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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

Lefta Dissenter

(6,617 posts)
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:40 AM Mar 2019

A question for those who have watched Pete Buttigieg campaign

He’s in my top two or three right now, and I actually think if I were forced to vote today, I might vote for him. Just last night I watched his Politics and Prose discussion, which was awesome.

My question is, how does he do in debates? It’s obvious he’s a thoughtful person, whose responses to questions are based on layers of knowledge and life experience and thought. I love this about him, and it feels reassuring that he isn’t a shoot-from-the-hip kind of guy who would push the button to start nuclear war based on a nasty tweet or other such offense.

How does he do when forced to respond in short answers and sound bites? Will he be able to pack an answer into the allotted 30 or 60 seconds?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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A question for those who have watched Pete Buttigieg campaign (Original Post) Lefta Dissenter Mar 2019 OP
I Watched Buttigieg's CNN Town Hall and an Hour-Long Lecture/Policy Speech on His Book Tour dlk Mar 2019 #1
I'll have to watch the CNN town hall again Lefta Dissenter Mar 2019 #3
We shall see in a debate. California_Republic Mar 2019 #2
Yes, we will Lefta Dissenter Mar 2019 #5
I'm more concerned if he can put together a team California_Republic Mar 2019 #8
As he rises in the polls, those people will come flocking to him. n/t patricia92243 Mar 2019 #16
He is very bright, obviously and has wide knowledge of so much. CaliforniaPeggy Mar 2019 #4
But he'll need to condense his answers Lefta Dissenter Mar 2019 #6
Debates call for concise answers radical noodle Mar 2019 #9
"He really wants to talk at length and depth." This is a problem we Democrats have tblue37 Mar 2019 #7
I am sure he's aware of that. I expect he will concentrate on being more concise. CaliforniaPeggy Mar 2019 #10
I like him very much. I hope he does well. nt tblue37 Mar 2019 #11
Me too! Lefta Dissenter Mar 2019 #12
If he is smart enoiugh as he has been portrayed here, then yes, he will Stuart G Mar 2019 #13
On the view they didn't give him much marlakay Mar 2019 #14
Thanks! Lefta Dissenter Mar 2019 #15
Practice makes perfect in any endeavor. They all practice over and over for these debates. n/t patricia92243 Mar 2019 #17
Is there any video of his stump? CabalPowered Mar 2019 #18
Here you go..........this will get you started! CaliforniaPeggy Mar 2019 #19
Thanks! CabalPowered Mar 2019 #21
My pleasure! CaliforniaPeggy Mar 2019 #22
I would guess that he would practice debates with his team karynnj Mar 2019 #20
 

dlk

(11,438 posts)
1. I Watched Buttigieg's CNN Town Hall and an Hour-Long Lecture/Policy Speech on His Book Tour
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:46 AM
Mar 2019

He's obviously a bright, very well-educated and well-rounded man with lots of good ideas. Although I liked most of his answers, there were a couple of random things he said that raised concerns for me. For now, I think he would probably be a better governor than president.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Lefta Dissenter

(6,617 posts)
3. I'll have to watch the CNN town hall again
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:50 AM
Mar 2019

I watched it while I had the stomach flu so I might not have been real focused!

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Lefta Dissenter

(6,617 posts)
5. Yes, we will
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:51 AM
Mar 2019

But I want to know whether to be excited for that or nervous for it! Is he practicing now, or is he too busy actually doing his job of Mayoring?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

California_Republic

(1,826 posts)
8. I'm more concerned if he can put together a team
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:58 AM
Mar 2019

Does he know enough quality people to build a national security, economics, military and cabinet positions?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

patricia92243

(12,590 posts)
16. As he rises in the polls, those people will come flocking to him. n/t
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 05:13 PM
Mar 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,308 posts)
4. He is very bright, obviously and has wide knowledge of so much.
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:51 AM
Mar 2019

But I've seen him struggle to get out the sound bite. He really wants to talk at length and depth.

