Detroit Free Press

No doubt, Sunday night’s Democratic debate in Flint was decidedly more civil than Thursday’s GOP in Detroit.

And it was decidedly more local to Michigan, with CNN launching the debate with questions about the Flint water crisis and later asking the candidates to address education in Detroit.

So who won? Who flubbed? Who would better handle debating current GOP front-runner Donald Trump? We watched the GOP debate on our live blog with TONS of viewers and two real-life debate coaches. Kelly Young, director of forensics (speech and debate) at Wayne State University and Aaron Kall, director of debate at the University of Michigan, offered their commentary on the candidates.

Read our live blog and see our vote on who won the debate.

THIS DEBATE BEGAN A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN THE GOP DEBATE

YOUNG: While the number of people on stage helps, this format with the questions from the audience and focused on local issues to speak to broader national issues really seems to impact the nature of this debate. Had the debate started with questions about email accounts and gun control, it would have developed very differently.

SANDERS KIND OF AGGRO

KALL: Sanders has been tougher/more aggressive tonight than in all previous debates

And maybe that's not such a good thing.

YOUNG: Sanders should handle Clinton's disruptions less aggressively — it does not come off well as the audience reaction demonstrates.

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ADVANTAGE = HILLARY

YOUNG: Hilary is just so polished. Very hard to beat in a debate. A debate between her and Trump would be like the Pistons playing the Globetrotters.

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ADVANTAGE = BERNIE

KALL: Many of Sanders' debate responses are much more concise and tight. Clinton has much more nuance and caveats with her answers.

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BACK TO THE FUTURE!

YOUNG: Would enjoy if the debate moved out of the 1990s and more on what each candidate will do as president and how they will work with congress to make these agendas happen.

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WHO WON THE DEBATE?

KALL: Sanders missed out. The potential of Sanders taking a sharper tone on the debate stage with Clinton didn't really materialize tonight. He interrupted her on a few occasions, but demurred when presented with the opportunity to go for the jugular a few different times. Sanders was funny and closed very strongly on the religion question. Unfortunately, he likely did little to alter the trajectory of the race in Michigan or nationally. Sanders made his best attempt to date to connect with African-American audience members and viewers, but his deficit may be insurmountable at this late date. Clinton was strongest when the subject shifted to gun control and the auto industry bailout, which further aligning herself to the agenda of President Obama. She similarly used the subject of religion to personally connect with the debate crowd and those watching at home.

YOUNG: There were several winners Sunday night

State of Michigan and the cities of Detroit and Flint: The debate had a sharp focus on the issues facing the state and these cities and both candidates responded well to the challenge, providing specific answers and building off these examples to discuss their broader agendas.



CNN: I’m usually rather negative about CNN’s hosting of debates, but this debate was well run. The use of local citizens to ask the question and the order of topics/questions was outstanding. Anderson Cooper provided effective follow up questions.



Substance: While they were rather rehearsed, the answers were full of discussion of priorities and action needed. At points, there was too much discussion of past actions by the candidates rather than what they would do once in office. But it was a much different debate than the GOP debate and its tit for tat exchanges.



Actual winner of the debate: I have a tough time answering this one. I found Clinton to be better on more specific policy proposals, but Sanders’ big-picture plan to rein in tax breaks and overseas tax havens to raise revenue to fund major national projects is consistently and powerfully presented. Neither candidate was effective in answering how their agendas would get through Congress however.

Stylistically, Sanders comes off aggressive at times, but he was humorous at several times later in the debate and he was rather direct. Clinton consistently ran over time in answers but came off more empathetic earlier in the debate, but not as well on race issues.

From a debate strategy and tactic, I call it a draw, but I thought Clinton had a stronger first half of the debate and Sanders a stronger second half. If pressed, I’d call it for Sanders for a much stronger second half, but not by much overall.

Flint presidential Democratic debate coverage roundup: