Last night MSNBC broadcast the two-hour “First in the South Democratic Presidential Forum” from Rock Hill, South Carolina.[1]
Rachel Maddow, the avowed liberal MSNBC commentator, hosted the separate interviews of the three candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016: Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
I think any objective viewer would have to conclude that this was a more successful format for focusing on the substantive issues than any of the debates for the Republican presidential candidates. The success also owes a lot to Rachel’s intelligence, preparation and skill at questioning.
As a liberal Democrat, I thought all three candidates demonstrated they were qualified to be president.
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[1] Chozick, Bernie Sanders Courts Black Voters at South Carolina Forum, N.Y. Times (Nov. 7, 2015) Lerer & Barrow, With attacks on Clinton, Democratic Race enters new phase, Wash. Post (Nov. 6, 2015) Phillip, Clinton refrains from attacks while bearing the brunt of her opponents,’ Wash. Post (Nov. 6, 2015); Jacobs, Hillary Clinton seeks to outflank liberal rivals at Democratic forum, Guardian (Nov. 7, 2015). The full forum as well as headlined excerpts are available online.