LK: I didn’t; I think you know a disqualifying answer when you hear one.

MG: None. I tried to walk in with an open mind.

NF: A lack of seriousness and depth. A reliance on platitude, slogans and pandering.

Which candidate of those who have dropped out would you have liked to interview?

AK: I would have liked to interview Tulsi Gabbard and Michael Bloomberg. Both declined. I don’t really consider Ms. Gabbard a Democrat, in the same way that Bernie Sanders isn’t really a Democrat. But she is only one of two people (including Mr. Sanders) who is a viable option for truly antiwar voters. I’m not one, but I find it discouraging that Senator Sanders and Representative Gabbard are the only true antiwar options.

MC: Kamala Harris. We came so close!

BA: I’m glad we were able to interview Cory Booker before he dropped out. His grasp of the nation’s problems and opportunities resonated with me, as I hope that some of his plans — notably his proposal for baby bonds — are picked up by other candidates. The person I most wish we had interviewed is still in the race: Michael Bloomberg, who declined to come speak with us.

LK: I was bummed that we didn’t get to talk to Kamala Harris or Julián Castro. They were both interesting candidates with creative ideas about how to protect reproductive rights. And I think they would have been fun to talk to.

MG: Kamala Harris dropped out of the race moments before she was scheduled to meet with us. It was disappointing because I would have liked to ask her about what she was hearing from voters on the campaign trail, and her theory about why her candidacy didn’t gain the traction it needed.

NF: Julián Castro obviously didn’t have a chance, but I would have liked to have gotten a better sense of who he is. He is going to be a player. Mr. Bloomberg’s refusal to meet with us — in his own city — did not speak well of him.

What about this endorsement process do you think is most valuable to readers and voters who are already paying close attention to the race?

AK: Anything that’s on the record is a service to voters, in my view.

MC: Ninety minutes of extended questioning is bound to knock the candidates off their talking points and stump speeches at least a couple of times. Though it was harder with some than others.