This week we asked readers their thoughts on the most recent Presidential debate and whether the current format with 12 candidates is the most effective.

Well, in my opinion, none of them have a chance against Donald Trump. I feel that they’re coming up with things that are going to be so expensive for the government, it will bankrupt the country. And now they’re coming up with this inquiry about impeachment … There’s never going to be an impeachment, it’ll never happen and he’s going to win in 2020.
Tony Apospolos
Bedford Park

 

It’s too soon to assess all of the candidates. That’s why I haven’t been paying attention. It’s overwhelming to think of 12 candidates and none of them are particularly impressive, but I’d vote for any of them over Donald Trump. I don’t have to pay that much attention, because they’re all better than Trump. No one has emerged as a great candidate. [Joe] Biden is too much in the past; Elizabeth Warren is too far to the left. I guess I like Beto O’Rourke better than most of the others and Pete Buttigieg is not bad, but he has no experience. Bernie Sanders isn’t practical and I don’t understand what’s going on between Hillary Clinton and Congresswoman [Tulsi] Gabbard, but I’m not concerned, because she has no chance of getting the nomination.
Michael Horowitz
Riverdale

To be honest, I came away with the feeling that the only one who should be running is [Joe] Biden; I think he should become President of the United States and I don’t feel that the other candidates are qualified. Absolutely, I feel there are too many candidates. There should be no more than five candidates from the Democratic Party. I think it should have been broken up into two nights; that would be more appropriate because you get more of a chance to absorb a couple of candidates at a time. With so many together on one stage, you come away with nothing. I think that would have been better.
Luis Figueroa
Bedford Park

I missed the most recent debate, but honestly it should be a collective thing where everyone is in on it. But at the same time it should only be focused on one or two people. Everyone should stand back so it doesn’t look like a room full of animals. If there’s so many people, there should be some uniting of the candidates on the issues. With fewer people they should be getting into the issues more in depth. It’s still too early and a lot has been happening in the local contests.
Alex Rivera
Hunts Point

I think that there should be more debates and less people on the panel, almost like a tournament style or randomly select groups of 10. Ten is even a lot because you only get to hear a candidate for two minutes and they don’t get to go into the issues in depth. There’s just too much on the screen. It’s kind of hard to focus on one particular person. I think many of them are just looking for their five minutes of fame, like when Mayor [Bill] de Blasio was on the Presidential campaign. I thought it was silly as he had absolutely no chance of winning. What was the purpose of him even being on the panel?
Socrates Palmer Jr.
Pelham Bay