Biden and Harris to square off in Round 2 of Democratic presidential debate

[webfact]

Biden and Harris to square off in Round 2 of Democratic presidential debate

By John Whitesides

 

Former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of the second night of the second U.S. 2020 presidential Democratic candidates debate in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., July 31, 2019. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

 

DETROIT (Reuters) - Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and rival Kamala Harris will stage a rematch of last month's explosive debate confrontation during Round 2 on Wednesday, with a re-energized Biden promising a more aggressive approach.

 

On the second of back-to-back nights of Democratic debates, Biden will be flanked at center stage by Harris and Cory Booker, U.S. senators who are the most prominent black contenders in a Democratic nominating contest in which race has played a prominent role.

 

Seven other candidates, including former U.S. Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, will join them on stage in Detroit in search of a breakout moment that will generate new momentum for their campaigns.

 

On Tuesday night, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren repeatedly defended their progressive proposals under heavy fire from more moderate rivals who argued their plans to provide universal healthcare, fight climate change and decriminalize illegal border crossings would hurt Democrats at the polls next year.

 

The crowded field of about two dozen candidates has been vying for attention and financial support in the Democratic race to pick a challenger to Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.

 

Biden did not figure prominently in the first night of the debate but is likely to be the focus of the second.

 

The former vice president has engaged for weeks in an escalating fight with Harris and Booker for the support of black voters, a vital constituency in the Democratic nominating battle.

 

Biden admitted he was taken by surprise last month when Harris criticized him for opposing federally mandated busing for school integration in the 1970s and for working with segregationists while serving in the U.S. Senate decades ago.

 

The sharp attack gave Harris a bump in the polls, and Biden's feeble response led to a dip in his standing. He has recovered in some recent polls and still maintains a firm grip on first place, helped by strong support from black voters.

 

Booker, who was not on stage with Biden at the last debate, has stepped up his attacks. He called Biden "the architect of mass incarceration" during the NAACP convention in Detroit last week, a reference to Biden's work as a senator on the 1994 crime bill, which critics say led to the disproportionate imprisonment of African-American men.

 

Biden and his campaign fired back, sharply criticizing Booker's tenure as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, where he led a police department that became embroiled in a federal civil rights investigation.

 

'FANTASY WORLD'

Biden has also taken swipes at Harris, calling her promise she could institute her version of a Medicare for All health insurance plan without a middle-class tax hike "a fantasy world."

 

The debate lineup will create a stark visual contrast between Biden, a white 76-year-old, and his younger rivals Harris, 54, and Booker, 50, potentially making Biden look out of step in a party increasingly driven by the grassroots energy of younger and more diverse activists.

 

Biden, who could face intensifying questions about his age and front-runner status with another poor debate performance, promises to take the fight to Harris and Booker this time.

 

"I got a past I'm proud of. They got a past that's not quite so good," said Biden, who refers frequently to his eight years as No. 2 to the first black U.S. president, Barack Obama.

 

A Biden senior campaign official told reporters in Detroit the debate would not be a make-or-break moment for Biden, who will focus his criticism on Trump but fight back against attacks and distortions of his lengthy public record.

 

"He's not going to allow anyone to mischaracterize his record," the adviser said.

 

The debates come about six months before Iowa holds the first nominating contest, and the two nights in Detroit could be the last chance for many of the lower-tier contenders to make an appearance on the national debate stage.

 

The Democratic National Committee will double its fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for the next debates in September and October, leaving out more candidates and raising questions about their ability to continue their campaigns. So far, only about a third of the field has met the qualifications.

 

Castro, who also served as mayor of San Antonio, got a slight bump in polls and fundraising after an aggressive performance in the first debate. He will be under pressure to do it again if he hopes to claw into the upper tier.

 

Gillibrand, Inslee and the other participants on Wednesday will simply be on a desperate quest to get recognized.

 

The other candidates on stage for the second night will be U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, entrepreneur Andrew Yang and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

 

(Reporting by John Whitesides, additional reporting by Jerrett Renshaw; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Peter Cooney and David Gregorio)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-01

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[BobBKK]

Stage full of fantasists promising the world but not saying how to pay for it.

[Basil B]

10 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

Stage full of fantasists promising the world but not saying how to pay for it.

You mean like raiding the piggy banks of emergency funds...

[stevenl]

I'm sure biden will be better prepared.

 

I do hope he pulls out though, it is time for a new generation.

