Democratic debate: Twitter reacts to candidates, calls for more topics

I don't understand why political candidates rely on platitudes and cliches so much.

If they could speak plainly and honestly, they would have so much more traction with the American people.

— Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) September 13, 2019

The main thing this debate has convinced me of so far is that the top three are all vulnerable in real ways.

I'd be surprised if someone outside that group didn't get a serious look over the course of the next months.

— Yascha Mounk (@Yascha_Mounk) September 13, 2019

Two hours in, and not one question about the economy.

— Matthew Continetti (@continetti) September 13, 2019

An incomplete list of major issues that did not get questions in this debate: abortion, the Supreme Court, Iran, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, campaign finance, Wall Street/corporate culture/regulation

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) September 13, 2019

This resilience series is best part of debate. Both Biden and Warren very strong…

— Mike Murphy (@murphymike) September 13, 2019

I don't think this debate is going to lead to any sharp, enduring changes. I do have to wonder if Biden's halting unevenness will eventually undermine his electability argument, to the point where he won't have the resilience to survive the unfavorable early calendar he faces

— Kyle Kondik (@kkondik) September 13, 2019

we gonna go a whole debate w/out abortion question?

— Astead (@AsteadWH) September 13, 2019

One big thing still not brought up at this debate, that is almost always discussed when you ask why Never Trump Republicans voted for Trump, the federal judges and the Supreme Court #DemDebate

— Melissa Holzberg DePalo (@MelissaHDePalo) September 13, 2019

Yes - policy is critical. But now more than ever, I think, voters want to see the candidates as a human beings who can be empathetic and emotional and real. So sometimes “softball” questions do matter. A lot.

— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) September 13, 2019

Let's do this again next month. Except — hear me out on this one — how about instead of doing it once, we do it twice?

— Steven Shepard (@Politico_Steve) September 13, 2019

Biden's most recent answer seems to acknowledge that Vice Presidents don't actually do a lot.

— Ben Smith (@semaforben) September 13, 2019

In past debates Biden has stopped talking the second his time was up, even if it was mid sentence. This time, he said he is going over his time just like everyone else on the stage does.

— Caitlin Huey-Burns (@CHueyBurns) September 13, 2019

that captured a lot of Biden, both some incoherence, jumping at several different ways of coming at the question, but coming back to something very core and genuine, compelling.

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 13, 2019

Warren flips the narrative on this on the rebuttal, praising Obama's efforts on Obamacare. "And now the question is how best can we improve on it?" She says the best way is the most coverage at the lowest possible cost w/ the richest paying more. #DemDebate3

— Ali Vitali (@alivitali) September 13, 2019

But on gun issues, like other issues, Elizabeth Warren consistency demonstrates the most clear thoughtful and effective policy ideas and agendas, #demdebate

— Jim Wallis (@jimwallis) September 13, 2019

Warren repeating the bad stuff about using trade deals to force poor countries to meet standards they can't meet. Sigh.

— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) September 13, 2019

Gotta say this: Bernie, with his endless shouting, reminds me of my boyhood and of a relative I was always afraid they'd make me sit next to at the Passover Seder.

— Clyde Haberman (@ClydeHaberman) September 13, 2019

Kamala Harris is masterful at saying a lot of words in a row that sound like an answer but, in fact, do not mean anything when you put them all together.

— Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) September 13, 2019

Harris loves laughing at her own jokes

— Carlos Lozada (@CarlosNYT) September 13, 2019

cory booker seems to just have a lot of fun running for president

— Rachel Cohen (@rmc031) September 13, 2019

Cory Booker has been fantastic tonight

— Michael Wear (@MichaelRWear) September 13, 2019

Klobuchar is once again put in the position by a moderator to call out specific folks on the stage who she disagrees with. This time, she goes for it, contrasting herself with Sanders on healthcare. He may have wrote the damn bill, she quips, "but I read it." #DemDebate3

— Ali Vitali (@alivitali) September 13, 2019

"While Bernie wrote the bill, I read the bill." "Houston, we have a problem." Klobuchar landing some lines, as she tries to generate some enthusiasm in Iowa as a moderate Midwesterner.

— Robert Costa (@costareports) September 13, 2019

Klobuchar has really appealed to me tonight on substance if not style, so she must be having a terrible night.

— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) September 13, 2019

Beto O'Rourke echoing the work of @nhannahjones and says the real founding of this country was on August 20, 1619 when kidnapped African people were brought to what would become the United States.

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) September 13, 2019

This is the @AndrewYang that’s surprised pundits. Asked about immigration “My father grew up on a peanut farm in Asia..and now his son is running for President...Almoat half of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or children of immigrants”

— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) September 13, 2019

This Castro attack might have landed better if (a) he hadn’t made that indelicate remark about Biden “forgetting” what he’d said and (b) he hadn’t used it in the last debate.

— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) September 13, 2019

Wow, @JulianCastro has a single-minded strategy of going after @JoeBiden. It’s starting to take on a weird combination of desperate and mean.

— Jennifer Duffy (@jennifereduffy) September 13, 2019

Julian Castro is adopting a risky strategy with his brutal attacks on Joe Biden tonight. It could pay off. But I’m also having Chris Christie 2016 flashbacks.

— Rebecca Buck (@RebeccaBuck) September 13, 2019