By Jesse SaundersPHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
From the excellent moderation to the amount of candidates gracing the stage, the Democratic debate brought a brand new experience to the 2016 presidential election. While the debate was a win for the Democratic Party overall, it was either a huge victory or a crushing loss for the candidates.
In fact, this debate severed the field in half. Lincoln Chafee proved unprepared for any office, looking both completely lost and on the verge of tears at any question directed toward his past choices.
Jim Webb looked like the kid clamoring to sit at the adults’ table and when he did speak, he seemed petulant and moody about the wait. His missteps on race, money and the right time to talk about ending someone’s life all seemed to lead to the conclusion that he would be better suited for a very different debate.
Hillary Clinton brought enough baggage to the stage for several European cruises. Meanwhile the other candidates were too concerned about the state of the country they are vying to serve to delve too deeply into her dirty laundry. The most fervent applause followed a statement by Bernie Sanders exclaiming that the American people were “tired of hearing about [her] damn emails.”
Martin O’Malley, the youngest candidate on the stage, maintained both his composure and his stance. His answer to the Black Lives Matter question was especially poignant, proving his ability to learn from past mistakes, something both Chafee and Webb struggled with. While he may not, at this juncture, be presidential material, he left the stage with vice presidential hopeful written all over him.
The two main contenders had the most to prove. Clinton came with her homework assignment all in order. The lack of bloodlust to her fellow candidates served her well. Despite her gaffe of proclaiming her service to Wall Street, her performance was respectfully solid.
The people’s winner – despite CNN’s proclamations and bountiful contributions to the contrary – was Bernie Sanders. The resident democratic socialist came to the podium with a lot to prove, both for himself and for the idea of socialism in general in a militantly capitalist nation. When taken out of his comfort zone, Sanders stumbled but quickly recovered and kept himself on the message that has propelled his campaign. He was unapologetically Bernie and beyond that when he left that stage, he was a viable candidate.
Jesse Saunders is the Treasurer of the Democrats of Hofstra University.
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