The debate was sponsored by PBS and moderated by Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff.
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He suggested, not for the first time, that Mrs Clinton had failed that test because of her vote in favour of the Iraq War.
Sanders called it inaccurate that he wants to dismantle President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, but said millions still have no insurance, and drug prices are still too high.
Sanders responded, “Well, it ain’t Henry Kissinger, that’s for sure”. “I do not expect it from someone seeking the Democratic nomination”.
Sanders was furious: “Madam Secretary, that is a low blow”.
“I’m not asking people to support me because I’m a woman”, Clinton said. “I was not that candidate”, he said.
The former secretary of state, Sanders said, was “not my kind of guy”.
“One of us ran against Barack Obama”.
On Thursday, Clinton received the endorsement of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. “That is beyond unspeakable”, he added.
“Now Sanders is promising to do more to improve race relations than President Obama?”.
Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, meanwhile, told reporters that he didn’t recall Sanders’ involvement with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
In her opening statement, Clinton mentioned discrimination against African Americans, while Sanders criticized the prison system, as well as marijuana arrests.
There was also a spirited exchange between Clinton and Sanders over foreign policy as she sought to drive home an argument that only she has the qualities demanded of a commander-in-chief.
Sanders stuck to his same message that he could rid the country of the so-called billionaire class better than an establishment politician with ties to Wall Street while focusing much of his criticism on Republicans.
Particularly in SC, many black voters are expected to turn out for the Democratic primary on February 27, and Sanders and Clinton have been courting African Americans this week.
She then pointed out that for the first time in history, the presidential debate stage on Thursday night was populated by more women than men. “Last I heard a United States senator had the right to disagree with the president, including a president who has done such an extraordinary job”. I am proud to say that Henry Kissinger is not my friend.
“Well, look, I think that she’s been saying that for as long as I’ve known her, which is about 25 years”. That comes as the primary moves into South Carolina, Nevada and several Southern states, including Tennessee, that vote on “Super Tuesday” on March 1. Ninety-five percent of them voted for Obama. Both said they would go further.
In preparation for those states, which have significantly more diverse electorates than Iowa or New Hampshire, both Clinton and Sanders ramped up their efforts to win over black voters this week.
In 2007, both Sanders and Clinton were serving in the Senate. One is in her early 30s, and two in their early 20s.
Sanders retorted: “Let’s not insult the intelligence of the American people….People are not dumb”.
Sanders countered that Clinton was not being accurate, casting the fight for universal health care as a matter of courage.
Hillary Clinton said that in order to remain equipped to foil and prevent attacks, the country needs to focus on the now. He says he has no involvement with the Hillary Clinton campaign. “If that’s not hypocrisy, I don’t know what hypocrisy is”.
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At tonight’s Democratic debate, Bernie Sanders’ attempt at a zinger towards Hillary Clinton backfired when he got a pretty chilly reception in the room.
