I'm late as hell, but WTF?! Warren should insist on debating on Night 2!!

[ecstatic]

Last edited Fri Jun 14, 2019, 06:00 PM - Edit history (1)

She is a front runner, dammit! I love Pete B, but why does he get to debate Biden and Sanders while Warren is forced to debate unknown candidates?

Correction: The first night will have well known candidates like Cory Booker and Beto, but they're not polling very well right now.

[BannonsLiver]

1. Why?

Because that’s where he and others landed when the names were drawn.

[pnwmom]

3. But the DNC previously said that the top runners would be divided over the two days.

That isn't what happened.

[Ace Rothstein]

10. I believe it is how they defined front-runners.

Sounds like they took the 20 qualifiers and split them into groups of 10, top 10 in polling and bottom 10 in polling then it was random. That doesn't really work well when there is a major drop off in polling after your 5th or 6th candidate.

[BannonsLiver]

13. It's just like Vegas

Sometimes the wheel lands on your number and sometimes it doesn’t. Do you suspect something nefarious is afoot?

[pnwmom]

14. No. I just believed them when they said the top runners would be divided over the two nights.

I didn't think they would leave that up to luck.

[TwilightZone]

2. They randomized the selections and split up the top-polling candidates.

"The 20 qualifying candidates will be randomly divided between the two nights in a way that ensures top-polling candidates will be spread evenly between both debates."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-debate/democrats-name-20-us-presidential-candidates-for-first-debate-idUSKCN1TE37F

[pnwmom]

4. But that isn't what happened. All but one of the top-pollers ended up in the same debate. n/t

[TwilightZone]

9. There are only three top-pollers.

As far as the averages go, it's Biden, Sanders, Warren, then everyone else. Next is Pete, who at 7.8%*, probably isn't going to be considered a "top-poller".

If that's the case, it was going to be two candidates one night and one the other, regardless. At that point, it's random.

*https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html

[pnwmom]

29. There were 5, according to the WA Post, and 4 ended up in the same debate.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287151366

[TwilightZone]

33. No, they just said that 4 of the top 5 highest are in one debate...

not that those 5 were considered "top-pollers" for sake of the DNC split. I haven't seen anything regarding what the DNC considered as a guideline for "top-pollers".

Sounds like it was just random anyway, without consideration for ranking so they may have just dropped that portion of it for whatever reason.

[W_HAMILTON]

42. They said it was split on those polling 2% and greater and those polling less than that.

When you look at it that way, the split is even, with Biden/Buttigieg/Harris/Sanders in one grouping and Beto/Booker/Klobuchar/Warren in the other.

[ecstatic]

18. +1000. IMHO, this was not random. It was carefully planned in a way to

stop her surge (because they don't think she's electable), while also giving the spotlight--not to Warren, but to Booker. Don't get me wrong, Booker was my first choice several months ago, but now Warren is. I think there was concern in some corners about the testy history between Biden and Warren. I think this setup is designed to protect Biden and stop Warren's surge in its tracks. But I guess we'll see.

[dawg day]

20. Well, I think she's very electable--

Not that my opinion matters! But she's got much of Hillary's virtues-- wide experience, deep intelligence, policy love-- and Hillary, lest we forget, won by almost 3 million votes. Just need to appeal to a few more percent in a few swing states, and it could be a landslide.

[VarryOn]

23. I think she'll be fine...

I wouldnt worry about Booker. Of the rest of the bunch, Inslee and Klobuchar would be the ones I'd most watch for ifI were her. Both, like Warren, come across thoughtfully, and when they are 'on', they are quite good.

[Politicub]

25. That's an awful lot of conspiratorial thinking without a shred of evidence to

back up your claims.

There are pros and cons to each night. Warren will be as brilliant as she normally is.

[pnwmom]

30. Your preferred candidate gets a seat at the grown-up table on the 2nd night.

Warren will be there on the 1st night with the 1 percenters.

A night that will probably draw many fewer voters.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287151366

[Politicub]

31. Warren is one of my preferred candidates, too, so

I’ll be watching.

[pnwmom]

32. But all those millions of Biden and Sanders supporters are much less likely to. n/t

[Politicub]

34. Warren has become a master of making shareable social media moments

She will have something up her sleeve that will make her more memorable. And she may even set the bar for debate 2.

She’s got this. I have no doubt.

[appalachiablue]

41. Politico, DNC FIRST DEBATE, June 26 & 17, Wed.-Thurs. NBC/MSNBC/Telemundo

- The debates will air June 26 and 27 on NBC and Telemundo affiliates across the country, along with MSNBC on cable.

