As everyone knows, the key to enjoying any sort of nationally televised event is to live-tweet the hell out of it.
Sports, awards shows, and, yes, political debates, are all fair game for the millions of armchair critics (myself included) content to snark away from the comfort of their sofas. So, when CNN’s three hour GOP debate aired on Wednesday night, people the internet over strapped themselves in for a marathon session of political critiques and comedy, all under 140 characters.
Among those who helped tweeting, however, was none other than Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, himself. The progressive senator from Vermont, whose dark horse candidacy for the White House has steadily been gaining ground on presumptive Democratic nominee Hilary Clinton, spent the better part of Wednesday evening addressing, challenging, and acerbically skewering the GOP’s debate participants, all in real time. He did so reportedly with the help of his 24 year old digital director, who transcribed Sanders’ observations as he watched the debate on TV.
And what did Sanders actually think of the 11 Republicans assembled on stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library? See for yourself.
First, he set the tone for the evening:
Once the debate was underway, Sanders wasted no time lacing into the GOP candidates for their statements on issues such as President Obama’s Affordable Care Act:
Woman’s reproductive rights:
Taxation of the nation’s wealthiest citizens:
And the ongoing violence in the Middle East, as well as former President George W. Bush’s role therein:
For as much as he appeared happy to play off the conversations happening on the debate stage, it was often what was left unsaid which seemed to energize Sanders the most. Much of his tweetstorm was spent either admonishing GOP candidates for shying away from topics, or asking whether certain issues would even be brought up at all.
NPR reports that Sanders’ messages were among the most retweeted posts of the entire evening. Not that he seemed to care. As the debate stretched into its third hour, Sen. Sanders reached his limit, deciding to call it quits well before the proceedings were scheduled to finish.
Sanders has yet to participate in a Presidential debate himself this election, but if last night was any indication, he’s more than ready.
