It was Bernie’s toughest night as well

As everybody was expecting the first appearance on a debate stage by Mike Bloomberg was going to see him as the main target by the other leading contenders in the race. This is how the New York Times is reporting it:

 “The Democratic presidential candidates turned on one another in scorching and personal terms in a debate on Wednesday night, with two of the leading candidates, Senator Bernie Sanders and Michael R. Bloomberg, forced onto the defensive repeatedly throughout the evening. In his first appearance in a presidential debate, Mr. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, struggled from the start to address his past support for stop-and-frisk policing and the allegations he has faced over the years of crude and disrespectful behavior toward women. Time and again, Mr. Bloomberg had obvious difficulty countering criticism that could threaten him in a Democratic Party that counts women and African-Americans among its most important constituencies.“

Sanders was pressured strongly on his medical history and the virulence of many of his online supporters. If Bloomberg hadn’t been there this, likely would have been the story of the night. All the other contenders with the exception of Klobuchar and Biden should feel happy with their performances.

On Saturday the Nevada caucuses taken place and next week we have yet another debate ahead of the South Carolina primary,

Mike Smithson