by Hugh Hewitt – Nov 22, 2019 (WashingtonPost.com, abridged)
Back when this thing started, I expected Sen. Kamala D. Harris to be rising like a rocket at this point in the cycle. But it’s my job to call things like I see them, so since Latin phrases are so in vogue these days, I declare mutatis mutandis after Wednesday night’s debate and push Mayor Pete Buttigieg to the top of my leaderboard.
Recall how beloved was the moniker “no drama Obama”? Well, make room for “perfectly poised Pete.” The mayor is unflappable. This was supposed to be the debate in which everyone gang-tackled the upstart Rhodes scholar and military veteran, but the affable Buttigieg slipped through the net, untouched and smiling. He’s the candidate of generational change and a testament to the idea that intelligence and poise have a charisma all their own.
Summary: Only Biden’s pratfall mattered to the Democratic primary this week. And that helps the candidate with momentum: “perfectly poised Pete.”
The Ranking
| Position | Challenger | Change Over Last Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Elizabeth Warren | — |
| 2. | Pete Buttigieg | UP 1 |
| 3. | Joe Biden | DOWN 1 |
| 4. | Bernie Sanders | — |
| 5. | Amy Klobuchar | — |
| 6. | Kamala D. Harris | UP 1 |
| 7. | Cory Booker | UP 2 |
| 8. (TIE) | Michael Bloomberg | — |
| 8. (TIE) | Andrew Yang | UP 2 |
| 10. | Tulsi Gabbard | RETURNS TO RANKING |
[read in full at WashingtonPost.com]
I Am Team Pete 