Grade Bruce Braley's campaign

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Is there any truth to the rumor that Braley utterly humiliated Ernst at tonight's debate (especially when Ernst denied climate change)?

[Pandaguineapig]

Is there any truth to the rumor that Braley utterly humiliated Ernst at tonight's debate (especially when Ernst denied climate change)?

Most of the analysis believes it to be a slight edge for Ernst

[JRP1994]

Is there any truth to the rumor that Braley utterly humiliated Ernst at tonight's debate (especially when Ernst denied climate change)?

Partially.

• Ernst admitted that she does not understand the science behind climate change, yet believes that it exists.
• Ernst cited CAP AND TRADE as an example of a federal law that hurts Iowans.
• This exchange:
     > Braley accuses Ernst of being a Koch puppet
     > Ernst says that Braley isn't running against the Koch bros, he's running against her
     > Braley retorts that Obama isn't on the ballot in Iowa - he is
     > Braley says that if elected, Ernst will owe everything to the Koch bros
• Ernst said that her support of a personhood amendment was just "a statement" that she is "in favor of life".

[Lief 🗽]

Ernst certainly came off a right-wing idiot at the debate. But no one watches these things and she didn't say anything so damaging that you could put it in a game-changing attack ad.

[Bojack Horseman]

If he wins: D- Barely passing, but didn't fail. If he loses, F

[njwes]

Is there any truth to the rumor that Braley utterly humiliated Ernst at tonight's debate (especially when Ernst denied climate change)?

Where'd you find that rumor, DailyKos?

The debate was basically a series of back and forth attacks that have already been trotted out ad nauseum. Little real substance. Ernst handled the questions on abortion and climate change fairly well IMO--if she was going to utter some game-changing idiotic comment, it would have been then.

Still, two more debates ahead and two more chances for major gaffes!

[Keystone Phil]

Is there any truth to the rumor that Braley utterly humiliated Ernst at tonight's debate (especially when Ernst denied climate change)?

Ah! Great to hear Ernst won!

[Suburbia]

D

[dmmidmi]

F. His campaign has been Ken Buck-level awful. This is a race where he had a very, very clear advantage that he has all but completely pissed away. It doesn't even matter whether or not he wins--his campaign shouldn't be considered anything but a complete and total failure. Had he run even a C-level campaign, he would be in a position that looks a little bit like where Gary Peters is right now.

O'Donnell and Alvin Greene wouldn't have gotten a grade, because she handed in an incomplete assignment. Akin and Murdock would've gotten a grade of zero, because their assignments contained something that negated even receiving a grade.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Unfortunately, the media's support of Ernst doesn't help matters.

[Suburbia]

Still a D.

[Lief 🗽]

I don't really know that he did that much wrong. He made a pretty bad gaffe in the summer, I guess. But otherwise his campaign has been fine. Nothing inspiring obviously, but not godawful. The problem has been that the media's been in the tank for Ernst because she's photogenic and has a compelling personal story, and so they've been eager to attack Braley over the dumbest non-stories but completely unwilling to actually discuss Ernst's extremist positions.

[Mehmentum]

C-.

He hasn't done as badly as Udall, and not nearly as badly as Terri Land.

[politicus]

I don't really know that he did that much wrong. He made a pretty bad gaffe in the summer, I guess. But otherwise his campaign has been fine. Nothing inspiring obviously, but not godawful. The problem has been that the media's been in the tank for Ernst because she's photogenic and has a compelling personal story, and so they've been eager to attack Braley over the dumbest non-stories but completely unwilling to actually discuss Ernst's extremist positions.

Yes, its a paradox that someone as radical as Ernst (probably) gets elected in a state as moderate as Iowa.

[Bigby]

Baxter Barney barely gets a D.

[Maxwell]

C-.

He hasn't done as badly as Udall, and not nearly as badly as Terri Land.

When you put in perspective, you're right, Braley hasn't run the worst campaign of the year. Still, he dug his own grave with some comments in the summer and that painted a picture of an elitest, which perfectly contrasted with Ernst obviously not being an elitest. Braley and Romney should join a club of candidates who got obliterated by themselves.

[Person Man]

I don't really know that he did that much wrong. He made a pretty bad gaffe in the summer, I guess. But otherwise his campaign has been fine. Nothing inspiring obviously, but not godawful. The problem has been that the media's been in the tank for Ernst because she's photogenic and has a compelling personal story, and so they've been eager to attack Braley over the dumbest non-stories but completely unwilling to actually discuss Ernst's extremist positions.

Yes, its a paradox that someone as radical as Ernst (probably) gets elected in a state as moderate as Iowa.

There are a lot of parallels between Colorado and Iowa both states are very moderate and are about to elect pretty reactionary candidates based on the campaign being about their opponent's faults or all about them despite them not being the incumbent. The opponents are seem to have an "Obama" factor. That is, initially unassuming candidates developing a cult-like following in the media, amongst the voters and in public policy circles.  

C-.

He hasn't done as badly as Udall, and not nearly as badly as Terri Land.

When you put in perspective, you're right, Braley hasn't run the worst campaign of the year. Still, he dug his own grave with some comments in the summer and that painted a picture of an elitest, which perfectly contrasted with Ernst obviously not being an elitest. Braley and Romney should join a club of candidates who got obliterated by themselves.

Who are the Todd Akins of 2014? Land and Udall?

[Maxwell]

I don't really know that he did that much wrong. He made a pretty bad gaffe in the summer, I guess. But otherwise his campaign has been fine. Nothing inspiring obviously, but not godawful. The problem has been that the media's been in the tank for Ernst because she's photogenic and has a compelling personal story, and so they've been eager to attack Braley over the dumbest non-stories but completely unwilling to actually discuss Ernst's extremist positions.

Yes, its a paradox that someone as radical as Ernst (probably) gets elected in a state as moderate as Iowa.

There are a lot of parallels between Colorado and Iowa both states are very moderate and are about to elect pretty reactionary candidates based on the campaign being about their opponent's faults or all about them despite them not being the incumbent. The opponents are seem to have an "Obama" factor. That is, initially unassuming candidates developing a cult-like following in the media, amongst the voters and in public policy circles.  

C-.

He hasn't done as badly as Udall, and not nearly as badly as Terri Land.

When you put in perspective, you're right, Braley hasn't run the worst campaign of the year. Still, he dug his own grave with some comments in the summer and that painted a picture of an elitest, which perfectly contrasted with Ernst obviously not being an elitest. Braley and Romney should join a club of candidates who got obliterated by themselves.

Who are the Todd Akins of 2014? Land and Udall?

There isn't really a Todd Akin in a truly vile Todd Akin sense, but the closest we get to a tremendous flop in a potential pick-up area is Terri Land.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I don't really know that he did that much wrong. He made a pretty bad gaffe in the summer, I guess. But otherwise his campaign has been fine. Nothing inspiring obviously, but not godawful. The problem has been that the media's been in the tank for Ernst because she's photogenic and has a compelling personal story, and so they've been eager to attack Braley over the dumbest non-stories but completely unwilling to actually discuss Ernst's extremist positions.

Yeah, the media's been pretty much in the tank for Ernst