CNN’s David Chalian Points Out Segregated Result from Debate Draw: ‘All the First Night Are White Candidates’

CNN’s political director David Chalian made an on-air observation during the live draw the network held on Thursday to determine the Democratic debate line-up, and it was about the racial make-up of the stage.

The panel had been analyzing the various match-ups that would be available during the debates based on their composition, as well as whether each night was mostly very liberal or mostly moderate and so on. Chalian then made the observation about diversity.

“It’s also worth noting in this, the most diverse field the Democratic Party has ever had, all the first night are white candidates,” said Chalian. “The racial diversity is entirely in the second night.”

The happenstance “changes the dynamic”, he added, “especially because obviously race has been a front and center issue in America this week.”

Chalian noted that race has also been a major part of the Democratic primary so far, with Sen. Kamala Harris cuttingly assuring former Obama VP Joe Biden that she doesn’t think he’s a racist. In Democratic internal politics, Nancy Pelosi has been under fire from Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib over her own supposed racial insensitivity or animus.

“It’s just interesting, of course, random draw, that it ended up that way with all white candidates on one night,” he said.

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