Memo: Welcome to Debate-A-Palooza #2

It is the night of the bigs.

Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. will be the marquee matchup as the second group of Dem candidates face off tonight.

The Democrats hold round two of their first presidential primary debate in Miami starting at 9:00 pm ET.

Unlike yesterday’s "children's table" debate, featuring the other half of the Democratic field, most of the leading contenders to take on Trump will be on stage tonight.

Though Julian Castro surged and Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, and Beto O'Rourke delivered serviceable performances, only Elizabeth Warren was among the big-hitters.

Sure Tim Ryan has some nice moments as he took a few swipes at the coastal elites that dominate and fund his party, but he should take his "yoga strategy" home and start plans for a statewide campaign.

Warren's performance was well-received and displayed passion, reminding voters she sees an economy that is “doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at a top” but “just not doing great for people who are trying to get a prescription filled”.

Not surprisingly she won loud applause for her defense of Medicare for All.

Looking at tonight’s spectacle the main drama will concern the performance of Joe Biden.

You have to think his closest rivals, including Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg, will want to make the case that Joey B is too old and out-of-touch to justify his frontrunner status.

Will they tread carefully, given the national and cross-party affection Biden enjoys, or look to take him down a notch.

You can't win an election with a good debate performance, but you can certainly lose an election with a poor debate performance.

Also, will Trump get more attention and more jabs tonight?

Mitch McConnell got more airtime and noise than the current occupant of the Oval Office, the ultimate person these Dem candidates need to defeat.

-Marc

Marc A. Ross is an advisor and connector working at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics. Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and thought leaders make better connections and better communications.

Memo: Welcome to Debate-A-Palooza #1

It's here, the first Democrat presidential debate is tonight, just under 500 days before America decides who will be in the White House starting in 2021.

For the next two nights, ten Democrat hopefuls each night (20 total) will meet in heat and humidity of Miami for the first presidential primary debate.

Only 20?

Yes, four or five, maybe more, have been left on the sidelines.

In classic Democrat fashion, Steve Bullock, the sitting governor of very red-state Montana did not meet the showing of polling popularity or fundraising donors. He will be required to watch the spectacle from his television or more likely his tablet screen.

While the Yang Gang and a four-time New York Times number one bestseller under the 'Advice, How To, and Miscellaneous' category will both participate.

The line-ups for each night were decided by drawing straws in an effort to keep each evening in some form of balance.

Regardless, the first debate is being called the "children's table" since it has fewer heavyweights than the second.

Elizabeth Warren, the wonky technocrat Massachusetts senator, ascending in recent polls, will largely be on her own tonight.

With one of the boldest progressive policy agendas hatched beyond the walls of DC think-tanks, Warren is eroding Sanders’ standing as the favorite of the party’s hard to please left wing. Tonight gives Warren a chance to make further gains in what’s likely to be the most widely watched - certainly, the more most covered - campaign event so far.

In terms of popularity, Warren's closest competitor tonight is Beto O’Rourke.

The Texas J.Crew-friendly wunderkind needs to have a good evening - his Vanity Fair, Annie Leibovitz shot cover so far has been the only success he has enjoyed on the campaign trail.

Expect many questions on climate change, immigration, impeachment, tariffs, confrontation with Iran, and the behavior required of being POTUS.

Also, plan for many also-runnings to try desperately for a breakout and land meme-friendly zinger.

Biggest unknowns - will Trump inject himself into the show and will any of the candidates attack Biden even though he’s not onstage?

Plus don't forget Bowling Green State University graduate Representative Tim Ryan.

-Marc

Marc A. Ross is an advisor and connector working at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics. Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and thought leaders make better connections and better communications.

Americans are now spending more time on devices than watching TV

Bloomberg reports, for the first time, US adults this year will spend more time using their mobile devices than they’ll spend watching TV, according to EMarketer Inc. About 70% of that time will be spent on smartphones.

US adults’ TV time will drop nine minutes this year, but their digital-video time will increase by eight minutes, EMarketer estimates. That means the overall time that people spend watching movies, shows and other videos will remain roughly the same.

Full article - here.

https://bloom.bg/2ZM8u1a