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Promoted from the diaries by streiff. Promotion does not imply endorsement.
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From left, Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Andrew Yang, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio are introduced before the second of two Democratic presidential primary debates hosted by CNN Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in the Fox Theatre in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Time again to check in with the oddsmakers to see what they thought of the second Democrat debate performances.

#10  Julian Castro (formerly unranked) at 70:1

The former HUD secretary under Obama makes his debut in the top 10, not because of anything he did or said, but because the former #10, Amy Klobuchar, simply did worse.  To put this in perspective, Castro’s chances are a little better than those of John Hicklenhooper and considerably worse than Beta O’Rourke.

#9 Beto O’Rourke (formerly #7 at 29:1) 37:1

How the mighty have fallen and have managed to continue to fall!  Once in the top tier of candidates, O’Rourke is quickly becoming an afterthought.  The man is yesterday’s news and will likely be the first “big” name to drop out.  His best hope is to be as bombastic as possible and insist they place a table to jump upon should he even make the next round of debates.

#8 Corey Booker (formerly #9 at 33:1)  32:1

He jumps up only because O’Rourke is dropping which is not saying much about this candidate who just cannot get any traction.  That’s because there is a new POC sheriff in town and she has the correct genitalia for this group of misfits.

#7 Tulsi Gabbard (formerly #8 at 30:1) 23:1

The oddsmakers saw something in Gabbard and others are starting to take notice, especially the MSM which is rushing to the defense of the one she openly attacked- Kamala Harris.  And while she may be the most palatable candidate in this mix, she is still a Democrat.  She is also a sitting member of the House.  The last time anyone went from the House to the Oval Office was in 1880 with James Garfield.

#6 Andrew Yang (formerly #6 at 21:1) 18:1

One wonders why this clown is even on the list, but perhaps silence is the best policy on that debate stage.  Perhaps, it is the outsider image (he is the only non-politician in the mix).  Or maybe it is just the funny name, but he holds on at #6.

#5 Pete Buttigieg (formerly #5 at 7-1/2:1) 9:1

He did not hurt himself seriously, but neither did he help himself all that much.  He holds on, but the rope is straining and he has to set himself apart if he hopes to rise any higher.

#4 Bernie Sanders (formerly #4 at 7:1) 8:1

Bernie’s time was 2016, but the Hillary machine took care of that.  You have to credit the old geezer for staying in this long and not drowning in his own spittle along the way.  Everybody’s favorite socialist is just not exuding the Bern these days with so many other socialists drowning him out.

#3 Elizabeth Warren (formerly #2 at 4;1)  3-1/2:1

If it was possible, a woman with a more grating voice than Hillary Clinton stays in the top 3 here.  She played it relatively safe with her socialist talking points and railing against the 1% (to which she belongs, by the way).  She is within striking distance and maybe one of 3-4 last standing.

#2 Kamala Harris (formerly #1 at 2:1)  3:1

Slightly ahead of Warren and slightly behind Biden, she drops a spot because a lower-tier candidate landed some blows.  Her post-debate CNN interview with Anderson Cooper made her appear catty and condescending (and she never did address the accusations).  This is 2020’s equivalent of Barack Obama with ovaries- a do-nothing senator from a liberal state with the right skin pigmentation.

#1 Joe Biden (formerly #3 at 4-1/2:1)  2-1/2:1

He did not totally repair the damage from the first debate at the hands of Harris and Booker, but neither did he damage himself any further.  This elevates him back to the top just enough, but it is a precarious first place and, knowing Biden, any statement at any time can be his undoing.  The man is a gaffe machine.

By the way, besides Klobuchar who is slightly out of the top ten, are Marianne Williamson whose talk of dark psychic forces have elevated her into a tie with… Kirsten Gillibrand at 110:1.