According to CNN, a record 15.3 million viewers tuned in to Tuesday’s debate, breaking the previous record of 10.7 million viewers set in 2008 for ABC’s 2008 Democratic primary between Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama.
Advertisement
Sanders edged Clinton in terms of Twitter mentions, capturing 41 percent of the “debate conversation” to Clinton’s 39 percent. Almost four months before the first round of primary voting, the Republican candidates have already held two debates, with billionaire Donald Trump overshadowing a crowded field.
The line of attack against Clinton was influenced by her own campaigns decision to criticize Republican candidates following their August debate for not saying “one word” about college affordability. “I think she felt comfortable with her performance against the competition, both of those things augured well for her having a fun night”, he said. “I think I’ll wait to answer that”.
Clinton, good politician that she is, wasn’t going to be taken very far down that road. How can any kind of socialist win a general election in the United States? Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., went head-to-head for the first time this week, but consensus on the victor of the inaugural 2016 Democratic presidential debate varied.
There were a few fiery moments too, with Clinton accusing Sanders – her chief rival – of being soft on gun control. He separated himself from Former Virginia Sen.
So when Clinton reminded the audience watching the debate that she could potentially be the first female president, I was honestly a little disappointed.
Meanwhile, it appears more people streamed CNN’s Democratic debate than the last Republican contest.
“It’s always the Republicans or their or their sympathizers who say, ‘You can’t have paid leave, you can’t provide healthcare, ‘ they don’t mind having big government to interfere with a woman’s right to choose and to try to take down Planned Parenthood”, Clinton said to an ovation. (The Trans-Pacific Partnership was the “gold standard” for trade agreements – until it wasn’t.) But rarely has Clinton contradicted herself with hardly any prodding on economic issues, particularly the “inequality challenge we face”. She was questioned again by the moderator about her use of a private email account as Secretary of State. When Cooper asked her about intervention in Syria, she responded, “I know that in the administration this is being hotly debated”.
Advertisement
At the end of the night, the Democratic debate ultimately became a duel between Clinton and Sanders, two frontrunners with starkly different political backgrounds.
