New Hampshire Debate Analysis With Arnie Arneson And Fergus Cullen

Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden — From left, Democratic presidential candidates former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, shakes hands with former Vice President Joe Biden as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., watches Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, before the start of a Democratic presidential primary debate hosted by ABC News, Apple News, and WMUR-TV at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.

Zoe Mathews is a producer for Boston Public Radio and the producer of The Scrum podcast.

February 08, 2020

Updated August 07, 2023

Pete Buttigieg is up and Joe Biden is down in the latest Boston Globe/WBZ/Suffolk poll from Friday. Arnie Arneson and Fergus Cullen told Boston Public Radio their debate performances followed the same track.

Arnie Arnesen is a former New Hampshire state representative and former Democratic nominee for governor. She hosts the radio show "The Attitude" on WNHN 94.7 FM, weekdays at noon. Fergus Cullen is principal of the consulting firm Fergus Cullen Communications and former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee.

"What you saw last night once again is that Mayor Pete is a younger Joe Biden: more articulate, more engaged, and I think ready to have a conversation with a larger demographic," said Arneson. "I don't know why Joe Biden is still there but I know he is comfortable for a lot of people. But this is not an election about comfort."

Cullen said Buttigieg being up in the polls just days before from the New Hampshire primary may provide him some massive momentum.

"Pete Buttigieg is peaking at exactly the right time," said Cullen. "Every candidate dreams of having the campaign he's had, he put himself in the hunt here. You've gotta tip your hat."