Debatable: Beto O’Rourke translated himself into Spanish, Tulsi Gabbard touted her military record, and Jay Inslee focused on climate change last night in Miami as 10 Democratic candidates for president did their damnest to distinguish themselves from the pack.

  Led by Elizabeth Warren, the core of progressive and populist candidates tried to set an agenda for the party. “We need to make structural change in our government, in our economy and in our country,”Sen. Warren said.

  The Democrats differ not so much in direction, but how to get there. All of them  want better healthcare — some of them want universal healthcare — but Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota favors a more modest plan of government-backed healthcare while keeping private insurance. About ending private insurance she said, “I am just simply concerned about kicking half of America off of their health insurance in four years.”

  Only Warren and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said they would do away with private health insurance.

 President Trump was the shadow opponent throughout the night. Klobuchar said, “I don’t think we should conduct foreign policy in our bathrobe at 5 in the morning.” 

  Notably, three of the Democrats delivered short speeches in Spanish; 

Cory Booker, Julian Castro and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas.“The situation now is unacceptable,” Booker said in Spanish about the crisis on the southern border. “This president has attacked, he has demonized immigrants. I am going to change this.”

  During the debate President Trump graciously tweeted “BORING!” Probably because the Democrats were talking about real issues and speaking in whole sentences.

  Round two is tonight featuring Marianne Williamson; John Hickenlooper; Andrew Yang; Pete Buttigieg; Joseph R. Biden Jr.; Bernie Sanders; Kamala Harris; Kirsten  Gillibrand; Michael Bennet; and Eric Swalwell.

A Thousand Words: The photograph of a drowned Salvadoran father and daughter face down in the water at the bank of the Rio Grande River has enflamed the debate about immigration at the Southern border and become one of those iconic images of human desperation.

  The man identified as Óscar Alberto Martínez had carried his 23-month-old daughter on his back under his t-shirt and became tired, sinking as his wife turned back. She watched her husband and daughter drown.

  In the photo, the girl’s arm is still wrapped around her father’s neck.

  The family had become desperate waiting for an appointment to apply for asylum in the US and chose instead to cross the river.

  It is not uncommon for immigrants to die in the river or desert heat as they cross into the US. On Sunday, two infants, a child, and woman were found dead in the Rio Grande Valley, overcome by heat and lack of water. But the death of this father and daughter was caught in a lasting image.

  President Trump said he hates that this happened, but he blames congressional Democrats. “That’s like I’ve been saying — if they fixed the laws you wouldn’t have that,” he told reporters in the White House driveway. 

  He elaborated that, “Children are actually being brought into slavedom. If you look at what’s happening, the cartels and the coyotes, they’re getting rich because the Democrats refuse to change the loopholes.”

The Politics of It:The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a $4.6 billion bill to deal with the migrant crisis at the southern border, but Republican leaders said they will not negotiate or compromise with House Democrats over a similar bill they passed on Tuesday.

  The Senate vote was 84-8 and President Trump is expected to back their bill. That puts the House in the position of take it or leave it.

NoneYo:Asked yesterday by a reporter what he plans to say in his upcoming meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, President Trump snapped, “What I say to him is none of your business.”

 The News Roundup:Two more deputy sheriffs have been fired for not confronting the shooter in the Parkland, Florida school massacre. An investigation concluded that both deputies arrived at the school, heard gunshots, but never went inside. Both moving to safer positions. Two other deputies had already been fired. — US women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe said she won’t go the White House if her team wins the World Cup, getting under President Trump’s thin skin. Trump tweeted that  Rapinoe “should never disrespect our country, the White House or our flag.”Rapinoe has been kneeling during the national anthem in protest over gay rights and in sympathy with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Eat Your Vegetables:The Arby’s fast food chain, which uses the slogan “We have the meats,” is testing a meat-based hybrid vegetable they call “megetables.” They say they’re not joking but maybe they should say they are. 

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