The Democratic forum in South Carolina was a huge success and much of
the credit should go to Rachel Maddow for showing the rest of the media
how it should be done.
Maddow started with Martin O’Malley, and it was immediately
noticeable that she intended to let these candidates talk. O’Malley was
asked about why Democrats are not being successful in the South; he
didn’t answer, so Maddow asked him the question again. O’Malley offered
up his notion that Democrats need to talk about their ideas, framing,
and sticking to their message.
The discussion moved to Obama’s rejection of Keystone. O’Malley tried
to ding Clinton for being late to opposing Keystone XL. Maddow reminded
O’Malley that the polling supported Keystone. Maddow asked O’Malley if
his progressive agenda went too fast too far. O’Malley dodged the
question about his legacy, so Maddow asked again what it says if
O’Malley left the state more Republican after his term ended. O’Malley
spun the question to a discussion of his legacy and his accomplishments
in Maryland.
Maddow did a little lightning round, but her questions were smart and
revealing, not the “gotcha” questions that Republicans complain about
so often. A viewer question was asked if the draft should come back and
war tax imposed. O’Malley disagreed with the draft but supported a war
tax and then launched into how Bush falsely led the country into war in
Iraq and did not pay for it. Rachel Maddow asked about his viability and
O’Malley gave the stock answer about how he has come back from deficits
in the polls with less time to campaign. O’Malley took several shots at
Bernie Sanders and painted him as not a real Democrat.
During the Bernie Sanders segment, Maddow pressed Sanders on gun
control and how his campaign can connect with African-American voters in
South Carolina. Rachel Maddow asked about the challenges that his
campaign is facing and that African-American voters in South Carolina
don’t know him well enough. Sanders said he believes that he can
convince African-American voters that he is their candidate, because of
his civil rights record. He said, “I think I have the economic and
social justice agenda now that once we get the word out will resonate
with the African-American community.”
Unlike Martin O’Malley, who came before him at this event, Sanders
did not dodge the questions. Sen. Sanders called out the media for
begging him to attack Hillary Clinton. Sanders said that unlike
Republicans who attack each other in stupid and destructive ways, he and
Clinton are having a substantive debate.
Sanders was asked what his dream job would be if he weren’t a
politician; he said he would be president of CNN because the way the
media talks about politics would immediately change.
During the Hillary Clinton segment, Rachel Maddow asked Clinton what
she would say to African-American voters who are wondering if their
opportunity for meaningful change had passed. Clinton discussed her
record and said that President Obama doesn’t get the credit for the
great job that he has done. Clinton said that wanted to build on Obama’s
success and go further. Hillary Clinton said, “I want to be the
president for the struggling, the striving, and the successful.”
Maddow asked Clinton about her support for the death penalty and
asked her if she would be disappointed if the Supreme Court struck down
the death penalty. Clinton said no, and that she thinks states should
take a hard look at the death penalty and that many states have gone too
far. She said she has questions about removing the federal death
penalty for terrorists and that there are some really heinous crimes
that should still potentially have the death penalty.
Rachel Maddow’s questions were intelligent, well researched, and went
deeper than anything asked during the presidential debates. Maddow
didn’t let the Democratic candidates rely on their talking points and
stump speeches, and the result was the best 90+ minutes of the televised
portion of the early presidential campaign.
The great irony is that Maddow delivered the very kind of forum that
the Republican candidates are claiming that they want out of the
debates, but all of the Republican pretender candidates are afraid to
be interviewed by Maddow.
The South Carolina Democratic forum wasn’t a debate, but it was
better than all of the Republican 'debates' combined, and much of credit
for the success of the event should go to Rachel Maddow and her staff.
