Leading Democrats Ensure that Trump Remains in Power
Hunter DeRensis
Security, Americas
There is no clear-cut second-place candidate—Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are splitting that role.
Even as Rand Paul and Liz Cheney are embroiled in a vicious feed—Paul called her a “warmonger” and Cheney declared that he puts “terrorists first”—the Democratic Party held a single presidential debate that was tame in contrast with the fireworks on the Republican side.“The candidates don’t have Donald Trump’s charisma. Their best hope is that after four years of Trump, voters are sick of charisma and drama,” said James Antle, editor of The American Conservative.
The first topic discussed is also the one that opened the biggest so-called rift among the candidates: healthcare. Both Sanders and Warren defended their Medicare for All plans against Biden’s less expensive, less inclusive proposal.
“Elizabeth Warren’s refusal to answer the central question about where she will find the money for her healthcare plan must be addressed quickly or it will only grow into an issue of being deceptive, not the sort of thing she needs because it reminds voters of her false ancestry claims,” said Doug Wead, an author and political commentator who has been involved in ten presidential campaigns.
Both Warren and Sanders are considered progressive alternatives to Biden. While seemingly fighting over the same section of voters, both senators have been hesitant to attack the other directly, instead more often tag teaming on mutual policy stances. This contributes to the lack of fireworks during the debate. Several moderate candidates felt the need to thank Sanders for his efforts on healthcare, rather than criticizing the plan they disagree with.
Biden has come under fire for what some have referred to as “gaffes,” and others as signs of cognitive decline. These include forgetting what state he’s in, forgetting the name of former President Barack Obama, fabricating detailed stories, or claiming he opposed the Iraq War.
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