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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Fireworks at the Second Democratic Debate | Fireworks at the Second Democratic Debate |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| To the Editor: | To the Editor: |
| Re “Seeking to Knock Front-Runner Off Stride, Rivals Barrage Biden” (front page, June 28): | Re “Seeking to Knock Front-Runner Off Stride, Rivals Barrage Biden” (front page, June 28): |
| Kamala Harris did the right thing in challenging Joe Biden. That’s a major purpose of debates, to show that you can defend your past and present positions. If he can’t take a punch now, we all need to know it. She dominated the stage in the best way possible with warmth and a passionate personal story. | Kamala Harris did the right thing in challenging Joe Biden. That’s a major purpose of debates, to show that you can defend your past and present positions. If he can’t take a punch now, we all need to know it. She dominated the stage in the best way possible with warmth and a passionate personal story. |
| Pete Buttigieg showed not only that he’s the most brainy candidate, but also that he has a heart and does care. Bernie Sanders seemed to be the one-note, somewhat overbearing candidate who disappeared as the night wore on. | Pete Buttigieg showed not only that he’s the most brainy candidate, but also that he has a heart and does care. Bernie Sanders seemed to be the one-note, somewhat overbearing candidate who disappeared as the night wore on. |
| This was a great debate for the Democrats and should help inform all those paying attention about what they like and dislike about the candidates. | This was a great debate for the Democrats and should help inform all those paying attention about what they like and dislike about the candidates. |
| Paul WortmanProvidence, R.I. | Paul WortmanProvidence, R.I. |
| To the Editor: | To the Editor: |
| Kamala Harris’s clever, cutting, calculated barbs at Joe Biden will not win the Democrats the White House. A good debater is not necessarily a good president. The animosity, divisions and harshness that have spread throughout our country need to be stilled, not stirred. | |
| Ms. Harris may be effective with rehearsed comments in a debate setting, but in the end is she not creating the very “food fight” she herself criticized? The Democrats need a candidate who does cross the aisle. If Democrats do not find a way to work together, they will lose again to the “spoiler” in chief. | |
| Let’s not get swept up by the actions of an effective debater over the accomplishments of a compassionate leader, who admittedly has made mistakes. | |
| Diane LoveNew York | |
| To the Editor: | |
| Joe Biden’s lackluster performance at the debate and his future viability may be summed up by his own words when he twice cut short his answers: “My time is up.” | |
| Paul KamenarChevy Chase, Md. | |
| To the Editor: | |
| After two nights of watching the debates and some of the pregame analysis and postgame wrap-up shows, I find that the policy prescriptions mostly ring hollow. We won’t and probably shouldn’t have “Medicare for all” because it will disrupt our economy too much. We won’t and probably shouldn’t turn border crossings by undocumented immigrants into a misdemeanor because, again, it will be too disruptive, though I hope we can become more humane. | After two nights of watching the debates and some of the pregame analysis and postgame wrap-up shows, I find that the policy prescriptions mostly ring hollow. We won’t and probably shouldn’t have “Medicare for all” because it will disrupt our economy too much. We won’t and probably shouldn’t turn border crossings by undocumented immigrants into a misdemeanor because, again, it will be too disruptive, though I hope we can become more humane. |
| After two nights, one sentence stands out above all others. “I don’t think we should be conducting foreign policy in our bathrobe at 5 in the morning,” Amy Klobuchar said. | After two nights, one sentence stands out above all others. “I don’t think we should be conducting foreign policy in our bathrobe at 5 in the morning,” Amy Klobuchar said. |
| There is no issue more important to me than trying to stabilize this increasingly unstable world that President Trump has created. Democrats, if you are listening, we don’t need socialism or massive spending plans. We need a shot of reality to replace the reality TV presidency. | There is no issue more important to me than trying to stabilize this increasingly unstable world that President Trump has created. Democrats, if you are listening, we don’t need socialism or massive spending plans. We need a shot of reality to replace the reality TV presidency. |
