LAS VEGAS, United States-Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump was not about to let Democrats steal the limelight in their first 2016 debate Tuesday, offering his own running commentary of proceedings and their electoral chances.
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Senior Bernie Sanders advisor Larry Cohen faces off with Brian Fallon of Hillary For America on MSNBC prior to tonight’s Democratic presidential debate. While former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton leads most national polls, debate watchers say they were anxious to hear from the other candidates. Clinton smiles and they shake hands, and he gets huge applause and a standing ovation.
While he obviously had low expectations, the event featuring Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chaffee and Jim Webb, underwhelmed Trump even more than expected. Ultimately, his populist appeal among liberal Democrats likely trails far behind Mr. Sanders or Mrs. Clinton.
“The scientific community is telling us, if we do not address the climate change, transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, the planet we’ll be leaving our kids and our grandchildren may well not be habitable”.
“Gun control views are different in rural states… whether we like it or not”, Sanders said. “Our greatest day-to-day threat is cyber warfare against this country”.
Clinton entered the debate after spending months answering questions about her email practices at the State Department.
Asked whether he was a capitalist, Sanders said a “casino capitalist process by which so few have so much” and Wall Street recklessness harm the economy, and said, “No, I do not”.
The biggest focus will be on Clinton and Sanders, who are polling the highest.
“Senator Sanders did vote five times against the Brady Bill”, she continued.
Asked to defend that position, Mr Sanders said he backed the expansion of background checks for people wanting to purchase guns and to get rid of gaps in the law that make it easier to sell and buy guns at gun shows.
The debate organizers CNN had reserved a lectern for Vice President Joe Biden, who is still considering whether to run for president, in case he declared his candidacy at the last minute.
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CNN’s coverage of the Democratic presidential debate starts at 8:30 p.m. ET.
