The ninth Democratic debate held on Feb. 19 was an absolute bloodbath.
The streets of the Las Vegas strip ran red as the presidential candidates engaged in the most fiery, aggressive and contrasting debate performance of this entire primary season.
And this is how it should’ve been from the beginning.
This is a primary to determine who is not only going to face President Trump, but for someone on this stage to potentially become the most powerful person in the world.
Voters want clear and decisive contrasts drawn out between candidates.
I am personally sick and tired of the tepid primer given by most candidates.
Pete Buttigieg does not believe in Medicare for All.
Amy Klobuchar does not support the Green New Deal.
Neither Joe Biden nor Michael Bloomberg (we’ll get to him) support a wealth tax.
These are very real and very critical differences between the candidates.
They demonstrate what the candidates’ values are and what they would fight for as president.
These differences should be highlighted front and center so voters know exactly who they’re voting for.
So, I appreciate that in this debate everyone decided to be more honest and, for once, stand on their own convictions to tell the American people clearly, “This is what I believe in and this is why my opponents are wrong.”
The knives were out during this debate.
It seemed like almost every answer (most of) the candidates gave was either a stark contrast from their rivals’ policy positions or a direct shot at them.
The one thing I think we should all collectively appreciate, however, was the brutal and utter evisceration of Bloomberg. He was publicly humiliated and ripped apart by every other candidate on stage, especially the progressives.
It was beautiful, and this will hopefully kneecap his momentum.
I think it is a sign of just how rotten and corrupt the state of our democratic institutions are when a billionaire can quite literally buy his or her way onto the debate stage and give practically zero policies or reasons why anyone should vote for him (other than because he’s rich and thinks he can beat Trump).
Bloomberg is an oligarch, a warmonger and the epitome of what’s wrong with the Democratic Party and, more broadly, this country.
America should not replace one racist, sexist billionaire with another.
He deserved the flaying he received and I’m glad no one was “civil” about it.
I find the notion of “civility politics” to be nauseating, condescending and wholly a tool of the establishment (cultivated and pushed by corporate media) to dissuade and stifle voters’ legitimate grievances by mitigating substantive policy discussions between candidates.
This is a primary, folks. There are no friends.
There aren’t going to be multiple winners. Only one person is walking away from this primary as the nominee. Policy differences should be clear, brutal and substantive.
In short, the Democratic primaries should’ve been like this from the beginning.
There are real distinctions between candidates, and they should be made as visible as possible.
So as long as they are being honest and substantive, candidates should continue to be as aggressive as they were in Nevada.
After all, you can’t vote for them all.
