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| Democratic debate: Clinton and Sanders contest guns, health and Wall Street | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 4.07am GMT | |
| 04:07 | |
| Ben Jacobs | |
| Pete D’Alessandro, the state coordinator for Bernie Sanders, delivered a stirring speech to a bar full of Sanders supporters after the debate tonight. D’Alessandro, who has worked for a variety of underdog Democrats ranging from the late Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone to former Illinois governor Pat Quinn, told attendees that they were on the verge of one of the great upsets in American political history. | |
| He promised them if the Vermont senator wins in Iowa, there is a path to victory. Polls have Iowa almost a jump ball and, if Sanders wins in the Hawkeye State, he would be the favorite in New Hampshire. No Democrat has won both Iowa and New Hampshire in the modern era without winning the nomination. | |
| Bernie Sanders' state coordinator inspires a room in Des Moines pic.twitter.com/U9MkMdU5vg | |
| 3.54am GMT | |
| 03:54 | |
| Lester Holt suddenly, unexpectedly, asks Martin O’Malley whether there’s anything he would like to say to Americans who haven’t changed the channel. O’Malley is surprised. | |
| There are so many issues that we haven’t even broached tonight. We have not fully discussed immigration reform, or immigration detention camps. We haven’t discussed debt-ridden non-state Puerto Rican. We haven’t discussed the chaos of Honduras or El Salvador. | |
| He spins it into a Independence-Day-style speech about the future of a prosperous America, but not that many people applaud. Clinton’s turn. | |
| She says that she’s angry about the lead-poisoning crisis in Flint, Michigan, and especially enraged about the Republican governor of that state. | |
| If the kids in the rich suburb of Detroit had been drinking contaminated water and been bathing in it, there would’ve been something done about it. … I want to be a president who takes care of the big problems and the problems that are affecting our people every day. | |
| Sanders says that Clinton’s right – and that he wants that governor to resign – but that we’ve got to get rid of Super Pacs and the influence of billionaires because “the government of the United States of America belongs to all of us and not just a handful of wealthy contributors”. | |
| 3.48am GMT | |
| 03:48 | |
| Megan Carpentier | |
| From Guardian US opinion editor Megan Carpentier: | |
| Every debate now, Hillary Clinton must entertain a question about what Bill Clinton will do at the White House. Last time, she had to discuss his role in picking china patterns. This time, she was asked whether her husband would have a real policy role at the White House “or a kitchen table role”. | |
| Notably, you know who had a real policy role in her spouse’s administration? Hillary Clinton, when she led the policy fight on the health care debate. | |
| 3.46am GMT | |
| 03:46 | |
| Andrea Mitchell asks Sanders about former president Bill Clinton’s infidelity to his wife, something raised repeatedly by Republican candidate Donald Trump. Sanders says he’s sick of this kind of thing … but also says that he thinks her husband’s behavior was “deplorable”. | |
| “This question annoys me,” he says. “I mean this seriously. Yes, his behavior was deplorable. I want to debate secretary Clinton and governor O’Malley on the issues facing the American people.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.49am GMT | |
| 3.44am GMT | 3.44am GMT |
| 03:44 | 03:44 |
| Jeb Lund | Jeb Lund |
| From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: | From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: |
| I’m not sure that Martin O’Malley’s best bit this debate was to shoulder his way to the front for 30 seconds of speaking time to introduce a metaphor in which he likens Muslim-Americans to white blood cells. Look, no matter how flattering you mean it to be, and no matter how benevolent and symbiotic they are, don’t make people think of minorities as things in the blood, ok? | I’m not sure that Martin O’Malley’s best bit this debate was to shoulder his way to the front for 30 seconds of speaking time to introduce a metaphor in which he likens Muslim-Americans to white blood cells. Look, no matter how flattering you mean it to be, and no matter how benevolent and symbiotic they are, don’t make people think of minorities as things in the blood, ok? |
| 3.41am GMT | 3.41am GMT |
| 03:41 | 03:41 |
| “Lone wolf” terrorism. What do we do? | “Lone wolf” terrorism. What do we do? |
| Clinton says she was pretty pleased that Obama administration officials went out to Silicon Valley last wee to schmooze with tech types over security/privacy issues. | Clinton says she was pretty pleased that Obama administration officials went out to Silicon Valley last wee to schmooze with tech types over security/privacy issues. |
| We need better intelligence cooperation. We need to be sure we’re getting the best intelligecne that we can from friend and allies around the world. | We need better intelligence cooperation. We need to be sure we’re getting the best intelligecne that we can from friend and allies around the world. |
| Then she says Muslim Americans are “our best line of defense”. “It is not only shameful it is dangerous from the kinds of comments you’re hearing from the Republican side.” | Then she says Muslim Americans are “our best line of defense”. “It is not only shameful it is dangerous from the kinds of comments you’re hearing from the Republican side.” |
| Martin O’Malley, who pleads a little desperately for 30 seconds to respond, makes an extended bodily-bacteria-biosphere metaphor when he finally gets the chance. An exasperated Lester Holt insists that he’s got to move along. | Martin O’Malley, who pleads a little desperately for 30 seconds to respond, makes an extended bodily-bacteria-biosphere metaphor when he finally gets the chance. An exasperated Lester Holt insists that he’s got to move along. |
| 3.33am GMT | 3.33am GMT |
| 03:33 | 03:33 |
