Democrats came to Detroit for their second round of presidential primary debates on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Who emerged as the winners and losers as the dust settled in the Motor City?
WINNERS
Sens. Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump digs in on Hurricane Dorian projection Block the misuse of facial recognition, not the tech itself The Hill's Campaign Report: North Carolina special election poses test for GOP ahead of 2020 MORE (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Ann WarrenThe Hill's Campaign Report: North Carolina special election poses test for GOP ahead of 2020 Buttigieg's first TV ad: 'We need real solutions, not more polarization' Where the presidential race stands: Biden's strange advantage MORE (D-Mass.)
The two leading left-wing candidates had a good night on Tuesday — and were helped along when the second night’s debate degenerated into a messy fight with more clear losers than winners.
On Tuesday, Sanders was the strongest candidate across the two hours, his performance including a memorable rebuttal when Rep. Tim Ryan
Timothy (Tim) John RyanMarianne Williamson under fire over controversial health remarks White House adviser gives Trump cover on Alabama hurricane claim The Hill's Campaign Report: Pressure builds for Democrats who missed third debate cut MORE (D-Ohio) cast aspersions on his "Medicare for All" plan.
“I wrote the damn bill,” Sanders exploded.
Warren had the most striking single moment, telling former Rep. John Delaney
John Kevin DelaneyNebraska Farmers Union president calls for government action on climate change Democrats call for action after Texas mass shooting The Hill's Campaign Report: Pressure builds for Democrats who missed third debate cut MORE (D-Md.), “I don't understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can't do and shouldn't fight for.”
But it wasn’t just snappy one-liners that helped the two progressives.
The various centrist candidates ranged against them never landed a strong punch. Warren and Sanders, who are personally fond of each other, didn’t rise to any bait encouraging them to attack each other, either.
They have every right to leave Detroit happier than any other candidates.
Sen. Cory Booker
Cory Anthony BookerCNN climate town hall finishes last in viewers among cable news broadcasts Overnight Energy: 2020 Democrats roll out climate plans ahead of CNN forum | Trump blasts CNN for 'ignoring' facts | Officials roll back Obama-era lightbulb rules | Dem contenders split over nuclear energy CNN correspondent: We could do a climate town hall every day and it wouldn't be enough MORE (D-N.J.)
Booker did well on Wednesday — something which was vital for a candidate who has struggled for traction and was overshadowed by Sen. Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi HarrisThe Hill's Campaign Report: North Carolina special election poses test for GOP ahead of 2020 Where the presidential race stands: Biden's strange advantage California wildfire burns 1,400 acres in a day MORE (D-Calif.) in the first debates in Miami in June.
Booker sought at some points to cast himself as a unifying figure, lamenting that President Trump
Donald John TrumpPompeo pressed on possible Senate run by Kansas media The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump digs in on Hurricane Dorian projection Trump's mental decline is perfectly clear for those with eyes to see and ears to hear MORE would be happy that Democrats were allowing themselves to be pitted against each other.
But that appeal for civility didn’t stop him from mounting his own sharp attacks on former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenThe Hill's Campaign Report: North Carolina special election poses test for GOP ahead of 2020 Buttigieg's first TV ad: 'We need real solutions, not more polarization' Union leader: We back Bernie Sanders because he has 'petitioned for American workers' MORE for his record on criminal justice. He also hit Biden hard for invoking President Obama at times, only to sidestep more awkward elements of the 44th president's record.
“You can’t do it when it’s convenient and then dodge it when it’s not,” Booker said.
The New Jersey senator did not have any single game-changing moment. But he at least finally asserted himself as a significant figure in the race, after months when he has seemed peripheral.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock
Steve BullockThe Hill's Campaign Report: North Carolina special election poses test for GOP ahead of 2020 Bullock unveils plan to support rural communities Democrats call for action after Texas mass shooting MORE (D)
Every debate offers an opportunity for an obscure candidate to gain some visibility.
In Detroit that was Bullock, who outperformed expectations in a big way on Tuesday evening.
Over the course of the two debates, Bullock was the only centrist, with the exception of Biden, to make his case with force and conviction.
It’s still very hard to see a path into serious contention for the Montana governor.
But he couldn’t have realistically done any better.
Marianne Williamson
Marianne WilliamsonThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump digs in on Hurricane Dorian projection The Hill's Morning Report — Trump's hurricane forecast controversy won't go away Marianne Williamson under fire over controversial health remarks MORE
Williamson is on her way to becoming something of a cult figure, helped along by her description of a “dark psychic force” she said had been loosed upon the nation by Trump.
