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| 7 Takeaways from the First Democratic Debate | 7 Takeaways from the First Democratic Debate |
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| Night One of the first Democratic debate of the 2020 race is in the books. There was no standout moment for any of the 10 candidates; no one suffered real damage either. While the NBC moderators tried to get the moderate and liberal Democrats to criticize each other, they were polite for the most part and stuck to their preferred issues and messages. | Night One of the first Democratic debate of the 2020 race is in the books. There was no standout moment for any of the 10 candidates; no one suffered real damage either. While the NBC moderators tried to get the moderate and liberal Democrats to criticize each other, they were polite for the most part and stuck to their preferred issues and messages. |
| But there were some standout moments and takeaways about the Democratic race: | But there were some standout moments and takeaways about the Democratic race: |
| Mr. Castro, who has been a middling performer since launching his campaign in January, needed a big showing to break apart from the pack of one-percent candidates. | Mr. Castro, who has been a middling performer since launching his campaign in January, needed a big showing to break apart from the pack of one-percent candidates. |
| Mr. Castro was assertive in key moments but didn’t appear desperate. He took ownership of the immigration discussion, and others on the stage willingly agreed with him. He won the brief sparring match with former Representative Beto O’Rourke — an old family rival — and delivered the night’s lone winning canned applause line: “And on January 20, 2021, we’ll say ‘adiós’ to Donald Trump.” | Mr. Castro was assertive in key moments but didn’t appear desperate. He took ownership of the immigration discussion, and others on the stage willingly agreed with him. He won the brief sparring match with former Representative Beto O’Rourke — an old family rival — and delivered the night’s lone winning canned applause line: “And on January 20, 2021, we’ll say ‘adiós’ to Donald Trump.” |
| [Who’s running for president? Check out our candidate tracker.] | [Who’s running for president? Check out our candidate tracker.] |
| The 44-year-old Texan, who served as mayor of San Antonio and President Obama’s housing secretary, spoke little about his record in office and instead addressed the Democratic Party’s aspirations such as ending President Trump’s immigration policies and reforming urban police departments. | The 44-year-old Texan, who served as mayor of San Antonio and President Obama’s housing secretary, spoke little about his record in office and instead addressed the Democratic Party’s aspirations such as ending President Trump’s immigration policies and reforming urban police departments. |
| What happens next is less clear. Mr. Castro’s team must capitalize on his performance or risk falling back to the bottom of the pack. But Thursday night’s debate — featuring heavyweights like Joseph R. Biden Jr., former vice president, and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont — may gobble up attention from the media and voters. Look for his team to create viral moments to boost his small-dollar donor appeal.[Read the full transcript from the first night of the Democratic primary debate.] | What happens next is less clear. Mr. Castro’s team must capitalize on his performance or risk falling back to the bottom of the pack. But Thursday night’s debate — featuring heavyweights like Joseph R. Biden Jr., former vice president, and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont — may gobble up attention from the media and voters. Look for his team to create viral moments to boost his small-dollar donor appeal.[Read the full transcript from the first night of the Democratic primary debate.] |
| Ms. Warren got the first question — and it was right in her wheelhouse: How could she justify the risk that her many plans might disrupt an economy that is doing well by several indicators? She answered it with a question that is central to her candidacy: “Who is this economy really working for?” Ms. Warren said, “It’s doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at the top.” | Ms. Warren got the first question — and it was right in her wheelhouse: How could she justify the risk that her many plans might disrupt an economy that is doing well by several indicators? She answered it with a question that is central to her candidacy: “Who is this economy really working for?” Ms. Warren said, “It’s doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at the top.” |
| For the first stretch of the debate, Ms. Warren looked the part of the polling leader on stage: dominating the discussion thanks to her own presentation, the ways her rivals framed their ideas and even a moderator’s follow-up to Senator Cory Booker about breaking up big tech. | For the first stretch of the debate, Ms. Warren looked the part of the polling leader on stage: dominating the discussion thanks to her own presentation, the ways her rivals framed their ideas and even a moderator’s follow-up to Senator Cory Booker about breaking up big tech. |
