The First Drama of Next Week’s Democratic Debates: The National Anthem

CNN will broadcast the next two Democratic debates Tuesday and Wednesday night. At 8 p.m. Eastern each night, the ten candidates will be introduced, followed by a performance of the national anthem.

One interesting wrinkle: The campaign of Jay Inslee specifically asked whether the National Anthem would be played. The Washington Republican party is wondering if Inslee plans on taking a knee during the National Anthem.

Would any candidate be bold, crazy, reckless, or desperate enough to do this? If you’re one of the second- or third-tier candidates, kneeling would be a way to get attention and generate headlines before the debate even begins — and a decent shot that your picture will be on the front page of every newspaper and news website in the country. The decision to kneel would be denounced by Republicans and probably President Trump himself — an attack that would elevate any candidate still being described as “Congressman Whatshisname” or “Governor Thatotherguy.”

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