4884

All of your arguments can be used against the debate altogether, not the specific format. Sounds like maybe you just don’t care much for it?

4885

I kind of don’t. I don’t watch debates, though I read coverage of them. Mostly candidates just repeat talking points from their stump speeches. They’ve been trained to pivot. There’s no real confrontation.

I’m kind of surprised that Yang made the cut but Gillibrand didn’t.

4886

I mean, that’s fine. I get that they’re not for everybody. But I think it’s a good way for candidates to get their message out there.

*Edited out unnecessary thing.

4887

Eh, they have their purpose, but it’s a purpose best suited to a field of 6 or fewer candidates at this point. The DNC has been put in a no-win position here where they’ve had to be pretty laissez-faire about the culling process, and have had to make a whole bunch of people who aren’t going to be happy no matter what at least somewhat satisfied.

If they split the candidates, people would complain about that, too. If they artificially divided the field, there would be complaints.

There will be more debates, and hopefully with fewer candidates. So far, things have shaken out as they’ve shaken out.

4888

Huge Economist/YouGov poll. (This is not to support/refute Silver, just lots of interesting cross tabs to peruse.)

From page 79:

  • Biden 22
  • Sanders 19
  • Warren 17
4889

That poll’s from August 17-20. The most recent YouGov results are here - August 24-27, p. 7.

Biden: 24%
Warren: 20%
Sanders: 14%
Harris: 8%

Margin of error: 2.6% (edit: nope, sorry - probably much higher, as this question was only asked of the subsample of people who said they’d be voting in a Dem primary caucus.)

(538 ranks YouGov as a B pollster and Monmouth an A.)

4890

Oh cool thanks.

4891

Here’s Andrew Yang’s message:
Free money for everyone!

That’s literally it. That’s his entire platform. Everyone gets, what, $1200 a month or something?

4892

$1000. If you listen to him talk, Yang is probably the smartest guy in the race. He talks fast and on-message, which is part of the reason his debate talk-time was so low. He has zero chance, of course, but I’d like to see him as head of HUD or something on a Dem administration.

4893

Has anyone read Yang’s book? Got a sample and haven’t had time to do more than glance at it.

4894

Pete would give him a run for his money.

4895

What’s the correct response when an assertion is this obviously wrong?
But, let me guess the retort: “His policy positions are irrelevant, the only thing that matters is what he says in a debate soundbite.”
[Full disclosure, I am neither a support nor a detractor.]
(From https://www.yang2020.com/policies/. These are just snippets, I can’t fit the entire page in a screen shot)

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4896

I don’t understand - he’s not black or a former surgeon so he’s super underqualified for that role.

4897

I mean, it’s a better message than “be automated out of work and then be liquidated”.

4898

Depends on the liquid.

4899

Are you worried about electability? Are you concerned that the most important thing in a Dem candidate is that they’re able to beat Trump?

Worry no more, because a new Quinnipiac poll shows that all the top Dems are able to handily beat Trump.

If the 2020 presidential election were held today, 54 percent of registered voters say that they would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden, while only 38 percent would vote for President Trump. Matchups against other top Democrats show:

  • Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders topping Trump 53 - 39 percent;
  • Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren ahead of Trump 52 - 40 percent;
  • California Sen. Kamala Harris beating Trump 51 - 40 percent;
  • South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg leading with 49 percent to Trump’s 40 percent.

So don’t let the media bully you into supporting someone you don’t actually like, and pick whoever you want in the primaries. (Just for the love of God don’t pick Tulsi Gabbard.)

4900

I’d really only be worried about this if the Dems put up someone like Sanders. Virtually anyone else in the field should be fine.

Maybe not Biden, since he’ll just continue to make progressively worse gaffes, and the media won’t just give him a pass like they do Trump.

4901

This alone would make me boot Yang from the race. I can’t even.

4902

Why? Blockchain is a digital signing and web-of-accountability technology. Seems perfect for this application.

4903

You’d need to ensure every voter has access to a mobile phone.