An inside look at the insanity of the Spin Room at the first 2020 Democratic debate

Advertisement
An inside look at the insanity of the Spin Room at the first 2020 Democratic debate

Spin room 2020 Miami

Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Sen. Bernie Sanders talking to reporters in the spin room after the first 2020 Democratic presidential debate in Miami.

Advertisement
  • There were intense scenes in the Spin Room at the first 2020 Democratic debate in Miami on Wednesday and Thursday.
  • With 20 candidates participating in the debate, the Spin Room was an absolute madhouse.
  • Reporters really had to fight to gain access to the candidates when they came out to take questions.
  • If you weren't careful, you could get elbowed in the face or find yourself trampled by a stampede of camera people running to catch up with candidates.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

MIAMI, Fla. - With 20 candidates debating over the course of two nights at the first Democratic debate in Miami, the Spin Room was an absolute madhouse.

If you weren't careful, you could easily catch an elbow to the face as journalists and camera people jockeyed for the best positions to gain access to candidates and surrogates.

You were also liable to get caught in a stampede as candidates moved across the room and the media obediently followed like moths to a flame.

Here's an inside look at the insanity of the Spin Room.

Advertisement
{{}}

The Spin Room gets its name from the fact it's where candidates and their surrogates go to "spin" perceptions of how they performed in a debate. It's also where journalists sit and write during the debate. Most aren't actually in the room where the debate occurs, but in a big space nearby.

The Spin Room gets its name from the fact it's where candidates and their surrogates go to "spin" perceptions of how they performed in a debate. It's also where journalists sit and write during the debate. Most aren't actually in the room where the debate occurs, but in a big space nearby.

Before and early on in the debate, the spin room was fairly empty.

Before and early on in the debate, the spin room was fairly empty.
Advertisement

But that didn't last long. Roughly 10 to 15 minutes before the debate ended, the room was buzzing.

But that didn't last long. Roughly 10 to 15 minutes before the debate ended, the room was buzzing.

When the debate ended, bodies swarmed the floor of the Spin Room.

When the debate ended, bodies swarmed the floor of the Spin Room.
Advertisement

As the media waited for candidates and surrogates to make their way over from the debate hall to the Spin Room, campaign staff held up signs with the candidate's names. In theory, these were supposed to be where the candidates would go to take questions. But it often took them a long time to get over to their designated spots.

As the media waited for candidates and surrogates to make their way over from the debate hall to the Spin Room, campaign staff held up signs with the candidate's names. In theory, these were supposed to be where the candidates would go to take questions. But it often took them a long time to get over to their designated spots.

Most candidates stopped to do TV interviews with several different networks before they took questions from print journalists and others anxiously awaiting for them to walk out into the sea of people in the center of the room.

Most candidates stopped to do TV interviews with several different networks before they took questions from print journalists and others anxiously awaiting for them to walk out into the sea of people in the center of the room.
Advertisement

All of the candidates entered the Spin Room through the same door, which was blocked off by both a physical barrier and a wall of camera people. If you wanted to get close, you had to try and squeeze in or box people out. Some people resorted to standing on chairs just to get a look.

All of the candidates entered the Spin Room through the same door, which was blocked off by both a physical barrier and a wall of camera people. If you wanted to get close, you had to try and squeeze in or box people out. Some people resorted to standing on chairs just to get a look.

Unless you came to the debate working for one of the big networks running the debate, such as MSNBC, it's unlikely you would get a comment from any of the candidates unless you fought your way through a scrum of fellow reporters and shouted your question at the exact right moment.

Unless you came to the debate working for one of the big networks running the debate, such as MSNBC, it's unlikely you would get a comment from any of the candidates unless you fought your way through a scrum of fellow reporters and shouted your question at the exact right moment.
Advertisement

On both nights of the debate, virtually every single candidate was surrounded by reporters sticking a colorful array of technology into a cluster of bodies, desperate to get a photo or quote.

On both nights of the debate, virtually every single candidate was surrounded by reporters sticking a colorful array of technology into a cluster of bodies, desperate to get a photo or quote.

Gaining access to candidates lower in the polls like Rep. Eric Swalwell was a lot easier than some of the top-tier candidates.

Gaining access to candidates lower in the polls like Rep. Eric Swalwell was a lot easier than some of the top-tier candidates.
Advertisement

But when Sen. Bernie Sanders came into the room, he was immediately surrounded. Sanders is one of the top-ranked candidates.

But when Sen. Bernie Sanders came into the room, he was immediately surrounded. Sanders is one of the top-ranked candidates.

Former Vice President Joe Biden didn't come into the Spin Room. But given he's the frontrunner, his surrogates drew a lot of attention when they came out.

Former Vice President Joe Biden didn't come into the Spin Room. But given he's the frontrunner, his surrogates drew a lot of attention when they came out.
Advertisement

Though Biden is the frontrunner, all eyes were on Sen. Kamala Harris when she entered the Spin Room. Harris had one of the strongest performances of the night and the room exploded with excitement when she entered.

Though Biden is the frontrunner, all eyes were on Sen. Kamala Harris when she entered the Spin Room. Harris had one of the strongest performances of the night and the room exploded with excitement when she entered.

An inside look at the insanity of the Spin Room at the first 2020 Democratic debate

Advertisement
Next StoryThe best USB desk and portable fans you can buy