KIRO Radio, KTTH hosts react: Inslee goes down swinging in debate swan song

The first night of Democratic debates received a lot of attention, but the second night had an added bonus for Washington residents — Governor Jay Inslee took the stage yet again in his effort to make climate change a focus of the next presidential election.

Ross: The next debates should separate moderates and progressives

Wednesday night’s debate featured: Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet; former Vice President Joe Biden; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro; New York Mayor Bill de Blasio; Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; California Sen. Kamala Harris; Washington Gov. Jay Inslee; and businessman Andrew Yang.

With this potentially representing Inslee’s last chance to remain on the debate stage, the stakes were high. The Washington governor spoke for just over 4 minutes during the first debates in June, a number he managed to almost triple Wednesday, speaking for nearly 11 minutes. That was the fifth highest of any candidate.

That included a discussion about climate change that was scarcely heard in the first debates.

Great job Gov Jay, way to get your talking points in on the climate crisis. #DemocraticDebate2020

— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) August 1, 2019

Inslee took that opportunity go after early frontrunner Joe Biden, whose own climate change plan is ranked sixth out of all Democratic candidates by Greenpeace.

“Mr. Vice President, your argument is not with me, it’s with science. And unfortunately your plan is just too late,” he posited.

Inslee’s best night yet?

Inslee was notable during the June debates for saying Donald Trump was the biggest security threat to the United States. He doubled down on that Wednesday, stating that “we can no longer let a white nationalist in the White House.”

As KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross pointed out, it was a good night for Inslee’s possible debate swan song.

“Inslee had his best night and got his shot at spreading his message,” he said.

Not everything quite landed for Inslee, though, including a proposal to end the Congressional filibuster.

Inslee: says as a white person he has an added responsibility to end the school to prison pipeline. Then tries to stir up some passion for… ending the filibuster! But it fizzles out. #DemDebate

— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) August 1, 2019

That was compounded when he stumbled on mental health care, something his own state has struggled with during his tenure as governor, as pointed out by KTTH’s Jason Rantz, and KIRO Radio’s Mike Lewis.

To Inslee on insurance, Tapper notes almost no cost savings from the plan he endorsed here. He also takes credit for work he didn't do at all. He pivots to mental health care. In WA, you'll recall, thanks to Inslee, WA State Hospital loss federal funding: https://t.co/HL0EJV7Jbk

— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) August 1, 2019

What she said. https://t.co/YWfQim72KB

— Mike Lewis (@MikeLew65) August 1, 2019

The next debates are set to take place in September. To qualify, Inslee will need to gather 130,000 individual donors, and hit 2 percent support in four qualifying national or early-state polls between June and two weeks prior to the third debates on Sept. 12 and 13.

The Washington governor’s campaign estimated he had roughly 90,000 donors early as of Tuesday, but has yet to crack even 1 percent in virtually every major poll.

Tuesday’s debate lineup on CNN included: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Former Maryland Rep. John Delaney; Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper; Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar; Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke; Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan; Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren; and Author Marianne Williamson.

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