| Notably, no one on stage seemed eager to highlight contrasts with Ms. Warren. Mr. Booker and Senator Amy Klobuchar both took passes when offered explicit opportunities. | Notably, no one on stage seemed eager to highlight contrasts with Ms. Warren. Mr. Booker and Senator Amy Klobuchar both took passes when offered explicit opportunities. |
| In fact, by the 9:40 p.m. mark, Representative Tulsi Gabbard’s Twitter account, run by her sister during the debate, complained, “It’s clear who MSNBC wants to be president: Elizabeth Warren. They’re giving her more time than all the other candidates combined.” | In fact, by the 9:40 p.m. mark, Representative Tulsi Gabbard’s Twitter account, run by her sister during the debate, complained, “It’s clear who MSNBC wants to be president: Elizabeth Warren. They’re giving her more time than all the other candidates combined.” |
| But while Ms. Warren was loomed largest on economic matters, her center of gravity on the discussion seemed to wane as the debate dragged on and the moderators spread time around to all 10 candidates on stage. She went large periods without piping up, as others jostled aggressively for time. (Mr. Booker ended up speaking the most.) | But while Ms. Warren was loomed largest on economic matters, her center of gravity on the discussion seemed to wane as the debate dragged on and the moderators spread time around to all 10 candidates on stage. She went large periods without piping up, as others jostled aggressively for time. (Mr. Booker ended up speaking the most.) |
| She did land one memorable line late when asked by Chuck Todd about what would happen should Senate Republicans block her agenda or nominees as president. “Do you have a plan to deal with Mitch McConnell?” Mr. Todd said. | She did land one memorable line late when asked by Chuck Todd about what would happen should Senate Republicans block her agenda or nominees as president. “Do you have a plan to deal with Mitch McConnell?” Mr. Todd said. |
| She paused for a momentary beat. “I do,” she said. | She paused for a momentary beat. “I do,” she said. |
| Still, the possibility that Ms. Warren — as the lone candidate on stage who has cracked double-digits in the polls — could own the stage did not materialize. | Still, the possibility that Ms. Warren — as the lone candidate on stage who has cracked double-digits in the polls — could own the stage did not materialize. |
| [The latest data and analysis to keep track of who’s leading the race to be the Democratic nominee.] | [The latest data and analysis to keep track of who’s leading the race to be the Democratic nominee.] |
| Several candidates who needed big nights didn’t deliver — in part because their long-winded answers didn’t play well in such a rat-a-tat debate format. | Several candidates who needed big nights didn’t deliver — in part because their long-winded answers didn’t play well in such a rat-a-tat debate format. |
| Both Mr. O’Rourke and Mr. Booker, who are known for their eloquence and storytelling abilities, had trouble breaking through din. At times, the length of their answers obscured the points they were trying to make — if they were trying to make them at all. Ms. Klobuchar, too, who is known to prepare assiduously for these types of appearances, struggled to hit her points concisely and was not a big factor. | Both Mr. O’Rourke and Mr. Booker, who are known for their eloquence and storytelling abilities, had trouble breaking through din. At times, the length of their answers obscured the points they were trying to make — if they were trying to make them at all. Ms. Klobuchar, too, who is known to prepare assiduously for these types of appearances, struggled to hit her points concisely and was not a big factor. |
| Which all goes to say: The loquaciousness that can dazzle in the House and Senate did not work for these candidates on stage. | Which all goes to say: The loquaciousness that can dazzle in the House and Senate did not work for these candidates on stage. |
| Other candidates who did not make much of a ripple on Wednesday were Representative Tim Ryan, Ms. Gabbard and Gov. Jay Inslee. | Other candidates who did not make much of a ripple on Wednesday were Representative Tim Ryan, Ms. Gabbard and Gov. Jay Inslee. |
| Mr. Ryan was all but ignored during the first half of the debate before he started shoehorning himself into the conversation. Ms. Gabbard was strongest on her foreign policy answers but hardly played a role otherwise. And Mr. Inslee, despite seizing on the segment about climate change — his signature issue — and offering some robust answers to other questions, was largely overshadowed. | Mr. Ryan was all but ignored during the first half of the debate before he started shoehorning himself into the conversation. Ms. Gabbard was strongest on her foreign policy answers but hardly played a role otherwise. And Mr. Inslee, despite seizing on the segment about climate change — his signature issue — and offering some robust answers to other questions, was largely overshadowed. |
| Mr. Booker was the first presidential debate candidate to reference protecting the rights of transgender people. Mr. Castro followed up shortly thereafter. | Mr. Booker was the first presidential debate candidate to reference protecting the rights of transgender people. Mr. Castro followed up shortly thereafter. |
