Analysis: Hillary Clinton Denies Bernie Sanders a Win at Flint Debate

[DemocratSinceBirth]

FLINT, Michigan — Sunday night's Democratic presidential debate in Flint, a city where manufacturing jobs have been replaced by poisoned water, should have been on Bernie Sanders' turf: a discussion of trade policies, corporate greed and government spending cuts that have led to horrible consequences.

Sanders fought as if his life depended on it — and it just might, as he has fallen dangerously behind Hillary Clinton in the delegate count.

But Clinton came prepared to the CNN debate and more than held her own, preventing Sanders from the clear victory he needs to change the trajectory of the race ahead of Michigan's primary Tuesday.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/analysis-hillary-clinton-denies-bernie-sanders-win-flint-debate-n533031

I thought both of our candidates acquitted themselves admirably and would be infinitely better presidents than our opponents on the other side of the aisle.

[wyldwolf]

1. I was rather impressed with TIME Magazine's online poll

Although pundits and even debate coaches give the nod to Clinton, Time's online poll has Sanders winning by a landslide - with this disclaimer:

Online reader polls like this one are not statistically representative of eligible primary voters. They are a measure, however imprecise, of which candidates have the most energized online supporters, or most social media savvy fan base.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. I have a myriad of thoughts on the debate but I will keep them to myself, for now.

[NurseJackie]

4. MOE: 99.9%

[Karma13612]

3. Bull.

Sanders owned this one.

I am the first to admit that this was not the case in some of the previous ones where he didn't defend her attacks well.

Tonight was his turning point and it was obvious.

See ya at the convention baby!

[TheFarseer]

19. I thought he was doing very well until

She said he did not support the auto bail out. He needed to defend his position better on that. It's a reasonable position, but it doesn't look good when you let her frame it. I he doesn't win Michigan, this will be a reason why.

[Fast Walker 52]

24. yes, I agree. It could well cost him the state.

His answer wasn't clear.

I see from this piece that it was because the bailout was included in TARP legislation, which makes sense to me.
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/robert-schlesinger/articles/2016-03-06/auto-bailout-debate-moment-shows-whats-wrong-with-bernie-sanders

[Evar]

5. Bernie the Clear Winner to Me

I think Bernie's straightforward, no nonsense answers are so refreshing. They come across as total honesty, and that makes him the clear winner.

[Ino]

17. I especially liked the fracking answer.

After Hillary spun a web of qualifiers, disclaimers and various scenarios around the question, Sanders simply said "I do not support fracking." Made her sound like she couldn't give a straight answer, which she can't.

[Fast Walker 52]

23. exactly.

[stonecutter357]

6. K&R!

[Trust Buster]

7. I thought Sanders showed the country how unrealistic his really is last night.

He wants to throw trillions at every problem brought up to him. When asked how he'd get Congress to agree to his incredible wish list, he went on a rant about how the Congress is the establishment and he's the anti-Establishment. He must think that he can ignore Congress and unilaterally spend tens of trillions by himself. He just comes off as radical to me.

[ellennelle]

12. "throw trillions"?

gosh, i guess better to throw those trillions at the military than at flint and chicago and mississippi and our farmers devastated by drought that is caused by, oh yeah, global warming.

etcetcetc, ad nauseam.

as for congress, do not forget this man has been working IN congress for three decades. he knows these guys, and knows how it works, and has a RECORD of getting tons done, by working with folks who respect him.

sad to say it, and i hate that it's true, but the fact is there is a loathing of hillary out there that goes back to her days as first lady of AR; that's about as long as bernie has been in congress, getting work done. what scares me is all those damn hillary-haters being motivated to vote against her. (and don't misread me; i've defended her vociferously since the 90s, and hate what the misogyny has done as much as i hate what racism has done to obama, but it is a real factor to be reckoned with.)

just for the record, that brief momentary 'takedown' a couple of weeks ago of bernie's "radical" economic policy, by all those obama/3rd way economists? they were forced to retract their assertions because they never really ran the numbers! there are actually over a hundred US economists who support his plan, and recognize how good it will be for the country because it first and foremost takes all those trillions out of the pockets of our corporate overlords and redistributes them to the country as a whole, in the form of jobs and infrastructure.

you may think that is radical, but it is precisely the way this country worked when we had the highest and fastest rate of GDP growth in our history. the top marginal tax rate was 90%, we had free education thru most state colleges (CA's became the gold standard the world over), and veterans could go to college and buy a home, without debt on the former, with a manageable loan on the latter, and steady dependable work to pay down that mortgage and raise a family.

you may be too young to remember, so that is forgivable. if not, wow. short memory? bernie is not proposing a single program that was not in place from FDR to reagan.

[Hortensis]

13. Bernie is a radical by personality, BUT he spent the

last couple of decades running with and voting with Democrats in Congress. With this background, he has to be very well aware of what can actually be accomplished in the various post-election scenarios -- far less than his followers are believing. Unless, of course, that revolutionary tsunami finally shows up to sweep 3 decades of anti-government obstruction out to sea.