| Clinton gets a question about Russia. Would she give another “reset” button to Vladimir Putin (this time presumably with the right Russian word, rather than the “overcharge” button she handed the Kremlin last time)? | Clinton gets a question about Russia. Would she give another “reset” button to Vladimir Putin (this time presumably with the right Russian word, rather than the “overcharge” button she handed the Kremlin last time)? |
| It depends on what I got for it. We got a new start treaty, to reduce nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia. We got permission to resupply our troops in Afghanistan by traveling across Russia. We got Russia to sign on to our sanctions against Iran. | It depends on what I got for it. We got a new start treaty, to reduce nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia. We got permission to resupply our troops in Afghanistan by traveling across Russia. We got Russia to sign on to our sanctions against Iran. |
| She mentions that when he reassumed the presidency, Putin accused Clinton of fomenting dissent. So what about her relationship with that guy, anyway? | She mentions that when he reassumed the presidency, Putin accused Clinton of fomenting dissent. So what about her relationship with that guy, anyway? |
| Clinton laughs. | Clinton laughs. |
| It’s interesting, it’s one I think about respect. We’ve had some very tough dealings with one another. I know that he’s someone you have to continually stand up to, because like many bullies he is somebody who will take as much as he possibly can unless you do. | It’s interesting, it’s one I think about respect. We’ve had some very tough dealings with one another. I know that he’s someone you have to continually stand up to, because like many bullies he is somebody who will take as much as he possibly can unless you do. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.38am GMT | at 3.38am GMT |
| 3.29am GMT | 3.29am GMT |
| 03:29 | 03:29 |
| Mitchell asks whether Barack Obama was right not to act on his “red line” vow regarding Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and the use of chemical weapons. | Mitchell asks whether Barack Obama was right not to act on his “red line” vow regarding Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and the use of chemical weapons. |
| Clinton says that Russia-brokered deal to get chemical weapons away from Assad was an important “opportunity to build on”. | Clinton says that Russia-brokered deal to get chemical weapons away from Assad was an important “opportunity to build on”. |
| “We were deeply worried about Assad’s forces using chemical weapons,” she says, particularly how they might end up used on American allies (or at least pseudo-partners). She names Jordan, Israel and Lebanon. | “We were deeply worried about Assad’s forces using chemical weapons,” she says, particularly how they might end up used on American allies (or at least pseudo-partners). She names Jordan, Israel and Lebanon. |
| “If there is any blame to be spread around it it starts with the prime minister of Iraq” – she means but does not name Nouri al-Maliki, who ran the country in the aftermath of the Iraq occupation. Then she blames Assad, who pretty much only Vladimir Putin and a handful of others have refused to blame for the horrors of the Syrian civil war. | “If there is any blame to be spread around it it starts with the prime minister of Iraq” – she means but does not name Nouri al-Maliki, who ran the country in the aftermath of the Iraq occupation. Then she blames Assad, who pretty much only Vladimir Putin and a handful of others have refused to blame for the horrors of the Syrian civil war. |
| Sanders says he mostly agrees with Clinton, though he’s more wary about intervention still. | Sanders says he mostly agrees with Clinton, though he’s more wary about intervention still. |
| 3.27am GMT | 3.27am GMT |
| 03:27 | 03:27 |
| Richard Wolffe | Richard Wolffe |
| From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe | From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe |
| Isn’t it ironic (like rain on your wedding day*) that Hillary Clinton – the former secretary of state – could not fully embrace President Obama’s biggest diplomatic victory with Iran’s dismantling of its nuclear program. She happily hugged his position on healthcare reform and Wall St regulation. But on Iran, as well as Syria, Clinton could only hedge on the Iran deal and talk about the need to do more against Isis. | Isn’t it ironic (like rain on your wedding day*) that Hillary Clinton – the former secretary of state – could not fully embrace President Obama’s biggest diplomatic victory with Iran’s dismantling of its nuclear program. She happily hugged his position on healthcare reform and Wall St regulation. But on Iran, as well as Syria, Clinton could only hedge on the Iran deal and talk about the need to do more against Isis. |
| You could be forgiven for thinking that Clinton was trying to back away from the foreign policy she so happily represented at the State Department. | You could be forgiven for thinking that Clinton was trying to back away from the foreign policy she so happily represented at the State Department. |
| [* This is a joke. The author and his editor enjoy the music of Alanis Morissette – Guardian Weekend’s new advice columnist, by the way – and making fun of that one line. We contain multitudes. Please refrain from emailing us that rain on a wedding day isn’t actually ironic. We know.] | [* This is a joke. The author and his editor enjoy the music of Alanis Morissette – Guardian Weekend’s new advice columnist, by the way – and making fun of that one line. We contain multitudes. Please refrain from emailing us that rain on a wedding day isn’t actually ironic. We know.] |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.38am GMT | at 3.38am GMT |
| 3.24am GMT | 3.24am GMT |
| 03:24 | 03:24 |
| Did Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy facilitate the rise of terrorist groups, such as Isis, in Syria and Iraq? | Did Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy facilitate the rise of terrorist groups, such as Isis, in Syria and Iraq? |
