Virginia Heffernan: The debates were balm for Trump-battered psyches
Something spooky happened at the debates last week in Miami.
It was palpable on Wednesday and Thursday night, as the 20 most plausible candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, in two batches, matched wits on the most vexing matters of modern times.
The spookiness was like a wind whistling through the podiums. It was uncanny, and until I could put my finger on it, it was easier to concentrate on a much more familiar debate byproduct: showdowns.
On Wednesday, Julian Castro, former mayor of San Antonio, elegantly
