Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton and Democratic presidential candidate, Sen.
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The two Democrats embraced a markedly more contentious tone than when they last debated before the year’s presidential voting began in Iowa, and it signaled how the race for the nomination has tightened five days ahead of the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire next Tuesday. The two rivals clashed on Thursday night in their first one-on-one debate, reflecting the tightness of the race.
In an election where voters are frustrated with the political system, Sanders has tried to turn Clinton’s backing from party leaders into a knock on her candidacy. He lambasted 1990s-era Wall Street deregulation (under Bill Clinton, of course), the Koch brothers and ExxonMobil. As he has done before, Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the secretary for taking large speaking fees from Goldman Sachs.
Another sign of the new dynamic: Clinton reported that her campaign had raised $15 million in January – $5 million less than Sanders and the first time she’s been outraised by her opponent. In the time that was lost, several of the younger Sanders supporters had to leave, allowing Clinton to have a viable vote when she might not have otherwise. “I helped lead the effort against deregulation”. Sanders has held a solid lead here for weeks, leaving Clinton’s goal to pull off a stronger-than-expected finish.
Clinton represents one view, calling for continuity and pragmatism, while Sanders represents the polar opposite, with his outspoken calls for “revolution”.
“It wasn’t me paraphrasing her”, Sanders said. “Because that’s what they offered”, she said. Paul Wellstone, a liberal icon, could not meet. And I really don’t think these attacks by insinuation are really worthy of you.
“I will look into it”, she told moderator Chuck Todd.
HILLARY CLINTON: Enough is enough. And while Clinton, like Sanders, opposes an outstanding multilateral trade pact, Sanders criticized her for coming later to that position than he did.
With the senator from Vermont leading by 20 points in New Hampshire polls, the pair tussled over their claim to represent the progressive wing of the party, and their differences on Wall Street, health care and taxes. The Associated Press and numerous other media organizations have requested transcripts from her campaign, and have been rebuffed.
“That is what goes on in America”, Sanders said. “And on our worst days, I think it is fair to say we are 100 times better than any Republican candidate”.
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Sanders sees opportunities on March 1 as well, particularly in Minnesota, Massachusetts and his home state of Vermont. She took viewers through a tour of the world’s toughest diplomatic disputes, even going so far as to surmise what current Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is trying to accomplish in Russian Federation. However, his lack of dedicated foreign policies has been his biggest shortcoming this election, and his only defense when asked about foreign policy is that he voted against Iraq. And after she became a senator, Clinton voted for it. Now, can you draw a line between the bank’s campaign contributions and that change of heart?