That remark, on Tuesday night, went viral.
Williamson is a rank outsider, but she is transcending much of the mockery aimed toward her, as when she drew praise among progressives for her comments on reparations.
MIXED
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Biden could not afford another misstep after his faltering performance in Miami, where he was the clear loser in clashes with Harris.
He was far better in Detroit. He rebuffed challenges from lower-tier candidates like Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten GillibrandMarianne Williamson under fire over controversial health remarks Yang says he would not run as a third-party candidate Pavlich: Candidates pushing the gun 'buyback' lie MORE (D-N.Y.) and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
Bill de BlasioFDNY to add 22 firefighters who died of 9/11-related illnesses to Memorial Wall Sarah Sanders makes debut as Fox News contributor Hillicon Valley: 8chan owner defends platform before Congress | Facebook launches dating feature | New York City sues T-Mobile | Top NSA cyber official names ransomware as 2020 threat | Blue Dog Dems urge action on election security MORE (D) with relative ease. He also showed, for the most part, much more fire in his belly — an important mark for a candidate whose age, 76, is a concern.
But, for all that, it was far from a home run for Biden. There were still times when he seemed to wilt in the face of the sustained attacks on him and his record.
He also struggled or dodged on some issues, including whether he supported President Obama’s actions on deportations.
Right at the start of the debate, Biden was also heard telling Harris, “Take it easy on me, kid” — a suboptimal choice of words, even if delivered in characteristically affable style.
Biden steadied some nerves in Detroit, but he didn’t come close to answering all the questions that still hang over his candidacy.
South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Peter (Pete) Paul ButtigiegThe Hill's Campaign Report: North Carolina special election poses test for GOP ahead of 2020 Buttigieg's first TV ad: 'We need real solutions, not more polarization' Overnight Energy: Key moments from Democrats' 7-hour climate forum | Watchdog finds Interior broke the law over use of park fees during shutdown | House Dems to push for offshore drilling ban MORE (D)
Buttigieg outraised every other candidate during the second quarter of the year. For a while, he was the media flavor of the month too.
The question of how Buttigieg can really propel himself toward the nomination still has no real answer, however.
His performance on Tuesday night was steady and measured. But it also didn’t have any obvious moment of drama.
LOSERS
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)
Harris was the indisputable star of the first debates in Miami, but it was a very different story in Detroit on Wednesday.
The hunter became the hunted as Biden and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
Tulsi GabbardTulsi Gabbard on online Russian support: They agree it's better when we're 'not on the brink of nuclear war' Greta Van Susteren to launch new program with first guests including Tulsi Gabbard, Tony Dungy Yang says he would not run as a third-party candidate MORE (D-Hawaii) took particularly forceful shots at the California senator.
Biden accused her of “double talk” on her recently released health care plan.
Gabbard delivered the strongest critique yet of Harris’s record as a prosecutor in California, where she served as district attorney in San Francisco and, later, as the state’s attorney general.
Harris seemed wrong-footed by the attacks, with her answers often flat and lacking in specifics.
There was nothing truly disastrous in Harris’s performance. But it was not a good night for her by any stretch.
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas)
O’Rourke has been the single biggest disappointment of the campaign so far among Democrats.
His bid was launched with much hype in March and has fizzled ever since.
O’Rourke made almost no impact on Tuesday night in Detroit — another missed opportunity that he could ill afford.
He has qualified for the third round of debates, to be held in September, but there are now serious question marks over how long his campaign can last.
Centrists
The energy in the Democratic Party is very clearly on the left, and these debates didn’t change that.
On Tuesday, centrists like Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Amy Jean KlobucharThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump digs in on Hurricane Dorian projection CNN climate town hall finishes last in viewers among cable news broadcasts Texas Poll: Biden leads 2020 Democrats by 6 points MORE (D-Minn.), former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper
John HickenlooperYang says he would not run as a third-party candidate The Hill's Morning Report - Hurricane Dorian devastates the Bahamas, creeps along Florida coast Democrat Mike Johnston ends Senate bid in Colorado MORE (D) and Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) all floundered.
Impeachment
Progressives are as adamant as ever that Trump should be impeached, but these debates underlined how far that has receded as a serious possibility.
Impeachment barely came up at all, save for a perfunctory exchange about 10 minutes before the end of the second debate.
It was a startling signal of how much heat has gone out of the issue.
