Which Dems will perform the best or the worst during the 2020 primary debates?

[Barack Oganja]

We've seen potential nominees such as Biden and Sanders debate extensively. We haven't seen contenders such as Harris, Gillibrand, Booker, Klobuchar, Warren, Brown, etc. debate as much on a national stage, if at all. Which likely 2020 contenders will perform the best during debates? Who is most likely to have a Rubio moment? 

[Mr. Morden]

Did any of them have any particularly good or bad moments in their debates for previous offices, like US Senate?

Also, welcome to the forum.

[tosk]

my gut tells me booker is the most likely to have a rubio moment. Not so much with Gillibrand or Harris.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Booker without a doubt. Harris and Gillibrand are actually pretty decent speakers, and they're far more authentic than Booker and Rubio.

[Mr. Morden]

Here’s Booker’s debate from the 2013 Democratic primary for his US Senate seat:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?314347-1/jersey-senate-democratic-candidates-debate

Harris-Sanchez debate from 2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Ld4FJTra0

Elizabeth Warren - Scott Brown debate from 2012:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoenS34fF2s

(The very first question in that debate is about the Native American ancestry question btw.)

Gillibrand-Long debate from 2012:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?308820-1/york-senate-debate

Klobuchar-Bills debate from 2012:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7paES4lzSqU

All of you have the homework of watching all of those videos (or at least the parts of said debates in which the victors are speaking) to give you a better idea of what to expect in the presidential primary debates next year.

[Barack Oganja]

Did any of them have any particularly good or bad moments in their debates for previous offices, like US Senate?

Also, welcome to the forum.

Thanks for digging up the footage, kind of fun to see all those senators before they made it big, and thanks for the welcome

[henster]

Harris & Booker have the most experience debating other Dems so I'd think naturally they'd perform well. A good number of potential candidates have never had a competitive primary so it'd be a new experience having to actually debate other Dems.

[Mr. Smith]

Here’s Booker’s debate from the 2013 Democratic primary for his US Senate seat:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?314347-1/jersey-senate-democratic-candidates-debate

Harris-Sanchez debate from 2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Ld4FJTra0

Elizabeth Warren - Scott Brown debate from 2012:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoenS34fF2s

(The very first question in that debate is about the Native American ancestry question btw.)

Gillibrand-Long debate from 2012:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?308820-1/york-senate-debate

Klobuchar-Bills debate from 2012:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7paES4lzSqU

All of you have the homework of watching all of those videos (or at least the parts of said debates in which the victors are speaking) to give you a better idea of what to expect in the presidential primary debates next year.

Contexts change greatly though, and in most cases the stakes are higher. (Especially for Harris, because Sanchez was pathetic)

Trying to gauge in this case, well, Obama didn't have that great a performance in the early 2008 primaries. I'm sorry but he didn't, even with all that charisma behind him

Or how about Trump, telegenic as heck, could confidently say "you're fired"...hit the nail on the head in style and even substance at times in the GOP primaries...then he sniffled up against Hillary...hmmm

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Disappointments -

Sherrod Brown - Low minority and youth appeal. Great V.P. pick, but I don't think he'll get far in the primaries.

Luis Gutierrez - He won't go far beyond his niche. Bernie will strongly win over the youth, while Harris and or Booker win over minorities.

Honorable Mentions -

Kirsten Gillibrand - I don't think she'll be the nominee, but she has a strong chance to be the "Me Too" and Feminism face of the Democratic primaries.

Terry McAuliffe - Of course, it's unlikely he'll be the nominee, but I think McAuliffe has the establishment Democrat resources to pull off a really strong campaign. He'll try to appeal to Progressives, Minorities, and the Youth (and fail to do so), but he'll lose with an expensive and loud campaign.

Best Performer -

Bernie Sanders - As much as I dislike the man's agenda, I must admit that if he runs for the nomination; he will be our nation's Reagan. I think if he runs, the nomination is ultimately immediately his. It'll be his 2016 campaign on steroids.