If you think Delaney was randomly chosen to open the festivities, I've got a bridge to sell you. He's polling at 0.8% and will likely not be in the race much longer.
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper didn't name-drop, but the sentiment was the same when he said:
"I share their progressive values, but I'm a little more pragmatic."
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar piled on with:
"Yes, I have bold ideas, but they are grounded in reality."
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock also contributed a jab when he said:
"Watching that last debate, folks seemed more concerned about scoring points or outdoing each other with wish list economics than making sure Americans know we hear their voices and will help their lives."
This was a full-throated assault designed to establish the night's objective: ambush the progressives so the American public believes they're just a couple of delusional utopian grandparents.
Quoting Truthout:
"Tuesday night's Democratic debate was a CNN-engineered center-right ambush of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren that was so ham-fisted in its conception and execution, it could have been drawn up by Donald Trump himself."
But it didn't work.
Sanders fired back, as did Sen. Warren, who proved she was not out to out-do her progressive colleague but support him by elaborating on his policies with her owd--and turning the tables when she fired back:
"We are the Democrats. We are not about trying to take away health care from anyone. That's what the Republicans are trying to do, and we should stop using Republican talking points in order to talk with each other about how to best provide that healthcare."
Judging by the pre-debate headlines, this is not at all what CNN expected.
Sanders and Warren weren't at each other's throats. They were allies.
And they were not about to fall into the moderates' and moderators' trap.
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