CNN Las Vegas, NV Democratic debate @9pm ET **live commentary thread**

[Mr. Morden]

CNN will broadcast the first debate for the Democratic presidential candidates of this cycle, taking place in Las Vegas, and set to run from 9 to 11pm Eastern time.  Anderson Cooper will moderate, assisted by Dana Bash and Juan Carlos Lopez.  Don Lemon will also be relaying some of the questions posed by voters on Facebook and Instagram.  Clinton, Sanders, O’Malley, Webb, and Chafee will all be participating.

While the debate begins at 9, CNN’s coverage begins at 8:30.  Post your live commentary here.  Feel free to post pre-game discussion here in the interim.

[Mr. Morden]

The stage:

[Mr. Morden]

This story seems to suggest that Anderson Cooper will aim more for "interview-style questions individually targeting each candidate", as opposed to "split screen faceoffs in which the candidates go after each other:

http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/11/media/anderson-cooper-democratic-debate-plan/

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Ah, that's what you think Anderson.  Apparently, you haven't been paying attention to Lincoln Chafee.

[Mr. Morden]

Anyway: I don't like this format using podiums and a sound after 1 minute.

I recently watched the Vienna state election debate and all candidates were sitting in chairs in a half-circle and had a chance to talk for a few minutes and then other candidates had a chance to weigh in and discuss an issue with each other.

Was this "coffee-talk" debate format used at all in US presidential debates before, or just podiums ?

This US-style podium discussion with a sound after 1 minute seems very stiff and uninteresting.

I know the VP debate in 2004 used that method, and, I'm sure it's been used in other statewide elections.

I forget if any of the 2012 GOP primary debates were "sit down" debates.  But there were definitely a few "sit down" debates in the 2008 primaries and in earlier cycles, like 2000.  But those debates still tended to have strict time constraints on speaking, so I'm not sure if they really count as "coffee talk" debates.  The 2004 VP debate still used strict time constraints for each candidate, didn't it?

[Mr. Morden]

Matt Yglesias raises a big question(s) about the debate: How much foreign policy will there be, and to what extent will the other candidates go after Clinton on foreign policy?:

http://www.vox.com/2015/10/13/9513369/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-foreign-policy

You must be logged in to read this quote.

But I’m not sure he’ll go that route.  Chafee and Webb are far more likely to play up foreign policy, but I’m not sure how much they’ll single out Clinton for criticism on that score.  I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

[Mr. Morden]

Trump will live-tweet the debate:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/donald-trump-live-tweets-democratic-debate-las-vegas-214689

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

Anyone think that Chafee, O'Malley, Webb will get any serious speaking time?

Even if they only get half the speaking time that Clinton/Sanders get, it'll be enough to triple their name recognition. (slight exaggeration)

Seriously, with only five candidates in a 2 hour debate, everyone will get a decent share of time, at least compared to how much some of the candidates got in the 10 person GOP debates.  And no one on the GOP primetime stage was starting from a name recognition base nearly as low as that of Chafee or Webb.

That said, not all publicity is good publicity.  Chafee or Webb could launch some kind of attack on Clinton that backfires horribly, and gives them huge unfavorable #s.  But hey, at least that would be more interesting than everyone playing nice.

[Mr. Morden]

Chafee should have said that the biggest national security threat is inches and pounds.

[Mr. Morden]

That's also true for the Republicans, but I absolutely agree.

Yeah, the tax thing was an absurd pledge for the Republicans last year.

Last year?

[Mr. Morden]

Total speaking time as of about 7 minutes ago:

https://twitter.com/nprpolitics/status/654122778149392386

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

Webb really enjoyed killing that guy: