A lot of people were looking forward to last night’s Democratic Debate, since the two main rivals, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, are closer than ever in polls. And if anybody was waiting for an intense clash between the two candidates, they definitely had it, with Mrs. Clinton targeting her rival’s electoral appeal and using her strongest language yet.
Hillary Clinton questioned Mr. Sanders policy shifts on gun control and universal health care, trying to undercut his image as an anti-political truth teller. She also aligned herself with President Barack Obama, a former political rival, considering Bernie Sanders as a fringe candidate, who did not stand with Barack Obama on the major issues he supported, like Wall Street regulation.
Bernie Sanders, a favorite for the Iowa caucuses?
Of course, Mr. Sanders wasn’t quiet either, during the Democratic Debate, accusing Hillary Clinton of being dishonest in her attacks. The Vermont Senator seems to be gaining a lot of territory before the Iowa caucuses, on February 1, which makes him very confident in his chances.
One of the points he focused on during the Debate was the replacement of the Affordable Care Act with a single-player plan, described as “Medicare for all.”
“What a ‘Medicare for all’ program does is finally provide health care for every man, woman and child as a right.” Bernie Sanders added that 29 million people still lack health insurance.
As for the gun control laws, Hillary Clinton didn’t accused Mr. Sanders of “flip-flopping” the bills, but once again mentioned that the Senator had “reversed” himself. This was a subtle reference to his changes in policy, raising doubts about his consistency. Apparently, this was a good move for Mrs. Clinton, making Bernie Sanders appear frustrated, even calling her “very disingenuous” on his gun record.
Hillary Clint, Obamacare’s supporter
Even more, when Hillary Clinton claimed that his health care plan would “tear up” the President’s Obamacare program, Bernie Sanders reacted: “No one is tearing this up. We’re going forward.”
If Mrs. Clinton reiterated her support for Barack Obama’s agenda during the Democratic Debate, Bernie Sanders presented himself as a candidate willing to build on the President’s legacy. Still, he couldn’t escape Hillary Clinton’s attacks, being criticized for accepting more than $600,000 in speaking fees from Goldman Sachs.
Finally, there was a third candidate present at the Democratic Debate as well, former Maryland Governor, Martin O’Malley. Despite being far in the majority of polls, he seemed prepared for the debate. One of his most interesting moments was when he reminded the audience that Hillary Cinton had evoked the 9/11 attacks previously, in order to explain her Wall Street donations, during her period as a New York Senator.
“Now you bring up President Obama here in South Carolina in defense of the fact of your cozy relationship with Wall Street,” Mr. O’Malley said, quoted by The New York Times.
She aims, she shoots, she scores
As for the moment which makes us believe that this was Hillary Clinton’s best Democratic Debate, it happened at the end of the event, when she was describing the contaminated drinking water crisis, from Flint, Michigan. She criticized the state government, accusing it of being negligent in protecting the poor city.
“I’ll tell you what, if the kids in a rich suburb of Detroit had been drinking contaminated water and being bathed in it, there would’ve been action,” Mrs. Clinton said.