[Tug]

He did fine in the debate I hope he and Harris patch it up cause imo it’s the perfect ticket!

[Basil B]

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

I'm sure biden will be better prepared.

 

I do hope he pulls out though, it is time for a new generation.

Well I all for Harris if only for Trump to be beaten by a black women, that would really piss him off... ????

[lannarebirth]

4 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Stage full of fantasists promising the world but not saying how to pay for it.

There's plenty of money. It's a matter of setting priorities.  Should we be sending a plane load of money to Iran one year and then going to the brink of war with them the next? Or should we maybe be spending a small portion of the income of the richest country on Earth for the benefit of it's citizens? 

Edited August 1, 2019 by lannarebirth

[melvinmelvin]

at  least a healthy sign that so many are in the dem-cand race

 

[Boon Mee]

5 hours ago, Tug said:

He did fine in the debate I hope he and Harris patch it up cause imo it’s the perfect ticket!

Sure he did. ???? 

After he asked Harris to go easy on him! 555 

Can you just imagine Biden as POTUS asking Xi or Putin to "go easy on me" 

BWHAHAHA

[Jingthing]

Happy to see that CORY BOOKER is back in the contest!

 

He's very talented and given the type of race baiting campaign that "trump" has already signaled is his plan, the hard fighting former mayor of NEWARK would be a great fit.

 

The truth is the democrats have an embarrassment of riches on who to put up that have a great chance of beating the current occupant of the white house.

 

On that stars list I would include --

 

Harris

Mayor Pete

Warren

Booker

Castro

 

I don't include Biden. Too much baggage and he does not inspire. Also Bernie. Between Sanders and Warren, one needs to fade and it's going to be Bernie.

 

My going in favorite Klobuchar who clearly is out of this by now might be a VP possibility depending on who's on the top of the ticket. 

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by Jingthing

[stevenl]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Happy to see that CORY BOOKER is back in the contest!

 

He's very talented and given the type of race baiting campaign that "trump" has already signaled is his plan, the hard fighting former mayor of NEWARK would be a great fit.

 

The truth is the democrats have an embarrassment of riches on who to put up that have a great chance of beating the current occupant of the white house.

 

On that stars list I would include --

 

Harris

Mayor Pete

Warren

Booker

Castro

 

I don't include Biden. Too much baggage and he does not inspire. Also Bernie. Between Sanders and Bernie, one needs to fade and it's going to be Bernie.

 

My going in favorite Klobuchar who clearly is out of this by now might be a VP possibility depending on who's on the top of the ticket. 

 

"Also Bernie. Between Sanders and Bernie, one needs to fade and it's going to be Bernie."

You mean Warren? Like in 'Between Warren and Bernie'?

Edited August 1, 2019 by stevenl

[Jingthing]

Just now, stevenl said:

"Also Bernie. Between Sanders and Bernie, one needs to fade and it's going to be Bernie."

You mean Warren?

Brain fart. Already corrected BEFORE your post.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

at  least a healthy sign that so many are in the dem-cand race

 

Not sure what you meant by that, but that's correct.

Normally it's very hard (almost impossible actually) to beat an incumbent especially in a "good" economy.

But democrats smell blood. He is VERY beatable for obvious reasons.

That doesn't mean he will be beat for sure. Can't know that.

But because he is beatable a large number of democrats including some very strong ones were attracted to give it a try. 

Normally such a contest (incumbent, strong economy) wouldn't be so attractive for the opposition. 

[stevenl]

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Brain fart. Already corrected BEFORE your post.

No, slightly after I posted. Just saw '19 minutes ago' at my post, and '20 minutes ago' at your edit.

 

Doesn't matter though, I was just trying to clarify an obvious mistake.

Edited August 1, 2019 by stevenl

[johnnybangkok]

8 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Stage full of fantasists promising the world but not saying how to pay for it.

Well if the bill comes to under an extra $2 trillion on to the national debt, they'll be doing a damn sight better than the current Idiot in Chief.

[JemJem]

I have a feeling that if Biden wins the Dems' nomination, Trump will eat him for breakfast at debates ! It won't be a pretty sight ???? Having said that, how much their debate performance would affect the final outcome is an unknown of course.

[Jingthing]

53 minutes ago, stevenl said:

No, slightly after I posted. Just saw '19 minutes ago' at my post, and '20 minutes ago' at your edit.

