Well, Joe Biden is still doing fine in the pre-debate polls.

[MineralMan]

There are poll results threads in this forum, in case you want to see the current results, but Biden's polling still exceeds the combined results of his two closest rivals, and he's still polling at twice the results of his closest competitor, despite attempt to cast doubt on him last week.

So, nothing has really changed, which suggests this:

Democratic primary candidates should stick to telling people what they will do, rather than trying to attack the current poll leader. In this week's early debates, all candidates will have an opportunity to introduce themselves and their ideas to some of the most interested voters in the United States. They should do just that.

Debate viewers are going to be looking for candidates who can present ideas that resonate with them. They will reject any candidate who goes on the attack against any other candidate. We already have an opponent for the 2020 general election. If someone feels a need to attack someone else, they should probably attack Trump.

But, even that is not the best idea. With 10 candidates on the stage each night, time will be short for each question raised by the moderators. Very short. Each candidate should focus tightly on each question and make a case for their approach to each problem. If a question is asked about another candidate, compliment that candidate and then try to differentiate yourself from him or her - in a positive way.

If you're behind the leader, as everyone but Biden is, resist the temptation to try to bring Biden down. It will not work, and will backfire on your own chances. Go for a positive presentation of why you should be considered as people's first choice. That's the only way to improve your post-debate polling results.

That's my advice, as a Democratic primary voter for over 50 years. I know what I want to hear in the debates, and it's not what's wrong with some other candidate. If you tell me that, I'll only learn what's wrong with you. Thanks for your attention.

[Scurrilous]

1. Thanks!

K&R

[Turin_C3PO]

2. Excellent advice.

Hopefully, everyone will stay positive (unless it’s against Trump, of course).

[SouthernProgressive]

3. Punching up has historically been a good tactic in politics....

When one is somewhat unknown or not gaining traction. It doesn't seem to be working when it comes to those going after Biden. People like Sanders have made a whole career off of punching up. As someone who likes Biden a lot I really thought the others punching up at him was going to have a greater impact. I'm glad to see it failing but it's also one of the easier ways for a lower tier candidate to get noticed. Strange times and I think the reason is simple. Few politicians are trusted so no one really cares if they are attacked. They are often thought of as being different than the rest of us. Biden is seen as the rest of us, is well liked and trusted, and is an all around good guy. People don't like seeing him attacked at all.

[MineralMan]

6. It's not a good tactic in the current campaign.

As you say, people like Joe Biden. If a candidate attacks him, they won't stop liking Joe, but they'll start disliking you.

We have a great field of candidates. With only a couple of exceptions, I like them all just fine. My concern is to choose the candidate with the best real odds of beating Trump next November. That person will get my support to become the Democratic nominee. The challenge for all candidates is to convince me you have a better chance against Trump. That's my pivot point.

[SouthernProgressive]

10. My thoughts exactly.

"If a candidate attacks him, they won't stop liking Joe, but they'll start disliking you. "

[BeyondGeography]

4. Not if you're Bill de Blasio

or any number of fringe candidates looking for coverage. I expect Joe will take some shots.

[MineralMan]

7. None of the fringe candidates have any chance whatsoever.

There are maybe four candidates with any chance at all of becoming the nominee.

[BeyondGeography]

9. Right now a much bigger number than that think otherwise

It's unfortunate.

[MineralMan]

12. Well, I can't imagine why they would.

I'm actually amazed at the size of the field. Too many choices.

People like choices, but when there are too many, they tend to automatically block out a bunch of them.

Our brains can't handle the job of choosing among a large field of options. So, the brain winnows the group of options down to a manageable number. Three or four options is all we can manage, really. More than that and our process of selection bogs down, often leading to no choice being made at all.

That's true in any selling environment, and has been proven in study after study. A campaign is no different from any other type of marketing. Right now, the choices are Biden, Sanders, Warren and maybe one other. For most voters, the rest of the field might as well be invisible. The fourth choice? Who knows.

In marketing and sales, three choices is the magic number. Offering three choices increases sales. Offering more or less reduces sales. It's been tested and the results are always the same. In the end, it will come down to three possible candidates for the nomination. It might already have.

[BeyondGeography]

16. It's completely absurd; after six presenters at Clyburn's fish fry people booed

when they were told they had to listen to a dozen more.

But, hey, never underestimate the power of vanity and self-interest. I do know who Andrew Yang is now. And Marianne Williamson. And John Delaney.

[Peacetrain]

5. Good Advice MM..good advice

The debates (at least the second set) should really start to define for all of us how well our different candidates are going to do.. And everyone has a history that will be exploited by the right.. that is just a fact.. Buttigieg who was the the flavor of the month last month is in the deep stuff right now.. (I have faith he will survive this.. he is such a good politician).. and everyone else will too.. so ripping at who ever is the current leader/leaders will only get you someone who has no chance in the world taking on such an incredible amoral person..