He was on Fox News, and the interviewer said let's do a rapid fire Q&A. And Pete really had trouble condensing his thoughts down enough for that.

I happen to think that the way he answers questions is one of his big strengths. The sound bite, though impressive, is not a good idea.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Lefta Dissenter

(6,617 posts)
6. But he'll need to condense his answers
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:53 AM
Mar 2019

I agree with you that one of his strengths is explaining how he arrives at a decision - the thought behind it. But he just won’t be able to do that in a debate. That’s what worries me.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

radical noodle

(7,990 posts)
9. Debates call for concise answers
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 11:04 AM
Mar 2019

but not rapid fire. The candidates have time to give a thoughtful answer. His debate prep will tidy up his answers. He's obviously bright enough to figure it out.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

tblue37

(64,982 posts)
7. "He really wants to talk at length and depth." This is a problem we Democrats have
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:58 AM
Mar 2019

generally. We treat campaigns as policy discussion, but the media treat them as horse races and soundbite generators. The voting publicly responds to the soundbites and the media framing.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,308 posts)
10. I am sure he's aware of that. I expect he will concentrate on being more concise.
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 11:08 AM
Mar 2019

There needs to be balance between both positions, and I think he's smart enough to see that and to aim for it.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

tblue37

(64,982 posts)
11. I like him very much. I hope he does well. nt
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 11:09 AM
Mar 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Lefta Dissenter

(6,617 posts)
12. Me too!
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 11:40 AM
Mar 2019

I think I’m looking forward to the debates...

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Stuart G

(38,365 posts)
13. If he is smart enoiugh as he has been portrayed here, then yes, he will
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 11:56 AM
Mar 2019

be smart enough to be more concise. And yes, he will learn to be balanced between both positions. If he believes fervently about wanting to be President, then he will learn the whole show. And, I also believe that if he really is our best candidate, and our true candidate, then Pete will have some help from some other people in order to win. Oh let's see? Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Jimmy Carter, as well as everyone else.
....If he is, "The real thing" then he will get the best help there is to beat Idiot Donald Trump

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

marlakay

(11,370 posts)
14. On the view they didn't give him much
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 12:08 PM
Mar 2019

Time to answer his questions and he seemed to do fine.

I watch daily so can tell he isn’t a favorite of any of the women although Joy likes him and Beto. So because of that they grilled him a bit more and he did fine.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Lefta Dissenter

(6,617 posts)
15. Thanks!
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 01:43 PM
Mar 2019

I’m going to look for that.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

patricia92243

(12,590 posts)
17. Practice makes perfect in any endeavor. They all practice over and over for these debates. n/t
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 05:17 PM
Mar 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

CabalPowered

(12,688 posts)
18. Is there any video of his stump?
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:03 PM
Mar 2019

I've watched the town hall, but haven't seen anything else.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,308 posts)
19. Here you go..........this will get you started!
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:13 PM
Mar 2019
https://www.democraticunderground.com/128734561

The thread is mine, and I found the videos, just to reassure you.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

karynnj

(59,475 posts)
20. I would guess that he would practice debates with his team
Sun Mar 24, 2019, 10:29 PM
Mar 2019

Having watched the debates for years, the majority of the questions are predictable, possibly with some twist. I think many politicians develop some canned answers that fit each expected topic and will transition from the question to the point they want to make.

Mayor Pete is as smart as they come and we keep finding his knowledge is broader and deeper on many things than anyone would have expected. As a mayor, he likely has dealt with a large number of domestic issues. As mayor, his role was to lead in proposing solutions. I suspect that background will be seen to provide many of the examples that make the issue personal.

As to foreign policy, he was in intelligence in the armed services in Afghanistan. He also studied in the UK when he was a Rhodes scholar. One thing we know is there will likely be no question where you suddenly sense he has no idea what it is about.

As to being someone who usually gives detailed, complex answers that show both his knowledge and his thoughtfulness, I can remember before the first general election debate in 2004 many Democrats describing our nominee like that and worrying about time limits. Kerry won that debate hands down.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
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