Commentators: Who won the Democratic debate

Democratic candidates for president took part in their party's fifth debate on Wednesday night in Atlanta and CNN commentators weighed in. The opinions expressed in these commentaries are those of the authors.

Paul Begala: Buttigieg was the winner

After spending all day watching Republican congressmen (and one Republican congresswoman) during the impeachment hearings mindlessly denying the Everest of evidence of Donald Trump's alleged criminality, the Democratic debate was like a wake-up call from the real world.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders stayed true to form, pushing Medicare for All and a wealth tax. Kamala Harris was a sharp and incisive prosecutor, rhetorically eviscerating Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard over her criticism of Barack Obama and other Democrats. It makes you long to see Harris carve up Donald Trump on a debate stage. Later, on foreign policy, she quipped, "Donald Trump got punked," and then cited chapter and verse on how our President has been bamboozled on North Korea and all around the world.

Joe Biden was at his Obamaesque best when he disavowed liberals chanting "Lock Him Up" at Donald Trump. He called for accountability, both in impeachment and at the ballot box.
But he pointedly refused to politicize his Justice Department the way Trump has. And good for him. As my friend David Axelrod has noted, when we replace a President it is because we want the remedy, not the replica.