1. Bernie Sanders has pushed the Democrats to the left.

Six months ago very few would have predicted that the terms of this debate would be well within his comfort zone. Like anti-Vietnam Sen. Gene McCarthy in 1968, Sanders — more than Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren — has redefined the party. With the Republicans operating in what can only be considered a parallel universe, this might have some long-term implications. The emphasis is on might. Sanders supporters are banking on a political realignment. That’s a tall order. But any doubts that he pushed Hillary Clinton to the left are now crashingly moot.

2. Clinton was Tuesday night’s “winner”.

I use quotes, not to deny Clinton’s strong and versatile performance; but because we have a long way to go before the Iowa caucuses and the primaries — and even longer until the November 2016 election. But reports of Clinton’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. All things considered, her rivals weren’t all that tough on her: except former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee.

3. The big loser was Vice President Joe Biden, who is threatening to out-Hamlet the late New York Governor Mario Cuomo.

Cuomo, political junkies and history buffs will recall, in 1988 and 1992 almost crippled himself by wringing his hands so long before deciding not to run.

4. Some pundits are saying former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley turned in a Carly Fiorina performance.

Unfortunate comparison. O’Malley probably was No. 3. But if Internet search is any measure of general interest, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb beat O’Malley.

5. It is a measure of how far to the right the GOP has moved that someone like Webb isn’t running as a respectable Republican.

He seems conservative to many Democrats, but he’s almost a Commie to Trump Republicans. Jezebel’s managing editor, Erin Gloria Ryan, for example, observed on Twitter how much more impressive Webb was than any of the Republican hopefuls

6. A closing note on gun control:

The NRA gave Clinton an F in its report card, Bernie Sanders a D-. Understandable emotion is nevertheless clouding this issue.