Then I would really take a good hard look at O'Malley.

I like everything I see and hear from O'Malley.

As well.

but it would be awfully hard to move to someone else. Still, he is the next option.

My 2nd choice is O'Malley

to one of those "raise your hand" questions. Of course a gotcha question that includes the rape and murder of your spouse or a UFO question could persuade me to change my vote as well.

I'm all in for Bernie.

... both sides will say their side won.

I don't particularly back either one, and I want to hear a good discussion.

I am leaning O'Malley but there's a good chance the debates will help me feel good about my second choice, should O'Malley continue to fail to gain traction.

Is going to change their candidate based on their debate performance either.

So what is the purpose of these debates?

And they're good for candidates who haven't been able to grab the limelight.

Most of us here have chosen our side and are too emotionally invested in that side to change it just on the basis of the first debate.

It's the first time that the non-political junkies start paying attention.

But I wonder how long it will take the uncommitted to pick a favorite?

After the debates or not until it's time to vote in their state?

It's just funny to me that we are all in already and great masses of potential voters have not even given 2016 a thought yet.

I imagine most of the 'undecideds' will watch one debate and then make their choice. Whether consciously or not.

I wish wish wish more people were paying the kind of attention that we do, but I know that they aren't. To me it seems reckless and uncaring about your fellow citizens to not care about who is in office, but I try to remember that most everyone has their own hang ups.

As Democrats, it is in our best interest to have the highest voter turnout possible. Bernie Sanders often speaks about this in his speeches; we're supposed to be the greatest democracy in the world and yet most of our eligible citizens do not vote. He wants to greatly expand the US turnout by making voter registration automatic and to make voting day a holiday. I would go further and suggest a national vote by mail system like we have in Oregon, but I don't see that happening soon.

The Republicans however do not want more people voting.

If we paid more than lip service to freedom and democracy it would be.

But SCOTUS and various states are disenfranchising eligible voters even as we speak.

Yeah I guess that would give pause eh?