| Elliott MillerBala Cynwyd, Pa. | Elliott MillerBala Cynwyd, Pa. |
| To the Editor: | To the Editor: |
| Re “And Now, the Dream of a Harris-Buttigieg Ticket,” by Frank Bruni (column, nytimes.com, June 28): | Re “And Now, the Dream of a Harris-Buttigieg Ticket,” by Frank Bruni (column, nytimes.com, June 28): |
| It is time to admit that there is an age bias rapidly unfolding in the Democratic primary season, and the media is complicit. David Axelrod, former adviser to President Barack Obama and a CNN pundit, said Joe Biden seemed “confused” and “part of the past.” Translation: He’s too old to run for president. | It is time to admit that there is an age bias rapidly unfolding in the Democratic primary season, and the media is complicit. David Axelrod, former adviser to President Barack Obama and a CNN pundit, said Joe Biden seemed “confused” and “part of the past.” Translation: He’s too old to run for president. |
| Frank Bruni, joining the chorus, questioned whether Mr. Biden had “sufficient vigor in his stride.” Before Mr. Bruni officially anoints his Harris-Buttigieg dream ticket, he should be mindful of the electorate’s other biases, namely misogyny and homophobia. | Frank Bruni, joining the chorus, questioned whether Mr. Biden had “sufficient vigor in his stride.” Before Mr. Bruni officially anoints his Harris-Buttigieg dream ticket, he should be mindful of the electorate’s other biases, namely misogyny and homophobia. |
| Jim PaladinoTampa, Fla. | Jim PaladinoTampa, Fla. |
| To the Editor: | To the Editor: |
| As we seem trapped in an age of strongman leadership around the globe, I think elevating a black woman and a gay man to the highest office in the land might be the perfect way to hit the reset button to return to the values for which this country used to be known. Go Harris-Buttigieg! | As we seem trapped in an age of strongman leadership around the globe, I think elevating a black woman and a gay man to the highest office in the land might be the perfect way to hit the reset button to return to the values for which this country used to be known. Go Harris-Buttigieg! |
| Elaine ShuteSurry, Me. | Elaine ShuteSurry, Me. |
| To the Editor: | To the Editor: |
| As the Democrats take on one another — and the second debate especially got personal — I cringed because I expect that President Trump will use some of these criticisms down the line when he debates the Democratic nominee. The Democrats are in a fragile position because they have to fight it out among themselves but also be aware of what Mr. Trump is picking up from them. | As the Democrats take on one another — and the second debate especially got personal — I cringed because I expect that President Trump will use some of these criticisms down the line when he debates the Democratic nominee. The Democrats are in a fragile position because they have to fight it out among themselves but also be aware of what Mr. Trump is picking up from them. |
| There are winners and losers after each debate, but we definitely want one of the people on the stage for these debates to be the winner come November 2020! | There are winners and losers after each debate, but we definitely want one of the people on the stage for these debates to be the winner come November 2020! |
| Jennifer DornNew York | Jennifer DornNew York |
| To the Editor: | |
| While the large number of candidates on stage certainly presents challenges, the use of “raise your hand” questions by the NBC moderators was absurd. These questions reduce complicated issues to binary answers that most certainly will not reflect actual public policy if the candidate is actually elected to office. And they provide free and easy material for opposition campaign advertising, as they make candidates’ positions appear more extreme and polarizing than they actually are. | |
| Since there’s no way for individual candidates to signal an opt-out — a hand is either raised, or it isn’t — the candidates should band together and refuse to participate in such questions. | |
| Robert GuerettePortland, Me. | |
| To the Editor: | |
| I was disappointed in many of the candidates for their constant refusal to yield the stage, particularly in the second debate. To everyone running for president right now: Please know that when you talk over any of your opponents, you are not just being rude to that person; you are being rude to every person who is sitting in his or her living room watching, people whose votes you are asking for. | |
| We are exhausted from helplessly witnessing the crumbling of civility. You would do well to remember that this election is not just about you, but also about us. We deserve to hear what you have to say, and we deserve to hear what your opponents have to say without interruption. | |
| Nancy PeacockHillsborough, N.C. |