The Democrats are debating for the sixth time tonight, and after two states have voted, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders arrive in Milwaukee in a position virtually no one would have predicted a year ago-essentially tied.
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Both candidates were restrained through much of their head-to-head contest – a contrast to their campaigns’ increasingly heated rhetoric. With Nevada and SC coming up this final moment in the debate was one of the few contentious segments of the debate.
Sanders retorted: “Let’s not insult the intelligence of the American people….People are not dumb”. Mrs. Clinton questioned his assertion that a typical American family will see $500 more in taxes while saving $5,000 in health-care costs.
Later, she added, “I have no argument with anyone making up her mind about who to support”.
“This isn’t about math, this is about peoples’ lives”, she said. So when somebody like Donald Trump and others stirs up the demagoguery against American Muslims, that hurts us at home.
Sanders shook his head, and said: “Madam Secretary, that is a low blow”.
Clinton sought to dent Sanders by portraying his plans as unrealistic and said it was important for Americans to vet both of their programs.
Sanders stuck to debate form and lambasted the US health care system.
Clinton so far holds a commanding lead in the overall delegate race due to her strong support from superdelegates, the party officials who can back the candidate of their choice.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) launched an attack on Hillary Clinton over her relationship with controversial former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
“I know a lot of Americans are angry about the economy, and for good cause”, Clinton said.
“One of us ran against Barack Obama”, Sanders said in response, referring to the 2008 presidential primaries.
“That will be my mission as president and I think, together, we will make progress”, she said.
They instead clashed heatedly on health care and Sanders’s assertion that his plan for a single-payer system would save American taxpayers money.
“All over this country we have Republican candidates for president saying, ‘we hate the government, government is the enemy”. We’re going to cut Medicare/Medicaid and federal aid to education because the government is awful. “When it comes to a woman having to make a very personal choice, ah, then my Republican colleagues love the government”. “If that’s not hypocrisy, I don’t know what hypocrisy is”.
Sanders took issue with Clinton’s claim she was mentored by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
He did not, as Clinton stated, write a forward.
Sanders said that he would not count Kissinger as a friend. “Well, as someone with my record, electing me would be history”, he said. She also said she had heard that this was the first time a majority of the people on a primary debate stage (that is, including the moderators) have been women.
Sanders tried to strengthen his foreign policy credentials Thursday night by criticizing Clinton for telling CNN in 2014 that the children who entered the United States from Central America should be sent back, a statement that made some young Latinos question his commitment to their communities. She peppered her comments on the Islamic State and Russian Federation with reminders of her four years serving as Obama’s secretary of state. She praised Kissinger’s efforts improve relations with leaders in China, saying it’s been an incredibly useful relationship for the U.S.
Sanders said he was simply moving to provide what most industrialized countries have – healthcare coverage for all.
Pointing to remarks the senator has made on Obama’s leadership abilities, Clinton said it’s the kind of criticism she would expect from a Republican presidential candidate, not a Democrat looking to succeed him in the White House. I have to agree. “I feel we have to level with people”, she said, adding that “we have a special obligation to make clear what we stand for, which is why we should not make promises we can’t keep”. He, however, argued that he has a right to disagree with him on things.
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Hillary Clinton’s campaign has recently worked to tack itself to the legacy of President Barack Obama. “But I do like Bill Clinton and I do like Hillary Clinton a lot, so if she ends up being the nominee, I’m planning to vote for her”.
