Joe Henderson
If you believe the polls are accurate, then Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Nevada is a high-stakes showdown of grumpy old men.
We start with the presumed front-runner, 78-year-old Bernie Sanders, who gets his first chance to directly confront 78-year-old challenger Mike Bloomberg. That’s against the backdrop of 77-year-old Joe Biden’s attempt to prove that no, really, seriously, he can beat President Donald Trump.
Those storylines top the list of Extremely Important Things Democrats of all stripes will watch as these lions in winter go at it. Is Bloomberg ready for his close-up?
Bloomberg is not on the ballot for the Feb. 22 Nevada caucuses, but he is on the debate stage for the first time. That alone likely ensures a huge audience to watch the fireworks.
So, what can we expect?
Bloomberg will be hit hard and often about the “stop-and-frisk” policy he authorized as Mayor of New York City. Police randomly picked out anyone who looked suspicious for harassment and a warrantless search. Those “suspicious” targets were black or Latino.
Data showed an overwhelming number of those stopped had no weapon and offered no apparent threat to the officers – threat being the key. An officer was supposed to feel threatened before stopping and frisking.
Bloomberg’s response: Sorry. It was wrong. Seriously, it was a mistake. I really mean that. Bad idea. Shouldn’t have done it. Would never do it again. I apologize. Really, really, really, really sorry.
The other Democratic candidates’ response: Pffffffffffftttt. You did it, pal, you own it.
Bloomberg has a reputation for being a bit prickly when confronted. Well, he’s about to be confronted as never before. His reputation for sexist and demeaning comments to women and employees may come up once, twice, or 50 times. Everyone will be watching to see how he reacts.
Oh, and there’s that whole line of attack from Sanders that Bloomberg is trying to buy the election. Bloomberg’s estimated net worth is $62 billion, which means the $124 million he has dropped on a blizzard of TV ads is a spit in the bucket.
Is Sanders’ complaint about billionaires trying to buy the White House (see Trump, Donald) legit or sour grapes? He’ll get to make his point, and probably will have a lot of support on that issue from the other candidates on the stage.
That brings us to Biden.
Yes, he face-planted in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Let’s go to the history books though because comebacks do happen.
In 1992, a centrist Democrat named Bill Clinton lost 12 of 15 primaries and caucuses before blitzing through Super Tuesday en route to the nomination and the presidency.
Yes, Biden’s poll numbers are slipping, along with the belief that he is the best chance to beat Trump. A strong showing in the debate could reverse that trend.
As for everyone else, let’s keep a few things in mind.
Elizabeth Warren still is reputed to have the best ground game and organization in the remaining states, although Bloomberg is ramping up on that front.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg can still hold on to the idea that Democrats need fresh faces more than grumpy old men. As an aside, Rush Limbaugh’s comment about the image of Pete kissing his husband was so out of line that even Trump disavowed it.
Refresh my memory: Did Limbaugh have anything to say when Trump’s “grab ‘em by the ….” quip made news?
Amy Klobuchar continues to win debates and influence people, but she needs big money to quickly ramp up in Super Tuesday states. This is probably her last chance to pry open the kind of wallets that can keep her in the race for the long haul.
Finally, keep this in mind. Despite the screeching and hyperbole coming out of Iowa and New Hampshire, only 64 delegates have been awarded. Here’s a number to keep in mind: 3,915.
That’s how many delegates remain up for grabs.
