The first national Democratic presidential debate got underway in Las Vegas Tuesday night.
Advertisement
Oct.13, 2015 – Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – From left, BERNIE SANDERS, HILLARY CLINTON, and MARTIN O’MALLEY on stage at the CNN moderated Democratic Presidential Debate. Each added an occasional comment. “I think that we will have a healthy and respectful debate amongst friends about the direction of the economy, the direction of foreign policy”.
Flanked on both sides by men significantly taller than her, Clinton could have come off as the girl trying too hard to play in the boys’ club, but instead, she looked much like a commander-in-chief surrounded by thoughtful advisors.
Bernie Sanders, however, surprised many with his performance, and many feel Sanders won the debate. After the election, he asked me to become Secretary of State. And I’m glad that he addressed it like that and got it out of the way, ‘ another said.
The crowd – mostly Democratic Party supporters – erupted in cheers and applause.
Unlike the Republican Debate, the Democrats focused on the most pressing issues and did not distract viewers with other issues – like Clinton’s emails.
The most discussed issues during the debate, according to #DemDebate, were immigration, marijuana, guns, education, the Black Lives Matter movement, health care, Planned Parenthood and veterans. It lasted two hours.
She said the debate wasn’t as enlightening as the Republican debate either. It was the most-watched program in the network’s 25-year history.
And Clinton’s position in support of gun control measures was more in step with voters than Sanders, who has voted against a few of the proposals: 41% say Clinton more closely reflects their position on guns; 24% Sanders. Clinton criticised Sanders for voting against the gun-control Brady bill, while Sanders claimed the situations differed in rural and urban states. Mr. Biden says he has not made up his mind.
And Vice President Joe Biden still isn’t running. The candidates had a real discussion about the issues, within the parameters allowed by electoral politics.
“You don’t have the same kind of draw with the Democratic debates as you did with the Republican ones”, he said. This Biden friend said if you’re going to run for president you actually need to run.
“He could shake things up”, political scientist Christopher Wlezien with the University of Texas told VOA.
Advertisement
Now it’s your turn.