POLITICO, 2020 Elections, "DNC, NBC announce first debate lineups." The field of 20 candidates has been randomly split into two groups of 10 debaters on back-to-back nights later this month. By ZACH MONTELLARO and CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO. 06/14/2019, 12:41 PM EDT, Updated 06/14/2019 04:03 PM EDT

The Democratic National Committee announced the lineups for the first party-sanctioned presidential debates, after a random drawing Friday in New York. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the top-polling candidate, will appear on June 27, the second of back-to-back nights of debates in Miami. He will be joined on the stage by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and South Bend (Ind.) Mayor Pete Buttigieg — but not Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), another top contender, who will debate nine other hopefuls on June 26.

The debates will air on NBC and Telemundo affiliates across the country, along with MSNBC on cable. They’ll be broadcast live from Miami. A press release from NBC News said that candidate podium placements will be announced at a later date and will be "based on polling." The decision of when to air each debate lineup was made by NBC News executives, according to a Democratic official familiar with the discussion...
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/14/dnc-announces-first-debate-lineups-1365570

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Who was debating whom was apparently decided randomly,

by NBC executives and producers drawing names from a pair of boxes. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/first-democratic-2020-debates-lineup

[pnwmom]

19. Then they never should have said the top pollers would be divided evenly.

With such a small sample size, there was no way to assure that would be the case.

[left-of-center2012]

6. Luck of the draw

Now she can dominate the first debate.

[madaboutharry]

7. There will be many other debates that will shake out differently.

She will have the opportunity to debate Biden and Sanders in another debate.

[hlthe2b]

8. I think she might come out ahead.. Everyone is going to go after Bernie & Biden on night 2

with Gillibrand no doubt going to try to stake her claim on an attempt to link the whole Anita Hill-MeToo issues and everyone else just trying to make their own mark.

Yes, I think Warren will do well on night one with the ability to really shine...

[Bradshaw3]

22. Agreed n/t

[George II]

11. Read the process by which they debaters are chosen for each, which was determined months ago.

[oldsoftie]

12. It'll actually work out better for her probably.

She'll get to run circles around those who cant handle it

[obamanut2012]

15. I totally agree with this

[ecstatic]

16. I thought of that possibility, but does it matter if she runs circles around a candidate

that most people have never heard of?

[thesquanderer]

17. Yes... because she has a chance to be THE story of the FIRST debate.

There can be a lot of good press from that.

[oldsoftie]

28. exactly

[Politicub]

35. She will use the pieces she's been given and surprise us all

And I think you’re right - she will be the story. She is already the star of debate 1, otherwise we wouldn’t be talking about her.

I’m so ready for both nights.

[appalachiablue]

21. Warren should be in the first debate, period.

[JI7]

24. 2nd night might be better since she can overtake any news

Last edited Fri Jun 14, 2019, 09:23 PM - Edit history (1)

from the night before and let it going through the weekend.

wait. so she is first or 2nd night ?

either way in the long run it doesn't matter that much.

[Boomer]

26. You can argue it many different ways

I'm fine with Day 1. This isn't some conspiracy to drag down Warren, it's just the luck of the draw.

There are advantages and disadvantages to leading, and to the combination of candidates, and there's also what Warren makes of it. Instead of trying to second-guess all the conflicting factors, just show up and watch. There will be other debates, and not every single candidate can get a favored spot. Even if we could agree as to what that spot would be, which we can't.

[marylandblue]

27. Warren is being underestimated and that is to her advantage.

She is very charismatic in an unusual way. She not being called charismatic perhaps because she is a woman and also perhaps because she is wonky. Wonk+charisma+woman does not compute for the media. But if we see her on stage with no serious competition, she may blow people away.

That being said, I saw O'Rourke getting excited about Iowa soils with some farmers, so maybe he will prove he is not such a lightweight after all.

[Blue_true]

36. The debate groupings was a random drawing.

What were they supposed to do, draw her into the first group, then manipulate the result to get her into the second debate?

She will be fine. I think where she is works to her advantage.

[ecstatic]

38. I've calmed down since reading feedback and allowing for the

glass half full interpretation. I still think Warren should have been debating with the frontrunners, but I've made peace with the decision. For now.

But.... did they film this supposed random drawing? Is there proof that it ever happened? OK, I'm letting it go now. lol.

[Blue_true]

40. Each campaign was invited to have a live witness there.

I don't know how many took up that offer, I would guess that all did.

She is going to be fine. I really think that she has the best thoughtout platform and she works her ass off both on her day job and on the campaign trail.

[friend of m and j]

37. I think DNC did a great job of planning the debates but..

with the candidate list turned out to be 24 rather than 20, I think the DNC should bend their rules just a little and have 12 candidates on the stage each night. I think the only difference it might make is adding Montana Governor Steve Bullock; and Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. I think Bullock would to up rapidly in the polls given some exposure in the debates.

[ecstatic]

39. Agreed re: Bullock. Rachel seemed very disappointed

to learn that he had been excluded.