Lessons From the Democratic Debates

FEATURING JOHN NICHOLS – Over two days this week 20 candidates for the Democratic Presidential nomination battled it out on stage in Detroit, Michigan in a debate sponsored by CNN. On day one, progressive frontrunners Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren successfully fought off reformists’ ideas on healthcare and other issues. On the second day, the top two moderate frontrunners Kamala Harris and Joe Biden had a rematch after clashing weeks ago in the first debate.

CNN came under fire for echoing Republican talking points. Although Sanders and Warren appeared the winners to progressives, the corporate media appeared to remain invested in Joe Biden and some of the other moderate candidates.

Today we’ll ask a long-time election analyst and stalwart progressive what lessons he drew from the debates.

John Nichols, national affairs correspondent for The Nation magazine and host of their new podcast, ‘Next Left,’ featuring interviews with rising progressive politicians who explain how they plan to change the country. He is a contributing writer for The Progressive and In These Times and the associate editor of the Capital Times. He is also the author of numerous books including Horsemen of the Trumpocalypse: A Field Guide to the Most Dangerous People in America (Nation Books) and The Genius of Impeachment (New Press).