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Clinton, Sanders Go Head-to-Head

Three days after Hillary Clinton’s razor-thin victory over Bernie Sanders in the Iowa Democratic caucuses – and five days before the two candidates go head-to-head in the New Hampshire primary – they’ll face off for the fifth time on a debate stage Thursday. There are four remaining Democratic debates.

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign admitted to reporters Thursday that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders raised more money in January.

“It is time to end the very artful smear that you and your campaign have been carrying out in recent weeks”, Clinton said in an apparently practiced response.

Sanders, for his part, suggested her loyalties were coloured by a reliance on big corporate donors.

“I do not accept the belief that the United States of America can’t do that”, Sanders said.

Clinton, a former first lady and former USA senator who has spent decades in public life, fielded a question that elicited a similarly spiritual response, speaking of balancing the role of public servant and her sense of self.

Clinton called Sanders’ sweeping proposals on health care and education “just not achievable”, while Sanders countered that Clinton was willing to settle for less than Americans deserve.

Sanders, though, said his definition of a progressive isn’t “radical”, though he added that a progressive must be willing to “wage a political revolution”, reports the Atlantic. They both want to be seen as taking the high road in the campaign and both want to have their opponents be seen as engaging in unfair or underhanded campaigning.

Once again, Sanders criticized his rival in the nicest way possible, describing all of her positive attributes before saying there are issues “where I think she is just not progressive”. Her finance director called the numbers “a very loud wake-up call” in a fundraising email to supporters.

Bernie Sanders maintains a significant double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, according to an NBC News/Wall Street/Marist poll conducted after Clinton’s narrow apparent win in Monday’s Iowa caucuses. Clinton won the state’s primary during her bid for the 2008 Democratic nomination after polls ahead of the contest showed her trailing then-Senator Barack Obama. And days before the February 9 New Hampshire primary.

The Durham debate was the first faceoff for Clinton and Sanders since former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley dropped out of the race after a poor showing in Iowa.

After two solid hours of sparring, moderator Chuck Todd asked Clinton about speculation that she could choose Sanders as her VP.

“Do I think President Obama is a progressive?”.

The close result in Iowa was the latest twist in an election campaign that, until recently, had been dominated by the crowded and cacophonous field of Republicans, who spread out across New Hampshire this week.

“I am a progressive who likes to get things done”, Clinton retorted.

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Clinton had hoped for a strong finish against Sanders in Iowa to vanquish his insurgent candidacy.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton campaigns on Jan. 28 2016 in Newton Iowa