| The discussion was another significant breakthrough for the transgender community, which in recent years has been rocked by so-called bathroom bans in North Carolina and other parts of the country and by President Trump’s rollback of Obama-era rules that banned discrimination against transgender people in the military. | The discussion was another significant breakthrough for the transgender community, which in recent years has been rocked by so-called bathroom bans in North Carolina and other parts of the country and by President Trump’s rollback of Obama-era rules that banned discrimination against transgender people in the military. |
| The shout-outs by Mr. Booker and Mr. Castro also served as attempts to endear them to the party’s most progressive activists, who see L.G.B.T. rights as a civil-rights issue akin to racial and gender equality. | The shout-outs by Mr. Booker and Mr. Castro also served as attempts to endear them to the party’s most progressive activists, who see L.G.B.T. rights as a civil-rights issue akin to racial and gender equality. |
| It’s a striking contrast from the last elections when each of the 2016 Republican candidates stressed their opposition to L.G.B.T. rights — and even the Democratic candidates in 2008 when no candidate endorsed gay marriage. | It’s a striking contrast from the last elections when each of the 2016 Republican candidates stressed their opposition to L.G.B.T. rights — and even the Democratic candidates in 2008 when no candidate endorsed gay marriage. |
| Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders may be leading in national polls, but their candidacies did not meaningfully come up in the first debate. This may be an indication that other candidates feel no need, at this early stage of the primary, to draw many contrasts with major Democratic opponents. | Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders may be leading in national polls, but their candidacies did not meaningfully come up in the first debate. This may be an indication that other candidates feel no need, at this early stage of the primary, to draw many contrasts with major Democratic opponents. |
| That was not a given going into Wednesday night’s debate, and Thursday night’s debate could be rough when Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders appear onstage together. Still, the fact that no one called out those two leading candidates in absentia — even Ms. Warren noted her general agreement with Mr. Sanders on health care — indicates that the Democrats are still reluctant to engage with each other more forcefully. | |
| Among the lower-polling candidates, there were some clashes. A heated one developed between the Texans, Mr. Castro and Mr. O’Rourke, over their approaches to immigration. Another boiled up toward the end of the second hour between Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Ryan, who disagreed over American involvement in Afghanistan. | Among the lower-polling candidates, there were some clashes. A heated one developed between the Texans, Mr. Castro and Mr. O’Rourke, over their approaches to immigration. Another boiled up toward the end of the second hour between Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Ryan, who disagreed over American involvement in Afghanistan. |
| But the debate was devoid of the sharp attacks that underdog candidates in previous cycles have used to try to have breakout moments. | But the debate was devoid of the sharp attacks that underdog candidates in previous cycles have used to try to have breakout moments. |
| Mayor Bill de Blasio exceeded the very low expectations that greeted him in the debate, bringing an energy honed in the New York City political culture. | Mayor Bill de Blasio exceeded the very low expectations that greeted him in the debate, bringing an energy honed in the New York City political culture. |
| Mr. de Blasio was the first candidate to interrupt someone else, cutting off Mr. O’Rourke when the former congressman defended maintaining the private insurance industry in his health care proposal. “Why are you defending private insurance?” the mayor asked. | Mr. de Blasio was the first candidate to interrupt someone else, cutting off Mr. O’Rourke when the former congressman defended maintaining the private insurance industry in his health care proposal. “Why are you defending private insurance?” the mayor asked. |
| Though there has been so far little evidence on the trail that he is running a serious campaign — there is little staff, few solo events and next to zero interest from early-state Democrats — Mr. de Blasio may get a bump in interest from voters outside of New York who knew little about him before Wednesday night’s debate. The question then is does he have the infrastructure to take advantage of one good night. | Though there has been so far little evidence on the trail that he is running a serious campaign — there is little staff, few solo events and next to zero interest from early-state Democrats — Mr. de Blasio may get a bump in interest from voters outside of New York who knew little about him before Wednesday night’s debate. The question then is does he have the infrastructure to take advantage of one good night. |