ABC and Univision are co-hosting the third Democratic primary debate, and there have been a number of positive reviews (ie. tweets).
Kudos @ABC, the questions tonight have been fantastic.
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) September 13, 2019
When you ask smart questions, you get smart answers.
Kudos to @ABC’s mods for the best first hour of a #DemDebate so far.
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) September 13, 2019
This debate —candidates praising the 44th President is a big plus —as opposed to last debate where @BarackObama took it on the chin. This debate is also head and shoulders above the others so far on substance and interesting moments. Q’s better. Pacing better. https://t.co/muxqAMWZhC
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) September 13, 2019
.@ABC is running a great debate. They learned from the best & worst of the previous two.
— Philippe Reines (@PhilippeReines) September 13, 2019
Seems that ABC has gotten better at getting the candidates to articulate their policy differences without transparently looking like they’re ginning up a food fight. #demdebate
— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) September 13, 2019
ABC just did a little pop-up with a definition of the filibuster — a nice reminder that most people watching are not exactly in the weeds on this shit the way everyone On Here is.
— Amanda Litman (@amandalitman) September 13, 2019
Gotta hand it to ABC News: this is a really well run debate. #DemDebate
— Charlotte Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) September 13, 2019
ABC seems to be quite pleased with the back and forth, so much so that it has flown through commercial breaks.
Interesting that ABC let so much debate time pass before airing commercials. It’s definitely made for better exchanges. #demdebate
— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) September 13, 2019
ABC seems to have blown way past the first scheduled ad break
— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) September 13, 2019
There have been criticisms and negative moments, however.
As ABC was coming out of commercial break at the 10:30 p.m. ET mark, protesters in the back of the auditorium interrupted as Joe Biden was about to answer a question about resilience and personal character. They were removed about 30 seconds later.
Just in: we’re being told by @abc the protestors were chanting about DACA, saying their lives are at risk. #DemDebate #DemocratDebate
— Lindsey Mastis (@LindseyMastis) September 13, 2019
Many were surprised that Sen. Elizabeth Warren seemed to have disappeared a bit during the first half of the debate, which seemed odd considering she’s currently in the top three. Morning Joe’s Mika Brzezinski echoed that sentiment:
Where is Warren?? ABC?
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) September 13, 2019
ABC News apparently just forgot that Elizabeth Warren was on the stage tonight…
— Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) September 13, 2019
It’s almost like the @ABC News moderators forgot @BernieSanders and @ewarren are the #2 and #3 polling candidates. Why are the lowest polling candidates being asked the most questions?? Are the moderators trying to prop them up#DemDebate #DemocraticDebates
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) September 13, 2019
The discussion around climate change, a major issue among Democratic voters, was limited to just seven minutes.
Every one of these debates makes a better case for a climate debate moderated by experts
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) September 13, 2019
Where’s the discussion about the military?, wonders progressive veterans group VoteVets.
Still nothing about Veterans. Or wars. Maybe @ABC forgot a President is the Commander-in-Chief?
— VoteVets (@votevets) September 13, 2019
Katie Couric had some thoughts, including lack of discussion about women’s rights:
Still no mention of Trump’s canceled Taliban meeting at Camp David, women’s rights/abortion, and pay equality. #DemDebate
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) September 13, 2019
Univision anchor Jorge Ramos kicked off the debate by sharing a message in Spanish for the Latino audience. After speaking briefly in Spanish, he said he’d told Latinos: “Despite the fact that we are experiencing difficult times, this is our country, too.”
Univision’s top news personality has received mixed reviews for his performance.
Ramos literally directed Castro to go after Biden, told Biden he had 45 seconds to respond, and then cut him off after about 15.
ABC has let a moderator into this debate who is clearly out there with an agenda.
Pretty awful way to conduct a fair debate.
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) September 13, 2019
Jorge Ramos is an ideologue with extreme views and a clear animosity toward some of these candidates, namely Biden.
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) September 13, 2019
Shameful of ABC to pretend highly partisan @jorgeramosnews is a legitimate “moderator” of a debate.
Hispanic citizens are indeed a treasure to America, and we’re thriving as never before under the growth policies of the #TrumpBoom https://t.co/DbM9PDDvNa
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) September 13, 2019
However, others don’t mind him:
Journalists could notes from @jorgeramosnews in the #DemDebate.
He is asking tough, but fair questions – not to stir drama or seek a gotcha moment – but to hold people accountable to their records and have them answer for it.
His clarity makes it thrilling nonetheless.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 13, 2019
Clone Jorge Ramos so he can be every moderator at every debate. #DemDebate
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) September 13, 2019
Linsey Davis and Jorge Ramos are on it tonight as moderators. #DemDebate
— Lily Herman (@lkherman) September 13, 2019
Conservative opinion personalities predictably haven’t enjoyed the debate overall:
ABC sets up America as a racist country. Not fair. Bad form.
— Bill O’Reilly (@BillOReilly) September 13, 2019
If you want a good laugh watch the comments about the Dem Debate on the @ABC livestream.
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) September 12, 2019
This debate has not been a tangible net-plus for anyone involved. Not any of the 10 candidates, and certainly not for ABC. Disconnect between what moderators felt were important in terms of issues and questions and what the general public truly cares about is stunning #DemDebate
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) September 13, 2019