New Hampshire debate
ABC News analysts say debate was a 'breakthrough' for Amy Klobuchar, but Joe Biden 'had the worst night'
It was a great night for Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) at the New Hampshire debate, but not so much for former Vice President Joe Biden, ABC News' analysts say.
After the conclusion of Friday's debate on ABC, the network quickly transitioned into commentary, with analyst Jonathan Karl praising Klobuchar first and foremost.
"I think this was a breakthrough night for Amy Klobuchar," Karl said. "This was by far her best debate."
Martha Raddatz seemed to agree, noting that Klobuchar delivered an "especially strong close." Later, ABC analyst Matthew Dowd concurred that in the end, she's the only candidate who may have altered the race.
"The only person to me that fundamentally changed where they were ... was Amy Klobuchar," Dowd said.
This was a familiar refrain, as pundits have quite often come out of Democratic debates declaring Klobuchar the winner, only for her position in the polls to stay roughly the same. "Klobuchar feels like 2020's Carly Fiorina," The Daily Beast's Lachlan Markay wrote. "Kills it on the debate stage every time, but it just doesn't seem to translate on the scoreboard."
Dowd argued, though, that it was Biden who "had the worst night," explaining he didn't necessarily do badly but simply didn't improve his standing like he needed to after a disappointing fourth place Iowa showing. "His path is still on the downward slope," Dowd added. Brendan Morrow