 

Doesn't matter though, I was just trying to clarify an obvious mistake.

I edited it before your post appeared. OK? I self corrected it. OK?

Edited August 1, 2019 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

28 minutes ago, JemJem said:

I have a feeling that if Biden wins the Dems' nomination, Trump will eat him for breakfast at debates ! It won't be a pretty sight ???? Having said that, how much their debate performance would affect the final outcome is an unknown of course.

I think Biden would do OK against  "trump" in debates but the outcome will be about voter passion. We know "trump" will continue to excite his base with race baiting. Biden is solid enough, he's adequate, but he's just not going to ever excite people. Sure people will be excited by beating "trump" with anyone else, but is that going to be enough? 

[stevenl]

30 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I edited it before your post appeared. OK? I self corrected it. OK?

Look at the timing, no.

 

But seems like you care a lot, so if you really want: sure mate.

[meand]

10 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Stage full of fantasists promising the world but not saying how to pay for it.

Stop needless, profit driven, regime change wars. This is not even close to being rocket science. 

 

There are definitely candidates saying that too. And, it makes complete sense. AND, voters get crazy and applaud every time they say it. 

 

Hmmm, I wonder why these candidates who hold all the popular opinions are behind in the polls. Again, this aint rocket science either.

 

I got news for you all. The news aint news anymore folks. It is all bought and paid for infomercials. 

[Guitarzan]

11 hours ago, Basil B said:

You mean like raiding the piggy banks of emergency funds...

What piggy bank?  The American tax payer?

[Guitarzan]

 

 

Tulsi Gabbard single handily eliminates Kamala Harris. 

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, Guitarzan said:

 

 

Tulsi Gabbard single handily eliminates Kamala Harris. 

Tulsi who?

[Cryingdick]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Tulsi who?

 

The woman who just replaced Harris to be the presumptive VP running mate.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Cryingdick

[Guitarzan]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I think Biden would do OK against  "trump" in debates but the outcome will be about voter passion. We know "trump" will continue to excite his base with race baiting. Biden is solid enough, he's adequate, but he's just not going to ever excite people. Sure people will be excited by beating "trump" with anyone else, but is that going to be enough? 

 

 

This is a Democrat/socialist primary they love identity politics and calling anything that moves a racist. However, If you think any of these jokers are gonna win the general election by over playing the race card and identity politics yer gonna be very disappointed in 2020.  Rationale people are sick to death of the word racist. 

[Guitarzan]

10 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

The woman who just replaced Harris to be the presumptive VP running mate.

Probably so!  I kinda liked her until she said something whacky like Trump was adding terroists. She is suing Google though, half the country should join her in a class action law suit. 

 

Warren reminds me too much of a complaining, nagging, pissed off, fridgid ex wife, she has the shrill annoying pitch in her voice that men run away from. 

[Tug]

4 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Sure he did. ???? 

After he asked Harris to go easy on him! 555 

Can you just imagine Biden as POTUS asking Xi or Putin to "go easy on me" 

BWHAHAHA

Hey he’s doin his best it’s kinda hard to top donalds love letters to murdering dictators or bending over to putin after throwing the institutions that protect us under the bus.i know it’s really bad to offer a hand to a competitor in friendship during a competition lol can you detect the sarcasm lol imo they joe and Harris are the perfect dem ticket 

[Jingthing]

The 45 fans seem to like Tulsi. Now I remember her. Assad apologist. No thanks. You can have her. She'll never be on a democratic ticket.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Cryingdick]

3 hours ago, Guitarzan said:

Probably so!  I kinda liked her until she said something whacky like Trump was adding terroists. She is suing Google though, half the country should join her in a class action law suit. 

 

Warren reminds me too much of a complaining, nagging, pissed off, fridgid ex wife, she has the shrill annoying pitch in her voice that men run away from. 

 

She comes off like she needs high doses of anxiety meds and is going to have a nervous break down any moment. I can't imagine America listening to somebody so hysterical until the elections.

[Cryingdick]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Hey he’s doin his best it’s kinda hard to top donalds love letters to murdering dictators or bending over to putin after throwing the institutions that protect us under the bus.i know it’s really bad to offer a hand to a competitor in friendship during a competition lol can you detect the sarcasm lol imo they joe and Harris are the perfect dem ticket 

 

Yeah it is tough when you are hardly coherent and don't seem to remember which room you are in.