NYMag: "Banished were fears of an unlikable, unrelatable, robotic Clinton:"

Lovely night for Democrats--and for the USA



http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/10/debate-democrats-stop-freaking-out.html#

It’s Time for Democrats to Stop Freaking Out About 2016


By Rebecca Traister




Democratic Presidential Candidates Hold First Debate In Las Vegas
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton at the presidential debate on October 13, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images



Okay, Eeyores, let’s snap out of it. Tuesday night should mark the end of what has felt like an endless phase of Democratic (and media) bed-wetting about Hillary Clinton, the state of the party, and the general grimness of this year’s presidential prospects.

From Las Vegas, we saw what was surely one of the higher-quality debates Democrats (and certainly Republicans) have held in ages, and it was especially good if you were a Hillary Clinton supporter, a Bernie Sanders supporter, a left-of-center Democrat, or anyone who is deeply sick of reading Hillary Clinton’s emails.

Banished were fears of an unlikable, unrelatable, robotic Clinton: Vegas Hillary was relaxed, confident, playful, eager to acknowledge her fellow debaters mostly as allies, with allusions to the years they’d spent together in the political trenches. She even made a joke about how it takes her longer to pee. Yes, she went after Bernie on guns (fairly) and he after her on Iraq (also fairly), but this was a debate; impassioned argument is supposed to be part of the deal. Mostly, Clinton was as loose as she’s been in a while. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her pull off a televised moment as nimbly as she did the one in which moderator Anderson Cooper asked if she wanted to respond to Lincoln Chafee’s long-winded complaint about her email issues and transparency by saying, simply, “No.”

She and Sanders both looked spiffy and happy to be there: Her hair was soft, his brushed. Each seemed to enjoy talking with the other. He gave her the night’s biggest Valentine, with his declaration that “The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails,” but she responded in kind, with genuine gratitude and a warm smile.

The truth is, Sanders has offered Clinton — and Democrats — a million gifts so far this season. Among the most valid fears was that Hillary’s candidacy would go unchallenged, would proceed as a coronation. But the senator from Vermont has already ensured that this won’t be the case. He is a serious challenger, a smart and good man who is probably going to beat her in early states, and perhaps beyond. This is not bad news for Hillary. As tonight’s debate showed, it’s great news. It means there's someone to keep her on her game; no Hillary is worse than a coasting Hillary. It means an engaged electorate and candidates who need to pay attention to the direction in which their party’s voters want to go.................