| Sanders: Not quite. “I think the vacuum was crated by the disastrous war in Iraq, which I vigorously opposed.” President Obama made a promise … I’m going to do my best to bring American troops home, and I supported what he did. Listen, you’ve got extremely wealthy nations there – he names Qatar and Saudi Arabia. “They’ve got to start putting in some skin in the game, and not just asking the United States to do it.” | Sanders: Not quite. “I think the vacuum was crated by the disastrous war in Iraq, which I vigorously opposed.” President Obama made a promise … I’m going to do my best to bring American troops home, and I supported what he did. Listen, you’ve got extremely wealthy nations there – he names Qatar and Saudi Arabia. “They’ve got to start putting in some skin in the game, and not just asking the United States to do it.” |
| 3.22am GMT | 3.22am GMT |
| 03:22 | 03:22 |
| Candidates confront 'quagmire' of Syria | Candidates confront 'quagmire' of Syria |
| Moderator Mitchell asks about Syria. | Moderator Mitchell asks about Syria. |
| Clinton: No American ground forces. We support the Iraqi army, Sunni militias and the Kurds. We’ve got to disrupt terrorists’ supply chain and finances. So I’m very committed to fighting Isis but also a diplomatic course to begin to slow down the end of the carnage. | Clinton: No American ground forces. We support the Iraqi army, Sunni militias and the Kurds. We’ve got to disrupt terrorists’ supply chain and finances. So I’m very committed to fighting Isis but also a diplomatic course to begin to slow down the end of the carnage. |
| Sanders: I like Obama’s plan of trying to figure out something diplomatic and not getting American men and women stuck in a perpetual quagmire disaster. We should learn from King Abdullah of Jordan, “one of the few heroes of a very unheroic place.” This is “a war for the soul of Islam”, let’s get other Muslim countries in the war to truly end it. | Sanders: I like Obama’s plan of trying to figure out something diplomatic and not getting American men and women stuck in a perpetual quagmire disaster. We should learn from King Abdullah of Jordan, “one of the few heroes of a very unheroic place.” This is “a war for the soul of Islam”, let’s get other Muslim countries in the war to truly end it. |
| O’Malley: We’ve got to join with others. We need a much more proactive national security strategy. Also I like that us here with the Democrats don’t use the term “boots on the ground” – voters don’t like hearing that their kids are footwear. | O’Malley: We’ve got to join with others. We need a much more proactive national security strategy. Also I like that us here with the Democrats don’t use the term “boots on the ground” – voters don’t like hearing that their kids are footwear. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.34am GMT | at 3.34am GMT |
| 3.19am GMT | 3.19am GMT |
| 03:19 | 03:19 |
| And now we’re talking Iran – what to make of the nuclear agreement and the prisoner swap, which both came to fruition on Saturday. | And now we’re talking Iran – what to make of the nuclear agreement and the prisoner swap, which both came to fruition on Saturday. |
| Sanders: we need to “aggressively” normalize Iran’s behavior even though there are lots of parts of it that we disagree with. Let’s work on being a more positive relationship, even if I don’t think we should open an embassy in Iran tomorrow. But let’s be a little warmer, like with Cuba. | Sanders: we need to “aggressively” normalize Iran’s behavior even though there are lots of parts of it that we disagree with. Let’s work on being a more positive relationship, even if I don’t think we should open an embassy in Iran tomorrow. But let’s be a little warmer, like with Cuba. |
| Clinton: I’m proud of the agreement, and was definitely no doubt responsible for both the sanctions that put pressure on Iran and the new channels. But we need to watch them, and go after them for their bad behavior in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and elsewhere. “We’ve had one good day in 36 years and I think we need more good days.” | Clinton: I’m proud of the agreement, and was definitely no doubt responsible for both the sanctions that put pressure on Iran and the new channels. But we need to watch them, and go after them for their bad behavior in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and elsewhere. “We’ve had one good day in 36 years and I think we need more good days.” |
| O’Malley: O’Malley doesn’t get a chance to answer. | O’Malley: O’Malley doesn’t get a chance to answer. |
| 3.17am GMT | 3.17am GMT |
| 03:17 | 03:17 |
| Megan Carpentier | Megan Carpentier |
| From Guardian US opinion editor Megan Carpentier: | From Guardian US opinion editor Megan Carpentier: |
| In what is probably the greatest indicator of audience interest in the Democratic debate, the cameras returned to moderators Lester Holt and Andrea Mitchell during the bathroom-break commercial break to talk amongst themselves. (In what might be the NYC market, a long-form commercial for Safelite Auto glass, two commercials for Park City Utah and 2 promos for NBC, including the local news broadcast, suggests they just couldn’t sell the commercial stock they had.) | In what is probably the greatest indicator of audience interest in the Democratic debate, the cameras returned to moderators Lester Holt and Andrea Mitchell during the bathroom-break commercial break to talk amongst themselves. (In what might be the NYC market, a long-form commercial for Safelite Auto glass, two commercials for Park City Utah and 2 promos for NBC, including the local news broadcast, suggests they just couldn’t sell the commercial stock they had.) |
| 3.14am GMT | 3.14am GMT |
| 03:14 | 03:14 |
| Halftime hot takes/observations. | Halftime hot takes/observations. |
| In 1st #DEMDebate, @HillaryClinton came across as confident & dominant. This time she's struggling to rise above Sanders' more radical line | In 1st #DEMDebate, @HillaryClinton came across as confident & dominant. This time she's struggling to rise above Sanders' more radical line |
| Bernie sanders: do you want lower taxes & high healthcare premium or higher taxes & lower premiums? #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/QPuaqTPTqt | Bernie sanders: do you want lower taxes & high healthcare premium or higher taxes & lower premiums? #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/QPuaqTPTqt |
| Crowd at Bernie party is shouting "Bernie" as televisions show trailer for Coen Brothers movie | Crowd at Bernie party is shouting "Bernie" as televisions show trailer for Coen Brothers movie |
| 3.14am GMT | 3.14am GMT |
| 03:14 | 03:14 |
| Ben Jacobs | Ben Jacobs |
| At the Bernie party in Iowa, unsurprisingly, the Vermont senator’s answers are being received well. The efforts of Clinton to attack Sanders as being too rightwing on health care are meeting major skepticism – Bernie partisans are feeling confident that this is his best debate performance yet. | At the Bernie party in Iowa, unsurprisingly, the Vermont senator’s answers are being received well. The efforts of Clinton to attack Sanders as being too rightwing on health care are meeting major skepticism – Bernie partisans are feeling confident that this is his best debate performance yet. |
| 3.13am GMT | 3.13am GMT |
| 03:13 | 03:13 |
| Jeb Lund | Jeb Lund |
| From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: | From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: |
| Bernie evaded the tough question of how he can sell Americans on climate change– he cites the youth, but that’s not hard. But he did land an excellent zinger about Donald Trump believing anthropogenic climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese. | Bernie evaded the tough question of how he can sell Americans on climate change– he cites the youth, but that’s not hard. But he did land an excellent zinger about Donald Trump believing anthropogenic climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese. |
| O’Malley, as is the case for most of his comments this evening, was given only about 30 seconds and desperately tried to jam his foot in the closing door, calling on Sanders and Clinton to join him in a pledge to mandate 100% fossil fuel independence by 2050. | O’Malley, as is the case for most of his comments this evening, was given only about 30 seconds and desperately tried to jam his foot in the closing door, calling on Sanders and Clinton to join him in a pledge to mandate 100% fossil fuel independence by 2050. |
| Surely at least Sanders agrees, but neither candidate has any interest in hitching themselves to the O’Malley brand. | Surely at least Sanders agrees, but neither candidate has any interest in hitching themselves to the O’Malley brand. |
| Clinton didn’t speak at all, as we went to commercial, seemingly ditching this subject as one of those ones that leads to TV-toxic consensus. | Clinton didn’t speak at all, as we went to commercial, seemingly ditching this subject as one of those ones that leads to TV-toxic consensus. |
| [Ed note: Plus, there were cartoons!] | [Ed note: Plus, there were cartoons!] |
| This cartoon depiction of American political gridlock is objectively hilarious. pic.twitter.com/8fRJpJsnRX | This cartoon depiction of American political gridlock is objectively hilarious. pic.twitter.com/8fRJpJsnRX |
| 3.11am GMT | 3.11am GMT |
| 03:11 | 03:11 |
| And we’re back: climate change! | And we’re back: climate change! |
| Sanders: “The debate is over. Climate change is real.” | Sanders: “The debate is over. Climate change is real.” |
| He takes a shot at the Republicans: | He takes a shot at the Republicans: |
| It is amazing to me and I think we’ll have agreement up here, that we have a major party called the Republican party, that is so owned by the fossil fuel industry [that] they don’t even have the courage, the decency, to listen to the scientists. | It is amazing to me and I think we’ll have agreement up here, that we have a major party called the Republican party, that is so owned by the fossil fuel industry [that] they don’t even have the courage, the decency, to listen to the scientists. |
| He makes offers a shot to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who he says “believes that climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese. | He makes offers a shot to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who he says “believes that climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese. |
| O’Malley goes even farther than Sanders call to “transform our energy away from fossil fuel”. He wants a 100% clean energy grid by 2050. | O’Malley goes even farther than Sanders call to “transform our energy away from fossil fuel”. He wants a 100% clean energy grid by 2050. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.16am GMT | at 3.16am GMT |
| 3.09am GMT | 3.09am GMT |
| 03:09 | 03:09 |
| Richard Wolffe | Richard Wolffe |
| From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe: | From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe: |
| It says a lot about the mood of the Democratic party that the most feisty part of the debate – a veritable three-way cage fight – came at the one-hour mark, in response to questions about regulating Wall St. | It says a lot about the mood of the Democratic party that the most feisty part of the debate – a veritable three-way cage fight – came at the one-hour mark, in response to questions about regulating Wall St. |
| Sanders got progressively closer to saying that Clinton was bought by Goldman Sachs, and, by the end of the exchange, he argued that the former secretary of state was paid $600,000 in one year’s speaking fees from the investment bank. | Sanders got progressively closer to saying that Clinton was bought by Goldman Sachs, and, by the end of the exchange, he argued that the former secretary of state was paid $600,000 in one year’s speaking fees from the investment bank. |
| Clinton was more than prepared for the attack, turning the fire back on Sanders for criticizing President Obama for his crackdown on Wall Street, and pointing out Sanders own votes for deregulation. | Clinton was more than prepared for the attack, turning the fire back on Sanders for criticizing President Obama for his crackdown on Wall Street, and pointing out Sanders own votes for deregulation. |
| O’Malley condemned them both, using the strange idea that not regulating Wall Street was like slapping a bank robber on the wrist. There was just enough confusion and competing claims to make all three Democrats sound like they loathed capitalism. | O’Malley condemned them both, using the strange idea that not regulating Wall Street was like slapping a bank robber on the wrist. There was just enough confusion and competing claims to make all three Democrats sound like they loathed capitalism. |
| 3.07am GMT | 3.07am GMT |
| 03:07 | 03:07 |
| So what about taxes. Clinton goes first. | So what about taxes. Clinton goes first. |
| I’m the only candidate on this stage who has said I will not raise taxes on the middle class. I want to raise incomes, not taxes. | I’m the only candidate on this stage who has said I will not raise taxes on the middle class. I want to raise incomes, not taxes. |
| She says “the wealthy [will] pay for debt-free tuition, for childcare, for paid family leave, to help us bring down student debt we’re going to refinance debt … that will also come out of the pockets of some of the people of the financial industry. | She says “the wealthy [will] pay for debt-free tuition, for childcare, for paid family leave, to help us bring down student debt we’re going to refinance debt … that will also come out of the pockets of some of the people of the financial industry. |
| Sanders goes back to his healthcare plan, saying that any marginal tax increase will be offset – and then some – by the elimination of private health insurance premiums | Sanders goes back to his healthcare plan, saying that any marginal tax increase will be offset – and then some – by the elimination of private health insurance premiums |
| “If I save you in 12,000 in private health insurance,” he says, and then asks an American to pay a little more in taxes, “there are huge savings.” | “If I save you in 12,000 in private health insurance,” he says, and then asks an American to pay a little more in taxes, “there are huge savings.” |
| O’Malley says we can do wonders by getting rid of just one “entitlement that the super wealthy among us” enjoy: “a much lower marginal tax rate”. | O’Malley says we can do wonders by getting rid of just one “entitlement that the super wealthy among us” enjoy: “a much lower marginal tax rate”. |
| Moderator Lester Holt doesn’t really want to hear it. He breaks away to commercial. | Moderator Lester Holt doesn’t really want to hear it. He breaks away to commercial. |
| 3.02am GMT | 3.02am GMT |
| 03:02 | 03:02 |
| O’Malley criticizes Clinton for her “cozy relationship with Wall Street”, and Sanders piles on, citing her huge speaking fees for Goldman Sachs – and how none of those financial executives served any jail time for the 2008 crisis. | O’Malley criticizes Clinton for her “cozy relationship with Wall Street”, and Sanders piles on, citing her huge speaking fees for Goldman Sachs – and how none of those financial executives served any jail time for the 2008 crisis. |
| Not one of their executives is prosecuted while kids who smoke marijuana [get] jail time. | Not one of their executives is prosecuted while kids who smoke marijuana [get] jail time. |
| Clinton says everybody’s got skeletons, more or less. | Clinton says everybody’s got skeletons, more or less. |
| There’s plenty of problems that we all have to face together. And the final thing I’ll say is we’re having a vigorous debate about regulating Wall Street [that] the Republicans aren’t having! | There’s plenty of problems that we all have to face together. And the final thing I’ll say is we’re having a vigorous debate about regulating Wall Street [that] the Republicans aren’t having! |
| It’s a proper debate. They’re emotional, and want to target discrete sections of Wall Street for regulation – and for Sanders/O’Malley, maybe outright prosecution. | It’s a proper debate. They’re emotional, and want to target discrete sections of Wall Street for regulation – and for Sanders/O’Malley, maybe outright prosecution. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.36am GMT | at 3.36am GMT |
| 2.59am GMT | 2.59am GMT |
| 02:59 | 02:59 |
| Wall Street divides the field | Wall Street divides the field |
| Sanders and Clinton field a question about the influence of Wall Street on popular Democrats, including a certain former secretary of state who was not named in a certain Sanders campaign ad for her links to banks. | Sanders and Clinton field a question about the influence of Wall Street on popular Democrats, including a certain former secretary of state who was not named in a certain Sanders campaign ad for her links to banks. |
| Sanders: “You gotta bring back the 20th century Glass-Steagal legislation and you’ve got to break up these institutions. They have too much economic power.” | Sanders: “You gotta bring back the 20th century Glass-Steagal legislation and you’ve got to break up these institutions. They have too much economic power.” |
| He invokes Republican president Teddy Roosevelt: “What he would say is these guys are too powerful, break them up. I believe that’s what the American people want to see.” | He invokes Republican president Teddy Roosevelt: “What he would say is these guys are too powerful, break them up. I believe that’s what the American people want to see.” |
| Then he hints at his doubts regarding Clinton: “I have doubts when people receive huge amounts of money from Wall Street. … I do not want Wall Street’s money, I will rely on the middle class.” | Then he hints at his doubts regarding Clinton: “I have doubts when people receive huge amounts of money from Wall Street. … I do not want Wall Street’s money, I will rely on the middle class.” |
| Clinton turns the debate into an unpopularity contest: who can be most disliked by finance guys. “I have a plan that most commentators is tougher and more effective and comprehensive,” she says. | Clinton turns the debate into an unpopularity contest: who can be most disliked by finance guys. “I have a plan that most commentators is tougher and more effective and comprehensive,” she says. |
| O’Malley interrupts: “That’s not true” | O’Malley interrupts: “That’s not true” |
| Clinton :”Yes it is. It builds on the Dodd-Frank regulatory scheme…” | Clinton :”Yes it is. It builds on the Dodd-Frank regulatory scheme…” |
| O’Malley, quietly: “Oh come on.” | O’Malley, quietly: “Oh come on.” |
| Clinton says she would go after the financial institutions, the successors of Lehman Brothers, etc, who “were as big a problem as what caused the great recession”. She says there are “hedge fund billionaires who are running ads against me”, and finishes with a bit of sarcasm: “Sure thing, I’m the one they don’t want.” | Clinton says she would go after the financial institutions, the successors of Lehman Brothers, etc, who “were as big a problem as what caused the great recession”. She says there are “hedge fund billionaires who are running ads against me”, and finishes with a bit of sarcasm: “Sure thing, I’m the one they don’t want.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.35am GMT | at 3.35am GMT |
| 2.54am GMT | 2.54am GMT |
| 02:54 | 02:54 |
| Jeb Lund | Jeb Lund |
| From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: | From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: |
| I appreciate that the networks want to do things to rope in younger viewers – especially as their primary demographic, senior citizens, is about to die off in droves. | I appreciate that the networks want to do things to rope in younger viewers – especially as their primary demographic, senior citizens, is about to die off in droves. |
| But, look, questions from YouTube vloggers is at best gimmicky. Getting millions of subscribers on YouTube doesn’t bespeak any wisdom or command of a movement of followers. At the very least, it means that you’re willing to regularly mumble “ASMR” videos. Or regularly get yourself rocked in the junk with whiffle bats in elaborately staged SLAPNUTS videos. Or wear very little clothing and be above 18 but look like you’re not. | But, look, questions from YouTube vloggers is at best gimmicky. Getting millions of subscribers on YouTube doesn’t bespeak any wisdom or command of a movement of followers. At the very least, it means that you’re willing to regularly mumble “ASMR” videos. Or regularly get yourself rocked in the junk with whiffle bats in elaborately staged SLAPNUTS videos. Or wear very little clothing and be above 18 but look like you’re not. |
| We might as well take questions from Vine stars. Do you know what Vine stars are like? For one thing, they’re not indicative of anything other than the absurdity of social media fame. For another, some of them are this guy. (Read it; it’s utterly transcendent.) | We might as well take questions from Vine stars. Do you know what Vine stars are like? For one thing, they’re not indicative of anything other than the absurdity of social media fame. For another, some of them are this guy. (Read it; it’s utterly transcendent.) |
| 2.52am GMT | 2.52am GMT |
| 02:52 | 02:52 |
| Adam Gabbatt | Adam Gabbatt |
| Commercial break with Adam Gabbatt and ultra-conservative celebrity/once-failed presidential candidate Rick Santorum. | Commercial break with Adam Gabbatt and ultra-conservative celebrity/once-failed presidential candidate Rick Santorum. |
| I met Rick Santorum in Charlotte airport this evening. We were waiting for the same flight to Des Moines. | I met Rick Santorum in Charlotte airport this evening. We were waiting for the same flight to Des Moines. |
| I was sitting down opposite him but didn’t recognize him at first as I was eating a big bag of M&M’s. Then I realized it was him and started staring at him. He looked quite smart. The sweater vest of 2012 had been discarded. He was wearing a blue blazer and a white and blue plaid shirt. He looked tan and he was wearing nice glasses. | I was sitting down opposite him but didn’t recognize him at first as I was eating a big bag of M&M’s. Then I realized it was him and started staring at him. He looked quite smart. The sweater vest of 2012 had been discarded. He was wearing a blue blazer and a white and blue plaid shirt. He looked tan and he was wearing nice glasses. |
| Santorum was watching the football - Steelers - Broncos - on his iPad and was pleased because the Steelers were doing well. He had the volume playing out loud which I thought was a bit inconsiderate but no one seemed to kind. | Santorum was watching the football - Steelers - Broncos - on his iPad and was pleased because the Steelers were doing well. He had the volume playing out loud which I thought was a bit inconsiderate but no one seemed to kind. |
| I was starstruck and went over to ask if I could have a photo taken with him. He said yes but told me to get a move on because he wanted to watch the game. I got a man to take a photo of us. I noticed he was wearing brown cowboy boots. | I was starstruck and went over to ask if I could have a photo taken with him. He said yes but told me to get a move on because he wanted to watch the game. I got a man to take a photo of us. I noticed he was wearing brown cowboy boots. |
| I’d sat back down and was choosing my Instagram filter when I realised I hadn’t actually asked him anything about his campaign. | I’d sat back down and was choosing my Instagram filter when I realised I hadn’t actually asked him anything about his campaign. |
| Santorum was up and waiting to board by this time, but I grabbed him on the plane. He was in first class, still watching the Steelers. “My boss would kill me if I’d met you and all I’d done was taken a selfie,” I told him. “What do you think of your chances in Iowa?” | Santorum was up and waiting to board by this time, but I grabbed him on the plane. He was in first class, still watching the Steelers. “My boss would kill me if I’d met you and all I’d done was taken a selfie,” I told him. “What do you think of your chances in Iowa?” |
| He didn’t exude confidence. | He didn’t exude confidence. |
| “All I can tell you is we’re gonna run it through the finish line,” he said of his campaign. | “All I can tell you is we’re gonna run it through the finish line,” he said of his campaign. |
| “I feel like we’re gonna surprise a few people,” he added. | “I feel like we’re gonna surprise a few people,” he added. |
| …thank you, Adam. And here’s that Santorselfie once again. For posterity. | …thank you, Adam. And here’s that Santorselfie once again. For posterity. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.12am GMT | at 3.12am GMT |
| 2.49am GMT | 2.49am GMT |
| 02:49 | 02:49 |
| Megan Carpentier | Megan Carpentier |
| During the commercial break, have a look at the internal dialogues on the Democratic debate stage, courtesy of @Darth: | During the commercial break, have a look at the internal dialogues on the Democratic debate stage, courtesy of @Darth: |
| #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/clqTMRJMZ3 | #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/clqTMRJMZ3 |