[MineralMan]

8. Yes, I'm sorry to see Mayor Pete being bogged down by his local

issues. But, they're real issues that have to do with his real current job. How he handles that situation will have a huge impact on his campaign. I think he will need to take care of that business effectively and satisfactorily for all involved. If he does, it will be a plus for him. If he does not, he might as well withdraw now. People are watching what's going on there in South Bend. How will he do as the executive in that setting? That's what he needs to think about.

[Peacetrain]

11. Exactly... he has such a bright future in politics ahead of him..

He has to handle this situation.. and it will always come back to haunt him, no matter how well he handles it..that is how this game is now played.. and I have faith he can do this.. and it might not work for him this election cycle.. but he is so good.. I really do hope he is as deft in this and connects as well as I think he can..

[MineralMan]

13. Watching him in that public setting in South Bend,

I could see that he was struggling with what to say and what to do. He's in a very, very tight spot, locally, and nationally. What he eventually does about that situation is going to have a huge impact on his campaign. There's a good chance that it's a lose-lose proposition, though.

[Peacetrain]

14. I agree.. I just like the guy and hope the best for him

[MineralMan]

15. Yeah, I do, too.

I really felt for him as he sat there getting pounded by people. It's a highly emotional issue, that shooting of a black man by a local cop. I have no real opinion about that, since I don't have all the facts of what happened. But, emotions are running high in his community, and there is apparently a longstanding race problem in the PD there. That's a common situation all over the country.

People expect him to do something, and right now. He's facing a challenge in his leadership in his own community, while also facing a challenging campaign nationally. I can't imagine being in that position, really.

[Gothmog]

17. Joe Biden is the most electable candidate that the Democratic Party has available

[MineralMan]

18. So it seems to me, as well.

Hence my selection of candidates.

[cwydro]

19. K and r.

[peggysue2]

20. The punching up gets attention

Of course, the question as you've stated is the kind of attention. Some feel that any PR is better than none. I read this week that searches for Cory Booker rose 9.5%. Most of the articles however also mention Joe Biden (the object of Booker's ire), so I'm not sure it worked out as planned. As far as I can tell Booker has not taken a spike up in the polls.

The debates will be interesting. An opportunity for some, not so much for others. We shall see.

[aikoaiko]

21. On the other hand Joe's numbers have taken a hit over the last 30 days due to criticisms.

True, he's still ahead, but you can't say he's not be impacted by the criticisms.

I'm all for being criticizing each others' records as well as touting their own record and ideas.

[IMG][/IMG]

[MineralMan]

22. Well, his lead seems to be pretty darned steady, doesn't it?

If you look at the green track at the bottom of the chart, you'll see that Biden has held a lead during the entire span of the polls. Following a peak, right after Biden announces, his results have been quite even and are really unchanged through June.

The gap between Biden and Sanders, his closest rival, has also tracked quite consistently throughout the polling history. I'm not really seeing any significant changes recently, although Elizabeth Warren is trending upward to challenge for second place. Biden's lead remains higher than the sum of both Sanders and Warren's polling totals, too.

[aikoaiko]

23. Time will tell, but another way of looking at his numbers is the more Joe talks...

...the more he goes down.

[MineralMan]

24. But, you see, he really hasn't gone down since the initial drop

from his peak. The chart makes that quite clear, really.

[ValidateThis]

30. But his numbers haven't "gone down" except after

from a brief announcement spike, same as for the other major candidates.

[wiggs]

25. Agree. Is it too much to hope that the infighting, dem candidate criticism, and punching upward at

poll leaders is just campaign trail histrionics and that with a national debate audience each group of 10 has decided -- along with the DNC -- that the best approach will be unity with respect to 1) positive solutions/ideas, and 2) discussion of the dozens and dozens of transgressions and dangerous behavior by the current administration?

Can dems pull off an actual thought-out, overall strategy together? There are 20 debates worth of administration outrages to talk about and the audience should be reminded of that frequently.

If more people tune in tomorrow and Thursday expecting a food fight but instead get the truth about the administration and what should be done instead...then setting up the expectation might be fine. If people expect a food fight, then merely get one then we will have wasted an opportunity.

[marylandblue]

27. 10 people giving various reasons to hate Trump and nodding their heads at each other's ideas

makes for a pretty boring debate. What's the point? They have to differentiate themselves from each other, not compete.for best Trump zinger of the night.

[stonecutter357]

26. K&R

[LibFarmer]

28. David Sirota is pulling his hair out nt

[NYMinute]

29. K&R nt