Thursday on MSNBC’s post-Democratic presidential debate coverage the panel criticized 2020 presidential hopeful Julián Castro for his “are you forgetting what you said two minutes ago?” snark at his opponent former Vice President Joe Biden on his health care policy.
Anchor Brian Williams fact-checked Castro by saying, “It appears that in fact, Biden did not say that Americans would have to buy into his health care policy.”
Former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said, “I think Castro is hurt. I think he was trying to swing for the fences.”
She added, “I’m not sure anything tonight moved the needle except I think Castro offended people the way he did that. And it won’t surprise me if it helps Biden.”
Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson said, “I think you understate the damage that Castro did to himself tonight. He would have lost a lot of support if he had a lot of support to lose. He didn’t. He had a little support. I think it’s basically over. He took a shot. It was not a good shot. And it just really went over like a lead balloon. That was a bad, bad moment for him.”
Network host Joy Reid said, “I think because you run in campaigns you know the likability argument in politics normally gets thrown at women. When you’re running a campaign having worked on the press side, you have to always remember who is likable among your opponents and why they are likable. I think that going after Biden is smart in the sense that he is at the top. If you want to get at the top, you have to take him on. You have to remember people like Joe Biden. Joe Biden is not Donald Trump, who is an unlikeable figure to most people. People like Joe Biden.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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