The first day of the second Democratic debate seemed like a bad Thanksgiving dinner at the home of a dysfunctional family who are going to all love each 
other again come Christmas.
And like a dress rehearsal for Day 2.
How unfair is it that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and Julian Castro get to take notes on what the pundits say about Tuesday night’s ping pong Q&A and rewrite some of their points to address identified holes? Not very.
But then we should hold them to a higher standard. They should do better.
Read related: Tons of debate parties to watch Democrats fight it out for two days
Standouts on Tuesday include South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy 
Korbuchel and, yes, author Marianne Williamson, who had break-out night that could and should get her a position in the Elizabeth Warren or Biden administration, maybe in Labor. Williamson was the most googled candidate during the debate and no wonder. With her calls for a “moral uprising,” her Democrat doomsday messaging and her visible outrage over the racial injustice that percolates like a “toxicity” under everything, she had the most quotable lines:
“This is part of the dark underbelly of American society — the racism, the bigotry. And the entire conversation that we’re having here tonight, if you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid the Democrats are going to see some very dark days.
“We need to say it like it is. It’s bigger than Flint. It’s all over this country. It’s particularly people of color. It’s particularly people who do not have the money to fight back, and if the Democrats don’t start saying it, then why would those people feel ‘They’re there for us?’
“For politicians, including my fellow candidates, who themselves have taken tens of thousands — and in some cases, hundreds of thousands — of dollars from these same corporate donors, to think that they now have the moral authority to say we’re going to take them on, I don’t think the Democratic Party should be surprised that so many Americans believe yada, yada, yada.
“I’ve heard some people here tonight and I almost wonder why you’re Democrats. You seem to think there’s something wrong with using the instruments of government to help people. That is why government exists.”
Buttigieg also had a couple of good lines, including one that rightfully said Republicans are going to call the candidates socialist no matter what and this warning to Trump’s “enablers” who support “naked racism” at the White House:
“If you are watching this at home and you are a Republican member of Congress, consider the fact that when the sun sets on your career and they are writing your story of all the good and bad things you did in your life, the thing you will be remembered for is whether in this moment, with this president, you found the courage to stand up to him or you continued to put party over country.”
You know who you are, Mario Diaz-Balart, Marco Rubio.
Bernie’s big line: “I wrote the damn bill.” Ladra wants a button.
Also standing out on Day 1, but for the wrong reason, were former Maryland 
Congressman John Delaney, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, all three of whom tried to sound moderate or centrist but seemed to play into GOP politics by using Republican talking points to make their case. They separated themselves from the progressive track Dems by attacking their most unpopular policies — Medicare for all with no private options, decriminalizing the border and free healthcare for illegal immigrants — and, while they may be right about much of the risk of the extreme, they came on too heavy and seemed disconnected and uncaring. Or Republican.
Ladra believes the strategy backfired and you won’t see them on stage in September.
Although Warren did seem like she was shaking her head a lot and looked like she really couldn’t 
believe what she was hearing, she and Bernie Sanders came off like a feisty grandma and grandpa, holding their own against what was really a political gang bang by a bunch of ungrateful wannabes whippersnappers who lacked the balls to name them by name when asked and are not going to be on the ballot anyway. Both Warren and Sanders did better than in the first debate, maybe because they fed off each others’ energies this time on the same night and stage.
The issues covered by the CNN reporters — who cut off candidates mid-sentence almost every time — ran the gamut but were wholly predictable: healthcare, immigration, gun control, climate change, tariffs, foreign policy, education, the economy and racism/diversity. Unpredictable: The talk about slave trade reparations, which has not been a central issue before. Surprisingly, neither equal pay nor Puerto Rico — where citizens still recovering from last year’s hurricane just forced the governor’s resignation after offensive and homophobic texts were exposed — was on the menu.
Read related: Local politicos ask Dem debaters to focus on ‘local’ national issues
Bet that is one of the things that changes on Wednesday.
Other random observations from a dizzying night:
If we must declare a winner, it would be Warren, who — despite the 
permanent shocked-mother-who-just-found-out-her-son-impregnated- someone-look — solidified her place as the other front runner and most viable VP option for Biden. (After all, a progressive/centrist ticket would be the smart thing to do).
Klobuchar says the right things and seems smart, but she was shaking like a leaf and, at times, sounded like a robot: All brain and no heart. She barely changed her expression throughout the night. not even when she spoke passionately about Parkland survivors and gun control. Donald Trump would eat her for lunch. But she’s another good future cabinet member.
Delaney may be good at energy, but he’s bad at math, or Republican, because 80% plus 120% — when citing what portion of healthcare is paid via Medicare and what portion is private insurance — equals overpaying.
The only candidate to quote the bible was the gay guy.
Read related: Elizabeth Warren will have townhall in Miami day before debate
If you are diabetic, get with Sanders to buy you discounted insulin in Canada.
At one point, former Texas Congressman 
Beto O’Rourke (photo, right) looked like he was about to channel Richard Nixon for some reason.
Nobody broke into bad Spanish. Gracias a Dios!
Ladra can’t remember a single thing Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said, except that he mentioned Obama a bunch.
The biggest surprise all night was by a candidate that wasn’t even there — not on stage anyway. Hawaii Sen. Tulsi Gabbard, who is in the Day 2 debate Wednesday, was the only candidate of all 20 to have bought ad time during the first night of the debate, which seems like a missed opportunity for the rest.
Day 2, which will likely have more candidate ads, has gotta be better.
Day 1 of the Democratic debate: Winners, losers and observations added by Ladra on
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