anderson Cooper, when pressed on his changing party affiliation. | “Anderson, you’re looking at a block of granite when it comes to the issues,” Chafee told CNN moderator Anderson Cooper, when pressed on his changing party affiliation. |
| A little later he added: “Time and time again, I have never changed. You’re looking at a block of granite.” | A little later he added: “Time and time again, I have never changed. You’re looking at a block of granite.” |
| If it was meant to sound tough, it didn’t really succeed. But it did succeed in getting him some recognition on Twitter. | If it was meant to sound tough, it didn’t really succeed. But it did succeed in getting him some recognition on Twitter. |
| You're welcome. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/fB4M2TplcF | You're welcome. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/fB4M2TplcF |
| There was worse to come for this block of granite. Chafee came crashing down when he tried to justify voting to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act, which separated commercial and investment banking. Chafee’s justification appeared to be that he had voted for the bill without fully understanding it. | There was worse to come for this block of granite. Chafee came crashing down when he tried to justify voting to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act, which separated commercial and investment banking. Chafee’s justification appeared to be that he had voted for the bill without fully understanding it. |
| “The Glass-Steagall was my very first vote, I’d just arrived, my dad had died in office, I was appointed to the office, it was my very first vote,” Chafee said. | “The Glass-Steagall was my very first vote, I’d just arrived, my dad had died in office, I was appointed to the office, it was my very first vote,” Chafee said. |
| “What does that say about you that you’re casting a vote for something you weren’t really sure about?” Cooper asked. Quite. | “What does that say about you that you’re casting a vote for something you weren’t really sure about?” Cooper asked. Quite. |
| HILLARY CLINTON | HILLARY CLINTON |
| Clinton did not compare herself to igneous rock, but she did tell the audience that she had hunted Chinese people in Copenhagen. | Clinton did not compare herself to igneous rock, but she did tell the audience that she had hunted Chinese people in Copenhagen. |
| She was talking about tracking down delegates at the UN climate change conference, but still: it was an odd choice of words. | She was talking about tracking down delegates at the UN climate change conference, but still: it was an odd choice of words. |
| “When we met in Copenhagen in 2009, president Obama and I were literally hunting for the Chinese, because we knew we had to get them to agree to something,” Clinton said. | “When we met in Copenhagen in 2009, president Obama and I were literally hunting for the Chinese, because we knew we had to get them to agree to something,” Clinton said. |
| “They supposedly had left for the airport. We found out they were having a secret meeting. We marched up, we broke in, we said we’ve been looking all over for you.” | “They supposedly had left for the airport. We found out they were having a secret meeting. We marched up, we broke in, we said we’ve been looking all over for you.” |
| The image of Clinton and Obama breaking and entering on the hunt for Chinese diplomats is not one that will fade quickly. | The image of Clinton and Obama breaking and entering on the hunt for Chinese diplomats is not one that will fade quickly. |
| JIM WEBB | JIM WEBB |
| Jim Webb got his gaffe in straight out of the blocks. In his opening statement, he temporarily forgot the name of one of his daughters. | Jim Webb got his gaffe in straight out of the blocks. In his opening statement, he temporarily forgot the name of one of his daughters. |
| “I have five daughters,” Webb said. | “I have five daughters,” Webb said. |
| “Amy works with disabled veterans, Sarah is an emergency room nurse ... [lengthy pause] Julia is a massage therapist, Emily and Georgia are still in school.” | “Amy works with disabled veterans, Sarah is an emergency room nurse ... [lengthy pause] Julia is a massage therapist, Emily and Georgia are still in school.” |
| Jim Webb Briefly Forgets Daughter's Name #DemDebate #TTT16 pic.twitter.com/zn9Fa6YACS | Jim Webb Briefly Forgets Daughter's Name #DemDebate #TTT16 pic.twitter.com/zn9Fa6YACS |
| The gaffe came dangerously close to what is known as “a Rick Perry moment”. | The gaffe came dangerously close to what is known as “a Rick Perry moment”. |
| BERNIE SANDERS | BERNIE SANDERS |
| It was a pretty solid outing for the Vermont senator. Apart from when the discussion moved to gun control. | It was a pretty solid outing for the Vermont senator. Apart from when the discussion moved to gun control. |
| Cooper reminded Sanders that he had voted against the Brady bill, which mandated background checks. Cooper also reminded Sanders that he supported allowing Amtrak passengers to bring guns onto trains. | Cooper reminded Sanders that he had voted against the Brady bill, which mandated background checks. Cooper also reminded Sanders that he supported allowing Amtrak passengers to bring guns onto trains. |
| The question kicked off open-season on Sanders. It became the major attack point of the night, as the other candidates sighted the senator in their cross-hairs and pulled their collective triggers. | The question kicked off open-season on Sanders. It became the major attack point of the night, as the other candidates sighted the senator in their cross-hairs and pulled their collective triggers. |
| Clinton said Sanders wasn’t “at all” tough enough on guns, despite Sanders telling her he had a D- rating from the NRA. | Clinton said Sanders wasn’t “at all” tough enough on guns, despite Sanders telling her he had a D- rating from the NRA. |
| It didn’t wash. Martin O’Malley agreed that Sanders wasn’t tough enough. He said he had an F rating from the NRA, in the voice of a man boasting that he owned a Ferrari. | |
| Webb and Chafee rounded off the pummeling by bragging about their own appalling grades. It wasn’t pretty. | Webb and Chafee rounded off the pummeling by bragging about their own appalling grades. It wasn’t pretty. |
| MARTIN O’MALLEY | MARTIN O’MALLEY |
| O’Malley had a pretty good debate. He didn’t say anything especially interesting, sure, but he looked handsome in his suit and didn’t upset anyone. | |
| His ill-judged moment actually came just before the debate: when he busted out the old guitar. There is no problem with playing a guitar before a debate – do what you like – but do you really have to tweet a picture of it? | His ill-judged moment actually came just before the debate: when he busted out the old guitar. There is no problem with playing a guitar before a debate – do what you like – but do you really have to tweet a picture of it? |
| A little pre-debate warmup. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/FWFFp1QYDJ | A little pre-debate warmup. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/FWFFp1QYDJ |
| It made O’Malley look like he was lamenting having never pursued a rock career. Or like he was auditioning for an extremely well-dressed band. | It made O’Malley look like he was lamenting having never pursued a rock career. Or like he was auditioning for an extremely well-dressed band. |
| So there you have it. If you ever find yourself in a presidential debate, do not compare yourself to a block of granite. Do remember your daughters’ name. Do not talk about “literally hunting” Chinese people. Do have at least an F grade in some form. | So there you have it. If you ever find yourself in a presidential debate, do not compare yourself to a block of granite. Do remember your daughters’ name. Do not talk about “literally hunting” Chinese people. Do have at least an F grade in some form. |
| Oh, and here’s one more gaffe from someone who wasn’t even part of the debate: | |
| I trust @BernieSanders with my tax dollars like I trust a North Korean chef with my labrador! #DemDebate | I trust @BernieSanders with my tax dollars like I trust a North Korean chef with my labrador! #DemDebate |
| The lesson here: if you are running for president, do not be a xenophobe. At least, not publicly. |
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