As the 2020 Democratic presidential field dwindled, so did their apparent prospects at winning the election come November. Friday was witness to the latest installment in banal Democratic Presidential debates and even their greatest allies in the media could not help but take note of its dull nature. So much so, that ABC (the network who hosted the event) shifted into worrisome mode once the debate concluded.
ABC chief White House correspondent Jon Karl rushed to declare a winner in Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) the moment he assumed the floor. He gushed:
I have to say I think this was a breakthrough night for Amy Klobuchar. This was by far her best debate. She took on her opponents, especially Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, but she also made a coherent and forceful case for her candidacy as a Democrat who has won among Democrats but has also won among the voters the Democrats failed to win in 2016. So I thought a very big night for Amy Klobuchar...
Chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz seemed to be at dissonance with Karl’s assessment as she called into question Klobuchar’s ability to ascend in the polls with ABC chief national correspondent Byron Pitts: “Klobuchar has had many moments in debates. She's had some strong debates but she still doesn't seem to move up and, in fact, has faded a bit. Do you think this will take her back up in the polls?”
Pitts was also skeptical as to whether Klobuchar would reap any financial benefits or otherwise from her performance. “You would have to think, if it doesn't what will? I mean, I think most reasonable people would say she may have won tonight, but will it translate into money tomorrow? Will it push her campaign forward,” we wondered.
Then, in what was the most liberally-tinged commentary from an ABC anchor in the post-debate coverage, Byron inserted identity politics into the mix:
Race didn't come up in this debate until about nine minutes in and it came up from Tom Steyer who brought it up and then they engaged. One thing I have to say about all the candidates, when it came to the conversation about race nine minutes in, I thought in some ways all the candidates were tone-deaf. Because so often when they discuss race, it is about the pathology of the black experience not about the black- the dreams of African Americans. Because it came up in their conversation about criminal justice reform. I think that is a blind spot for them that will hurt them down the road.
Gasp! That’s right, folks, a whole nine minutes passed without a racially charged inquiry. It’s a wonder how the producers at ABC would allow such an atrocity to transpire.
Raddatz then, presumably looking for some semblance of reassurance, posed the question to Karl that hung in the back of everyone’s mind. “And Jon Karl just very quickly, we have about 20 seconds here. Do you- who do you think stood out in terms of going after Donald Trump? You deal with Donald Trump every single day,” she posed.
In what must have been a difficult admission, Karl responded with an answer that most-likely no soul at ABC wanted to hear spoken aloud:
First of all, obviously the candidate he feared most early on was Joe Biden, that is not the case anymore and I don't think there was anybody based on tonight's performance that has the Trump campaign quaking in their boots.
The Trump campaign may not be quaking in their boots, but the mainstream media certainly seemed to be.
Transcript below:
ABC NEWS: The Democratic Debate
02/07/20
10:30 p.m. EasternJON KARL: I have to say I think this was a breakthrough night for Amy Klobachar. This was by far her best debate. She took on her opponents, especially Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, but she also made a coherent and forceful case for her candidacy as a Democrat who has won among Democrats but has also won among the voters the Democrats failed to win in 2016. So I thought a very big night for Amy Klobachar...
(....)
MARTHA RADDATZ: Klobachar has had many moments in debates. She's had some strong debates but she still doesn't seem to move up and in fact has faded a bit. Do you think this will take her back up in the polls?
BYRON PITTS: You would have to think, if it doesn't what will? I mean, I think most reasonable people would say she may have won tonight, but will it translate into money tomorrow? Will it push her campaign forward? Tell you what, one of the things that sort of surprised me about tonight as we look at Vice President Biden was that-
RADDATZ: They are clearly enjoying this. Andrew Yang was jumping up and down there for a while.
PITTS: So, Biden isn't expected to do well in New Hampshire. He has to do well in South Carolina which has a larger black vote. Race didn't come up in this debate until about nine minutes in and it came up from Tom Steyer who brought it up and then they engaged. One thing I have to say about all the candidates, when it came to the conversation about race 9 minutes in, I thought in some ways all the candidates were tone deaf. Because so often when they discuss race, it is about the pathology of the black experience not about the black- the dreams of African Americans. Because it came up in their conversation about criminal justice reform. I think that is a blind spot for them that will hurt them down the road.
(....)
RADDATZ: Byron, do you think anybody- or who did it best in that way to prove to voters that they could beat Donald Trump.
PITTS: Frankly, I don't think anyone did a great job of it. I mean, I think they all made usual arguments...
RADDATZ: And Jon Karl just very quickly, we have about 20 seconds here. Do you- who do you think stood out in terms of going after Donald Trump? You deal with Donald Trump every single day.
JON KARL: First of all, obviously the candidate he feared most early on was Joe Biden, that is not the case anymore and I don't think there was anybody based on tonight's performance that has the Trump campaign quaking in their boots.