| #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/C7OiOSdutw | #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/C7OiOSdutw |
| #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/5po801L85b | #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/5po801L85b |
| #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/UQNhPX5rNp | #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/UQNhPX5rNp |
| 2.47am GMT | 2.47am GMT |
| 02:47 | 02:47 |
| A 23-year-old “video blogger” gets a question to Clinton. How will you woo me and my fellow millennials, he asks. | A 23-year-old “video blogger” gets a question to Clinton. How will you woo me and my fellow millennials, he asks. |
| Clinton says she wants to make community college free, and to allow for debt-free tuition at public universities. | Clinton says she wants to make community college free, and to allow for debt-free tuition at public universities. |
| “We have to pull young people and older people together,” she says. “Turning over our White House to the Republicans would be bad for everybody, especially young people.” | “We have to pull young people and older people together,” she says. “Turning over our White House to the Republicans would be bad for everybody, especially young people.” |
| Paraphrasing: turn out to Clinton, young ‘uns, or fear the next Republican president. | Paraphrasing: turn out to Clinton, young ‘uns, or fear the next Republican president. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.49am GMT | at 2.49am GMT |
| 2.45am GMT | 2.45am GMT |
| 02:45 | 02:45 |
| “Congress is owned by big money, and refuses to do what the American people want them to do,” says Sanders, after a question about Barack Obama’s final state of the union address. | “Congress is owned by big money, and refuses to do what the American people want them to do,” says Sanders, after a question about Barack Obama’s final state of the union address. |
| Minimum wage, higher taxes for the wealthy, making Congress accountable. | Minimum wage, higher taxes for the wealthy, making Congress accountable. |
| He spins the question into campaign finance: “The Democratic party needs major reform … instead of being dependent on Super Pacs, what we need is to be dependent on small, individual campaign contributors.” | He spins the question into campaign finance: “The Democratic party needs major reform … instead of being dependent on Super Pacs, what we need is to be dependent on small, individual campaign contributors.” |
| Clinton answered a similar question by saying she’s got the experience to know what Obama was talking about, ie the challenges of working with the opposing party and international powers such as Russia and China. | Clinton answered a similar question by saying she’s got the experience to know what Obama was talking about, ie the challenges of working with the opposing party and international powers such as Russia and China. |
| Sanders then steals the show a bit from O’Malley, going on about the power of “a handful of billionaires”. | Sanders then steals the show a bit from O’Malley, going on about the power of “a handful of billionaires”. |
| 2.44am GMT | 2.44am GMT |
| 02:44 | 02:44 |
| Megan Carpentier | Megan Carpentier |
| From Guardian US opinion editor Megan Carpentier: | From Guardian US opinion editor Megan Carpentier: |
| When asked how she is going to bring the country together if President Obama couldn’t, Hillary Clinton got into some times when she cooperated with people who don’t think like her – or, you know, like her at all. | When asked how she is going to bring the country together if President Obama couldn’t, Hillary Clinton got into some times when she cooperated with people who don’t think like her – or, you know, like her at all. |
| The real question is why it’s the job of the president to get people to like her. If, as the Republican-controlled Congress has demonstrated time and again, they’re willing to let personal enmity (or the political necessity of demonstrated personal enmity) get in the way of governing the country, that’s hardly the fault of the president. Not everyone is going to like everyone. | The real question is why it’s the job of the president to get people to like her. If, as the Republican-controlled Congress has demonstrated time and again, they’re willing to let personal enmity (or the political necessity of demonstrated personal enmity) get in the way of governing the country, that’s hardly the fault of the president. Not everyone is going to like everyone. |
| Or, if you’re Bernie Sanders (as he pointed out in his answer), the real question is why Congress won’t do the bidding of the American people, and the answer is lobbyists and big campaign funders. | Or, if you’re Bernie Sanders (as he pointed out in his answer), the real question is why Congress won’t do the bidding of the American people, and the answer is lobbyists and big campaign funders. |
| 2.40am GMT | 2.40am GMT |
| 02:40 | 02:40 |
| The healthcare debate powers on. | The healthcare debate powers on. |
| Clinton reiterates that she doesn’t want to start from scratch with a new debate about healthcare. | Clinton reiterates that she doesn’t want to start from scratch with a new debate about healthcare. |
| Sanders says what the heck, he does want to build on it – by a lot. He says it’s about fighting the moneyed interests (this is something of a theme with the senator). | Sanders says what the heck, he does want to build on it – by a lot. He says it’s about fighting the moneyed interests (this is something of a theme with the senator). |
| It’s [about] when do we have the guts to stand up to the private insurance companies and all of their money and the pharmaceutical industry? | It’s [about] when do we have the guts to stand up to the private insurance companies and all of their money and the pharmaceutical industry? |
| Clinton says that her plan is “really simple”: make Obama’s Affordable Care Act more cost-effective/cheaper for Americans. | Clinton says that her plan is “really simple”: make Obama’s Affordable Care Act more cost-effective/cheaper for Americans. |
| Let’s make it work, let’s take the models that states are doing … Now we’ve got to get individual costs down. | Let’s make it work, let’s take the models that states are doing … Now we’ve got to get individual costs down. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.36am GMT | at 3.36am GMT |
