What was supposed to be an illuminating opportunity for Americans to size up the leading Democratic presidential candidates, one against the other, didn't really work out that way.
The candidates did share a stage for the first time. And each gave viewers of the ABC News-hosted debate a bit more understanding on where these candidates stand on the questions each was asked.
Still, even at three hours, there wasn't time enough to ask all the pertinent questions for the coming election or to let everyone answer.
Once again, there were 10 people on stage vying for time and attention.
The candidates nonetheless collectively touched on many weighty issues, ranging from gun control and race relations to immigration policy and foreign affairs.
Health care remains the most contentious issue among the top-tier candidates.
Most of the candidates spent at least part of their time trying to introduce themselves to voters just now becoming engaged in presidential campaign politics.
The lower their rank in current polling, the more desperate the candidates seemed. Some sought to say something provocative -- whatever the question asked.
The worst example came when former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro asked Joe Biden, the former vice president, over and over again if he'd "forgotten" what he had just said in a direct exchange between the two over health care.
Castro's tone came off as mean-spirited and ageist. It will cost him in post-debate polling.
Castro also seemed to be trying to establish himself, rather than Biden, as the appropriate heir to President Barack Obama's legacy. Biden was Obama's vice president for eight years. Castro served in his cabinet as secretary of Housing and Urban Development for two and a half years.
Hence, Castro's debate performance was among the most memorable, and most damaging. What's worse, he didn't quite have his facts right in that noisy exchange with Biden.
As for Biden, he held his own in the lengthy debate. He went in the front-runner and remains the front-runner. Similarly, the next two spots securely belong to U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Last week's debate didn't change much of anything, other than to shore up the separation between Biden, Sanders and Warren from the rest of the pack.
Remember, the pack includes the seven others on the stage Thursday and more candidates, at least one of whom (California billionaire Tom Steyer) will be part of the next debate on Oct. 15 and possibly Oct. 16.
Yes, we could be back to two nights of Democratic debates.
A few candidates could -- probably should -- give up the hunt, but it is still early for anyone to get out of the race, assuming they have money to run on.
Don't expect any of those who participated last week to miss the October debate. They've all already qualified and surely have enough left in the tank to keep going another month.
Almost all of them drew some kind of attention last week. A few may even have picked up a little momentum.
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke of Texas likely scored the longest-lasting impact with his zealous assertion, "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47. We're not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore."
He has called for a mandatory buy-back of weapons designed for war. Others support a voluntary buy-back, but O'Rourke went the next, more controversial step, after first relating his experiences with victims of recent mass shootings in his home state.
Also noteworthy was U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's message to voters to focus now on persuading Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to let the Senate vote on three pending gun-control measures the House has already passed.
Those reforms shouldn't wait until one of these Democrats is president, the Minnesota senator said.
She was one of several candidates who, whatever their differences, emphasized their common goal to defeat President Trump in his bid for re-election.
Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., each had similarly strong moments in the debate.
They and other candidates pretty much took direct aim at Trump while also taking care to appreciate President Obama's contributions, particularly when it comes to health care.
That was smart on both counts.
Whoever ultimately wins the nomination will need all of the anti-Trump and pro-Obama voters they can muster in 2020.
Commentary on 09/18/2019