In this episode, we discuss last week’s second round of the Democratic Presidential Debates. How were they different from the first round? Who did well? Who did poorly? Who has a lot more work to do? Have the tiers moved, and is there anyone new that could actually win the Democratic nomination?

Segment 1: What Issues Were Discussed and Not Discussed?

• Healthcare, Medicare for All, the Public Option, Private Insurance
• Immigration, De-Criminalizing the Border, Seeking Asylum vs. Breaking the law
• Gun Violence/Criminal Justice/Prison Reform/Police Reform/Law and Order/Rehabilitation
• The Racial Divide in the US/Trump’s Rhetoric
• Climate Change/Climate Crisis
• Tariffs, Trade Policy, NAFTA 2.0
• Winning Michigan and the Midwest
• Student Loan Debt
• Wage Growth, Pay Inequality, Taxes on the Wealthy
• Foreign Policy, Afghanistan, Iran Nuclear Agreement, North Korea, Policing the World
• Impeaching Trump, Obstruction of Justice, Mueller Report

Segment 2: How Was the Mood Different from the Miami Debates?

• Bernie, Warren, strong liberal policies being defended
• Joe Biden referencing his accomplishments with Obama
• Political strategy and fears of Republican attacks discussed in open
• Was 3 hours long vs. 2 hours in Miami, more time

Segment 3: Who Won the Debates?

• Night 1 – Warren/Sanders vs. The rest
• Night 2 – New vs. Obama

Segment 4: Who “Lost”?

• Dave –
• Courtney –
• Ryan -

Segment 5: Who’s Making the Next Round and What’s Next?

• As of now, there are eight candidates that are eligible for the next debates in Houston on September 12^th and 13^th hosted by ABC News.

• Requirements for September Debates:
  • Polling: Receive 2% support or higher in four different polls between June 28^th and August 28^th. Polls can be conducted nationally or in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and/or Nevada.
  • Donors: Need support of at least 130,000 unique donors, including 400 unique donors per state in at least 20 states.

• Current eligible candidates:
  • Joe Biden
  • Cory Booker
  • Pete Buttigieg
  • Kamala Harris
  • Amy Klobuchar
  • Beto O’Rourke
  • Bernie Sanders
  • Elizabeth Warren

• Close, but not there yet:
  • Andrew Yang – Has donors, 2% on 3 of 4 polls.
  • Julian Castro – Has donors, 2% on 3 of 4 polls.
  • Tulsi Gabbard – Has donors, 2% on 1 of 4 polls.

• Tom Steyer – No on donors, 2% on 2 of 4 polls
• John Hickenlooper – No on donors, 2% on 1 of 4 polls

• All other candidates haven’t reached above 2% in any qualifying polls.

• If a candidate does not qualify for the September debates, what should they do next?

Segment 6: Is There Any Real Daylight Between the Candidates on Policy?

• Obviously, there were a ton of issues covered over the two nights…What stood out to you? Anything different than the last round of debates?

• Again, Vox has a good breakdown from the left of who won/lost.

• Did these debates change your perception of which candidates could defeat President Trump next November?

Segment 7: Looking Ahead to the 2020 Election Calendar

• The Iowa Caucuses will take place on Monday, February 3^rd, followed by the New Hampshire Primary on Tuesday the 11^th.

• The Nevada Caucuses take place on Saturday February 22^nd, and the South Carolina Primary on Saturday the 29^th.

• Super Tuesday, when Colorado will vote along with a significant portion of the country – including California and Texas – is Tuesday, March 3^rd.

Segment 8: Wrap Up

• We have a survey regarding TABOR coming out soon.
• Gun control likely to lead as a top issue after El Paso, Dayton and Gilroy shootings
• Thanks for listening, please give us a good rating,