Three Takeaways and a Winner from the Democratic Debate

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, right, speaks at the NBC, YouTube Democratic presidential debate at the Gaillard Center, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Charleston, S.C. Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton, center, and Democratic presidential candidate, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley listen. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)

The two candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, as well as Martin O’Malley, took part in another debate on Sunday night. The usual Democratic ideals were preached to the masses, with sporadic applause throughout. Once again, the scheduling shows just how little the Democratic Party wants these debates seen: It’s on a Sunday night before a Federal holiday. Despite their best efforts, Bernie Sanders continues to gain momentum and Martin O’Malley somehow continues to get airtime. Since you mostly likely did not watch it. Here are three takeaways from the debate you most likely didn’t even know was happening.

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1) Hillary Clinton Is Grudgingly Embracing Barack Obama’s Legacy

Coming back from the first break, the first question was to Clinton, and it was about her campaign trashing Bernie Sanders and his new health care plan. Sanders came out with a universal medicare plan just two hours before the debate, and Clinton’s campaign accused Sanders of wanting to undo Obamacare. Hillary stood by that tonight, saying it was Obamacare was working, marking the exact moment that she and Obama became one being. And you know that she wanted to run as her own woman. She did not look amused at this turn of events, either. She now has to fight for everything Obama has done over the past seven years, leaving her hands tied. Sanders, meanwhile, can offer all the free things and make sure that the young vote swarms to him.

2) Bernie Sanders Drew Blood

In the last few debates, Sanders has not really gone after Clinton on many issues. This time, he came out swinging, fighting back against her campaign’s claims, and hitting her hard – hard enough to make her visibly angry – on her ties to Wall Street. He has decided that he’s serious now, and, in between bouts of shouting about campaign finance, he mentioned her speaking fees from Wall Street banks, her support of government policies that claimed certain businesses were “too big to fail,” and her lack of willingness as a Senator to do anything about it. Sanders was a man on a mission to make her show weakness, and he won.

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3) They Have Run Out Of Things To Say

The Democratic bench is not the only thing that is woefully shallow this election cycle – the talking points are, as well. There was nothing in the debate that was new, revolutionary for their candidacies, or not said practically verbatim before. “Campaign finance reform” from Sanders, “I used to be Secretary of State!” from Clinton, “I’d like some time to speak” from O’Malley. These things kept getting repeated over and over because they have nothing new to add to the conversation. When they ran out of ideas, it was always back to the same thing: The Republicans don’t want these things that we are offering! They suck! There were no new ideas, just the same failed ones that haven’t worked before.

And The Winner Is… Bernie Sanders!

Hillary Clinton had nothing to gain by attacking or shouting back at Bernie Sanders. He had everything to gain by being attacked by her and being on the offensive against her. She was visibly frustrated, and it generated some big cheers for Sanders when he hit her and other Democrats for not being tough enough on Wall Street. All she could do to defend was mention Wall Street bankers paying for ads against her. Sanders has pierced the shield of inevitability much in the same way Trump pierced the shield of inevitability that protected Jeb Bush. In the end, one of those two candidates will be the nominee, and no one expected Bernie Sanders to take off like he has.

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