Siders: Poorly, I think. Biden’s judgment that “people are looking for results, not a revolution,” as he said Sunday, is a message that moderate Democrats will find reassuring. But Sanders’ progressive base is looking for more. Yes, Biden adopted a proposal to make public colleges and universities tuition-free for students whose family incomes fall below $125,000 — an element of Sanders’ own platform.
But Biden was also visibly dismissive of Sanders’ calls for more systemic changes, and his smirking at Sanders did not go unnoticed. Discussing climate change, Sanders at one point said to Biden, “If you’re laughing, you’re missing the point.” And many of Sanders’ supporters will feel exactly the same.
Schneider: These are all good points, and I will just add that this was a quote from the candidate of young voters in this debate: “Go to the YouTube right now!” (to view clips of Biden on Social Security).
How will this debate affect the upcoming primaries?
Schneider: Not much. Sanders spent a solid amount of time Sunday night trying to pin Biden down on his votes in the Senate, from the Hyde Amendment to Simpson-Bowles deficit spending plan to the Iraq War. Much of it was about demonstrating places where Sanders has stayed true to his progressive bona fides and Biden hasn’t. At times, it got a bit hot. But Sanders didn’t go in for the kill, while Biden appeared steady.
Siders: I agree with Elena. It’s hard to see any impact on Tuesday’s primaries from a debate in which Biden, who is far ahead, performed well. Sanders got something out of this, which was the kind of substantive debate he has been craving. But it’s not clear he improved his electoral position at all.
Otterbein: We’ll see on Tuesday! Here’s what happens in Sanders’ best-case scenario: Seniors unaware of Biden’s past comments about Social Security will Google them and not turn out for him this week, and somewhat liberal voters who didn’t know or care about Biden’s record or agenda on any number of issues — the Defense of Marriage Act, climate change, bankruptcy — will find out and flip to Sanders.
But it’s worth keeping in mind that Sanders’ campaign ran attack ads highlighting Biden’s comments on Social Security in the states that voted on March 10, and Biden swept most of them anyway. Sanders is down about 20 to 40 percentage points in the polls in the states that vote this week. That’s an uphill battle, to put it lightly.
Sanders said something about Biden tonight that I think was very telling: „I know your heart is in the right place, but this requires bold, dramatic action.” Sanders was talking about climate change, but he might as well have been talking about Biden’s entire campaign. If Biden wins the nomination as expected, the fact that Sanders believes his heart in the right place should ultimately make unifying the Democratic Party easier.
Caputo: Sanders could have laid into Biden far more than he did. That he held off was a sign that Sanders, subdued, is likely aware that polling shows him losing big time in the four states that vote Tuesday: Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio. According to advisers, Sanders loathes Trump and ultimately would not want to harm Biden if he looks as if he’ll be the party’s nominee. And after tonight, it’s harder and harder to see Biden not leading the top of the ticket for Democrats in November.
Source: politico.com
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