I think all the Democratic candidates are important voices. They are the best of the Democratic Party. The candidates considered to be minor candidates are important voices. They are all experienced and have a point of view about a country that is going through a great of change. They all need to be in the debates and I wish Lawrence Lessig was on the stage last night.

Jim Webb brought a conservative point of view to the stage. He was Secretary of the Navy and he has a very interesting view about the use of the USA military. He is needed there.

The former Senator Chaffee is very valuable on that stage. He was more than a Senator. He understands the local economy which is the backbone of the USA Middle Class and he is incredibly honest. He did not have to qualify his first vote in the US Senate, but, he did. When it was pointed out he appeared to be unable to be competent his words were very, very important. He stated, "I think you're a little rough." He was right. But, being correct wasn't as important as the fact he stood up for himself to set the record straight. I admire that. It is an important state of his character and he needs to be on that stage.

I think he sort of looks like his namesake, Mr. Lincoln. Tall and thin and forthright. It must be that gene.

October 14, 2015
By Eric Levenson

...“Glass-Steagall was my very first vote,” (click here) Chafee said. “I had just arrived. My dad had died in office. I was appointed to the office. It was my very first vote–”

“Are you saying you didn’t know what you were voting for?” Cooper asked.

“I just arrived at Senate. I think we get some take-overs,” Chafee said.

“What does that say about you that you were casting a vote about something you weren’t sure about?” Cooper asked.

“I think you’re being a little rough,” Chafee said.

The other no-good very bad moment of Chafee’s night came during discussion of Hillary Clinton’s private email server and whether it was a legitimate scandal....

I think the former Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley did fine last night. He had plenty to say and he is completely in an understanding of Freddie Gray. He recognizes the injustice, which was untended injustice. I think he has a unique experience that can bring a great deal of insight to what is occurring with our minorities.

The missing piece was Lawrence Lessig.

October 14, 2015
By Alan Rappeport

...But there is one candidate (click here) in the Republican field who Mr. Lessig has heralded as a kindred spirit on the issue: Donald J. Trump.

In a conference call on Monday, Mr. Lessig said that when it comes to the evil influence of money in politics, he and Mr. Trump are largely on the same page.

“There was the interesting flurry around Donald Trump’s view about money in politics when he was talking about it initially,” said Mr. Lessig, a Harvard law professor. “He did an enormous service to the debate by opening the issue up on the Republican debate stage and by calling out the other candidates as not independent of their funders.”

Mr. Trump has repeatedly called out his Republican opponents for being beholden to special interests and bragged that, because he is a billionaire, he can afford to finance his campaign and say what he wants. He frequently reminds opponents about how much money he has donated to them to make the point that traditional politicians are easily bought....

I find all of the announced candidates important. It is early. There really isn't an ad war going on between the candidates. The ads that I see are about clearing up wrongful statements about the candidates.