Either would be an exceptional President. I do wonder whether Bernie can get the popular votes to be elected.

A President T-Rump, Carnival Cruz or Robot Rubio would be a national nightmare.

EOF: You’ve said this twice now, and I haven’t done any checking of exact figures either, if any exist, but let me at least explain what I heard Sec. Clinton say about government growth. Her “helpful” answer was “by 40%” (I think I heard her say.) That would mean, using the baseline 21% cited, it would rise to 29%. Too much? Perhaps, but it’s not a “shocking and stifling 40%” or as you just said “in the ballpark of 50%.”

I thought it was a pretty good debate, as close to real as you’ll ever get on TV. partly due to the fact that having only 2 candidates allows for easier back and forth repartee, partly because, the moderators allowed the discussion to flow after each question, and partly because we were able to see each candidate’s strategy rather clearly. Sanders isn’t going to stray from his core message no matter what the question, and that is frustrating. He sees the answer to every question as lying within his core message and somehow thinks the audience will also. Clinton can and does take advantage of that to make him look one-dimensional and lacking the breadth of experience and knowledge a Commander-in-Chief must exhibit. For her part, not only is she well-rehearsed, she has decided that the best way to reach his supporters is to agree with what he says and then add that she will do it better because she has the broad support and the experience to actually “get things done.” I know Senator Sanders and saw him start to become angry near the end last night, almost to the point of abandoning his closing statement. The Clintons have accomplished this goal many times with many different adversaries over the years. When they do, they win. They didn’t accomplish it with Barack Obama, and I hope they don’t with Bernard Sanders.

Proof that if you let a monkey sit at a piano long enough it’ll eventually compose a Top 40 hit, amidst all of “Fox & Friend’s” ridiculous spin this morning they did make a correct observation on last night’s debate. I gave up early so I’m assuming it got no better.

They accused the moderators of “malpractice” by not fleshing out both candidates’ economic arguments. Bingo!

Bernie is all about dog whistle Progressive populism so when asked how much more would government grow under a Sanders administration as percentage of GDP he completely dodged the question twice. Hillary claimed it would be a shocking and stifling 40%! Not that we should blindly accept his rival’s answer without a vetting.

It’s the moderators’ job to have facts and follow-ups prepared to cut through this sort of nonsense so the audience can learn something. Call me radical for thinking this.

So, if I recall the unvetted math spewed at the debate, Bernie plans to up the size of government in the ballpark of 50% and pay for it by continually dipping into the well of taxing fat cats and there’s no unexpected consequences to his childishly simplistic solution to very complex social problems?

Sorry Progressives reading this but Bernie’s economics are a bookend to the Tea Party populist idiocy tax cuts solves all problems.

Unless Bernie can prove me wrong with some details. Which the moderators refused to dig for.

I love PBS “News Hour” but their moderating is appalling. They let both candidates bulls**t their way through the economic and policy arguments. Learning zippo.

Bernie is slaughtering Hillary. But mostly through the typical games populists play to exploit peoples’ fears, hopes, and emotions. He’s building the usual Bernie fat cat boogeymen. Hillary appears to know what she’s talking about as an experienced policy wonk but she’s not expressing what she’s talking about very well. She’s droning quite a bit, unenlightening, and boring. Oh, and she looks stressed. She realizes it’s slipping away. Her applause polite. Bernie’s passionate.

What I’m learning is go to their web sites if you really want to learn anything.

Later all. 👋

I had to go to the eye doctor today and got a super dose of dilating drops and am still having trouble reading.

But so far, I think the moderators are doing an excellent job. No gotcha questions designed to get the candidates to attack each other. Real substance and questions off the beaten track. I thought Ifill’s question about white angst was excellent.

It’s encouraging Judy tried to hold Sanders accountable to actually answer the question she asked, he dodged it completely a second time with a continuation of his stump speech. Not good.

Clinton answers the question for him: His economic plan with bloat the government to around 40% of the economy. His comeback doesn’t argue the but starts both candidates down a rabbit 🐰 hole.

Moderators have already lost control and can go home. 😒

Tuned in. On “News Hour” they promised drilling down deeper than talking points and mini speeches. If so, may hang around.