Overall this was a better debate than last night with much more forceful presentations from this group of candidates. Anyone notice that last night they barely mentioned Trump but tonight they were all over him like a cheap suit? I can't wait for the poor me they're being so mean to me tweets tomorrow morning.
On the candidates:
Harris will gain the most from this debate. I've not been impressed with her at times in the past, over her reparations comments, Jussie Smollett, not answering questions directly, etc. But tonight she killed it, and perhaps more importantly, she took a bite out of the front runner. Also loved her first answer when asked how democrats were going to pay for their programs, which was basically why does no one ever ask how the GOP pays for the massive tax cuts for the wealthy? Indeed. Her polling gains will be at Biden's expense. She's heading for second place after tonight.
Buttigieg was of course outstanding, but then he always is. I am convinced he's the best communicator of political messaging of his generation. The only knock is he sometimes can be a little too calm, a little too low key. But when asked about the policing situation in South Bend, he showed real emotion, personal pain, and he owned the situation instead of running away from it. Like Biden did trying to defend his record on busing with "state's rights." Another good moment for him was in addressing the GOP's religious hypocrisy over supporting Trump's inhumane border policies. I don't think it was a breakout performance like we saw with Harris so his needle will either stay the same or, more likely, rise a little bit.
Gillibrand was a bit all over the map, rifling off lots of ideas but it didn't really all cohere for me. Still, she probably helped herself a little here simply because she's trailing pretty distantly and the mere fact she was able to talk as much as she did will raise her profile. She's clearly positioning herself as the "women's candidate."
Bernie Sanders was Bernie Sanders. He always says the same things with the same gruff angry passion. Perhaps consistency is a virtue here. But nothing he did will make people who don't like him, like him, or vice versa.
For the most part Biden accomplished what he wanted to which was just to not screw up and seem like the brain addled has-been that Trump has been portraying him as. But he blew it big time when Harris went after him on busing. And that's going to cost him with black voters especially. It only remains to be seen by how much.
Winners: Harris, Buttigieg, Gillibrand (in that order).
Loser: Biden.
All others are staying wherever they are, which in many cases is nowhere.