After watching Republican candidates spar in two rounds of debates, Democrats looking to become the next US president got their turn on Wednesday at their first debate of the 2016 election campaign in Las Vegas.
Five Democrats faced off -- former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee – discussing a variety of issues ranging from Clinton’s e-mail scandal, to gun control, the Iraq war, and immigration reform.
Clinton came into the debate with the aim of wooing progressive voters who doubt her. Sanders wanted to convince moderate voters that he is electable in a general election. Webb, O’Malley, and Chafee were desperate for anyone to notice that they were running for president.
Rediff.com tries to recap the debate and presents the highlights from the event.
Discussing Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal, Bernie Sanders zigged where other Republicans have zagged.
“Let me say — let me say something that may not be great politics,” he said. “But I think the secretary is right, and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails.”
“Thank you,” Clinton responded. “Me, too. Me, too.”
The two then exchanged a friendly handshake.
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Hillary Clinton took on Sen Bernie Sanders for his stance on guns, saying he was “not at all” tough on guns.
The debate’s moderator, Anderson Cooper, asked Clinton if the Vermont senator was tough enough on guns. “No, not at all,” Clinton responded -- coming out of the gate strong on one of the only issues where she is considered to the left of Sanders.
“Senator Sanders did vote five times against the Brady Bill,” she continued. She also said he voted for a bill that helped protect the gun industry, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
“He also did vote as he said for this immunity provision. I voted against it,” Clinton said. “I was in the senate at the same time. It wasn’t that complicated to me. It was pretty straightforward to me that he was going to give immunity to the only industry in America.”
In response to the criticism, Sanders defended his record, but focused on the need to build consensus across the aisle, saying he is from a rural state.
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On the subject of National Security Agency surveillance and Edward Snowden, Martin O’Malley said the whistleblower's actions threatened the lives of Americans. But Bernie Sanders, while acknowledging that Snowden broke the law, had a more nuanced answer about how Snowden’s actions:
“I think Snowden played a very important role in educating the American people to the degree in which our civil liberties and constitutional rights are being undermined,” he said. “I think what he did in educating us should be taken into consideration.”
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Lincoln Chafee criticised Hillary Clinton for her vote to authorize the Iraq war, with the underdog saying he has been against the war since the beginning. “If you’re looking at someone who made that poor decision in 2002 to go into Iraq when there was no real evidence of weapons of mass destruction, which I knew because I did my homework, that’s an indication of how someone will perform in the future. And that’s what’s important.” Chafee said.
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Regulation of Wall Street was one of the most hotly contested issues. Bernie Sanders has long railed against Wall Street, with the self-described socialist saying, “Congress does not regulate Wall Street. Wall Street regulates Congress.”
“I respect [Sanders’] passion and intensity”" Clinton said amid an exchange about the 2007-2008 recession. “I represented Wall Street as a senator from New York, and I went to Wall Street in December of 2007 -- before the big crash that we had -- and I basically said, ‘Cut it out! Quit foreclosing on homes! Quit engaging in these kinds of speculative behaviours’.”
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Clinton, remarking on the enemies she is most proud to have made: “Well, in addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians. ... Probably the Republicans.”
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Sanders, on how he would vote on Nevada’s measure to legalize marijuana next year: “I suspect I would vote yes.”