[Trust Buster]

15. Exactly. He sounds more like and activist than a realistic leader.

[Hortensis]

16. I've always believed Bernie ran as an activist

using the primary to get a national audience to listen to his message, hoping to inspire and energize -- and to push Hillary farther left.

He and his campaign were among those who were surprised by just how strong the pent-up demand for progressivism is, though. They didn't know what to make of it when people actually started showing up at one of his rallies in numbers instead of the expected local dribbles. Bernie thought maybe there was an accident up ahead.

In any case, he is having a very good run.

[Trust Buster]

18. Excellent analysis.

[Hortensis]

20. And you are obviously a wise and insightful analyst yourself.

[Lucinda]

8. KNR Thank you!

[ellennelle]

9. nbc analysis?

reallY?

we should care why?

in fact, we should be suspicious of whomever they favor for the obvious corporate reasons.

owned by GE, the maker of weapons, remember?

perspective, people.

[bvf]

10. I thought the exact same thing the very second

I saw the link.

They aren't getting any smarter.

[restorefreedom]

21. absofrickinlutely. nt

[RoccoR5955]

27. Keyword: ANAL

NBC has their head so far up GE's posterior, it is impossible for them to come up with an objective viewpoint.

[Fla Dem]

38. Just to set the record straight, GE hasn't owned NBC Universal since 2013.

Comcast Corporation, one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services, is the owner of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations and a major motion picture company and theme parks. Comcast Corporation acquired 51% of NBCUniversal from General Electric and became majority owner of the company on January 29, 2011. Comcast completed its acquisition of NBCUniversal upon its purchase of General Electric’s remaining common equity stake on March 19, 2013.

http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/nbcuniversal-transaction


So NBC having their head up GE's posterior was a wasted endeavor.

[RoccoR5955]

44. Okay, my bad

But don't think that there are not executives there who don't have their head's up GE's posterior.

[mcar]

42. What does the Washington Free Beacon say?

That seems to be a more acceptable source for some here these days.

[oasis]

11. Bernie repeatedly flying off the handle was something to behold.

Democrats will be hard pressed to erase that vision as they enter the voting booth.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. There is a candidate on the other side who routinely tells his opponents to be quiet in debates.

[oasis]

29. That candidate didn't come off well employing such tactics.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. No, he didn't, but his stalwart supporters will never admit it. The voters will have to sort it out.

[INdemo]

14. Just what would we expect a Corporate News Network to say

After all they are a Compost Company....

"Dangerously behind" BS....

Seems like Bernie Sanders just won 3 out of 4 Primaries by substantial margins with little or no news recognition for that...

Plenty of Primaries left..and none left in the Southern States.'

As I said before the Clinton/Clinton/Schultz campaign is looking more like the Bush/Cheney/Rove campaign than the
Bush/Cheney/Rove campaign.

Hillary needs to stop impersonating a progressive...its just not working.

[RoccoR5955]

25. AFAIC, Bernie KILLLLLLLLED Clinton in the debate.

Clinton, once again parroting her positions, which were, at one time before the primaries the opposite.
Clinton was on the defense on all positions.
I guess Bernie could have been a bit more aggressive on some topics, but that is simply not his way

[riversedge]

34. Sanders pivoting to Wall Street into many lf his responses illustrated his one issue positions.

[Geronimoe]

26. The Elephant in the room

You are either for slick, well polished pay to play politicians that produce places like Flint, that hoodwink and shuck and jive or you are for politicians like Bernie who will not take bribes but will give you the hard reality of the work that needs to be done.

[Gamecock Lefty]

28. Bernie hasn't won a single debate and certainly didn't last night.

Common sense and leadership beats finger-pointing and ranting every time. Well, unless you're a Republican!

[salinsky]

30. Honestly, I thought Sanders made the more salient arguments ...

... but, Hillary was prepared and countered aggressively.

I think it was pretty much a draw.

[riversedge]

31. Clinton always does her homework and walks away with the debate win, which is why I have

always wondered why he and his supporters and staff kept pushing for more debates.!!!



....But Clinton came prepared to the CNN debate and more than held her own, preventing Sanders from the clear victory he needs to change the trajectory of the race ahead of Michigan's primary Tuesday.

[Loki]

32. Anyone remember Rick Lazio?

Nah, didn't think so.

[Persondem]

35. Exactly. Clinton is the most presidential of the remaining candidates from either party.

Also, new poll out today shows Clinton up 37 in MI and up 22 on aggregate per RCP. Tomorrow should be a very good day for her.

[dana_b]

36. They ALWAYS say that she won - always

and the majority of the PEOPLE always disagreee. So pffftttt....

[Agony]

37. Thanks for posting this article from the ONION

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. Denial stage

As an empathetic poster I will be here to help you work through every stage of grief.

[bvf]

43. I see you've met Elizabeth.

[Punkingal]

39. Bernie won that debate.

[fbc]

41. Bernie wins every debate

When more people get to know Bernie, more people like him.

Normal people don't care about all the nonsense that pundits use to grade debate performances.