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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 10/11/15

Battle Lines Are Being Drawn for First Democratic Debate

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Message Scott Galindez

Reprinted from Reader Supported News


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Listen carefully to all the candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for president. Well, listen to Hillary and Joe -- Bernie is staying on message, and unless you attend their events you won't hear what the other Democrats are saying. Hillary and Joe are testing lines they hope can score points for them in the debate.

Joe Biden

I know, he hasn't announced yet, but ...

I think Joe Biden's implication that he was a realist, not a populist like Bernie Sanders, was a sign that he is planning to jump into the race and challenge the feasibility of Bernie's proposals. It won't work with Bernie's base, but it could impact those on the fence who like what Bernie has to say but wonder if he can make his plans a reality. Aside from that, I haven't really heard much from Biden that indicates which direction he wants the debate to go.

I do know that back in February the vice president spoke in Des Moines and said the candidates should run on the Obama administration's record. In a lengthy speech at Drake University, he touted the administration's accomplishments. If Biden jumps into the race I would expect that to be the theme of his campaign, and what he will focus on in the debate.

Martin O'Malley

The former governor of Maryland will take aim at Bernie Sanders early and often. He has called Sanders a protest candidate, and he ran a web ad attacking Sanders' positions on gun control. For O'Malley to gain traction he has to open up some space to the left of Clinton, space that is now occupied by Bernie Sanders. O'Malley's theme is "Action, not Words." He is implying that as governor he got progressive things done, unlike the other candidates, who have proposed things but not had success in implementing their proposals.

Bernie should fire back and say "if I had been the governor of Vermont, I could have signed a lot of progressive legislation too, but as a US senator in Washington's gridlock it's not that easy." Bernie should go on to say that he is running for president to bring fundamental changes to Washington.

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