Debate Predictions

With the Democratic party debates just a bit over a week away, I suppose it’s time to make some predictions.  We’ll see how I do.
With 20 candidates participating, the odds are high that somebody will totally screw the pooch.  I think it likely it will be Andrew Yang.  It won’t be Bernie, because Bernie will just stick to his talking points.  Since he always says the same things, it’s unlikely that he’ll slip up.  If it’s Delaney, or Hickenlooper, or one of the other unknown candidates, it will make no difference.  If it’s Biden, the press will call it a gaffe and sweep it under the rug as soon as possible.  Ditto with Warren, Harris, or Buttigieg.
I predict that Rachel Maddow will at least seem to be taking her job seriously.  Most of the questions will be policy related.  However, they will be softballs.  For all candidates except Bernie and Tulsi.  Doesn’t matter.  Bernie and Tulsi are the only two who are used to dealing with hostile interviewers.  They will shine.
There will not be nearly enough questions about the environment, just enough so they can later say they don’t need to have a separate debate dedicated to it.
Of course, as with any debate, the reaction to it will be as important as the debate itself.  The media will try to announce that Biden won, or Warren.  Some will believe them.  Some won’t.
Bottom line:  I don’t think the first debate is going to dramatically change anything.