| 2.37am GMT | 2.37am GMT |
| 02:37 | 02:37 |
| Jeb Lund | Jeb Lund |
| From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: | From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: |
| Bernie Sanders just gave the best possible rebuttal to Clinton’s attacks on his healthcare plan and her campaign’s disingenuous claims that he would dismantle healthcare in America – and he did it in about as detailed a way as possible in these brief spans of time. | Bernie Sanders just gave the best possible rebuttal to Clinton’s attacks on his healthcare plan and her campaign’s disingenuous claims that he would dismantle healthcare in America – and he did it in about as detailed a way as possible in these brief spans of time. |
| Her only response was to invoke Obamacare and imply again that Sanders would tear it up and try to tie him to some kind of vague disrespect of President Obama. If this is Clinton trying to dig herself out of the ugliness of this past week, it looks a lot like the ugliness of the last week. | Her only response was to invoke Obamacare and imply again that Sanders would tear it up and try to tie him to some kind of vague disrespect of President Obama. If this is Clinton trying to dig herself out of the ugliness of this past week, it looks a lot like the ugliness of the last week. |
| 2.36am GMT | 2.36am GMT |
| 02:36 | 02:36 |
| Moderator Andrea Mitchell asks Clinton and Sanders about healthcare. | Moderator Andrea Mitchell asks Clinton and Sanders about healthcare. |
| Recap: Clinton says Sanders’ healthcare plan would dismantle Obama’s healthcare plan. Sanders says no way it’d work fine because everybody would have it/pay taxes for it. | Recap: Clinton says Sanders’ healthcare plan would dismantle Obama’s healthcare plan. Sanders says no way it’d work fine because everybody would have it/pay taxes for it. |
| Clinton starts off by talking up her own history supporting healthcare reform, goes through Harry Truman and others, and concludes: | Clinton starts off by talking up her own history supporting healthcare reform, goes through Harry Truman and others, and concludes: |
| We finally have a path to universal healthcare, we’ve accomplished so much already. I don’t want to see us start over again with a contentious debate. I want us to defend and build the Affordalbe Care Act and improve it.” | We finally have a path to universal healthcare, we’ve accomplished so much already. I don’t want to see us start over again with a contentious debate. I want us to defend and build the Affordalbe Care Act and improve it.” |
| Sanders jumps in: “Secretary Clinton didn’t answer your question.” | Sanders jumps in: “Secretary Clinton didn’t answer your question.” |
| He says that the Clinton campaign has tried to tar and feather him with the suggestion that “He wants to end Medicare, end Medicaid … that is nonsense!” | He says that the Clinton campaign has tried to tar and feather him with the suggestion that “He wants to end Medicare, end Medicaid … that is nonsense!” |
| Sanders says that he’s in the tradition of Truman and FDR in the belief that healthcare is a right for “every man, woman and child”. | Sanders says that he’s in the tradition of Truman and FDR in the belief that healthcare is a right for “every man, woman and child”. |
| I’m on the committee that wrote the Affordable Care Act. … I voted for it. But right now what we have to deal with is that 29 million people still have no health insurance. We are paying the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and still getting ripped off. | I’m on the committee that wrote the Affordable Care Act. … I voted for it. But right now what we have to deal with is that 29 million people still have no health insurance. We are paying the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and still getting ripped off. |
| As for costs, he says his plan would lower it “by 5,000 bucks” for most families. | As for costs, he says his plan would lower it “by 5,000 bucks” for most families. |
| Clinton gets a soundbite: “Are we talking about the plan you introduced tonight or the plan you introduced nine times in Congress?” | Clinton gets a soundbite: “Are we talking about the plan you introduced tonight or the plan you introduced nine times in Congress?” |
| 2.34am GMT | 2.34am GMT |
| 02:34 | 02:34 |
| From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe: | From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe: |
| At the first bathroom break, the points were with Clinton, with Sanders struggling to make his case and O’Malley doing a decent job of getting people to recognize him in a crowd. | At the first bathroom break, the points were with Clinton, with Sanders struggling to make his case and O’Malley doing a decent job of getting people to recognize him in a crowd. |
| Clinton landde punches on Sanders’ votes on guns, and Sanders showed little desire to counterpunch. Sanders delivered more crowd-pleasing lines with indignation against the wealthy, the bankers who triggered the financial collapse and the entire drugs industry. | Clinton landde punches on Sanders’ votes on guns, and Sanders showed little desire to counterpunch. Sanders delivered more crowd-pleasing lines with indignation against the wealthy, the bankers who triggered the financial collapse and the entire drugs industry. |
| O’Malley reminded everyone he was mayor of Baltimore. Biography may be everything, but the getting-to-know-you phase is surely over, just two weeks before the Iowa caucus. | O’Malley reminded everyone he was mayor of Baltimore. Biography may be everything, but the getting-to-know-you phase is surely over, just two weeks before the Iowa caucus. |
| 2.27am GMT | 2.27am GMT |
| 02:27 | 02:27 |
| Richard Wolffe | Richard Wolffe |
| From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe: | From Guardian US columnist Richard Wolffe: |
| NBC News set up the first dangerous crossfire on gun safety legislation. After a sleepy opening about jobs and wages, moderator Lester Holt zinged Bernie Sanders on his new reversal on immunity for gun-makers. Sanders did his best to avoid the question by talking at length about his D- rating from the NRA. | NBC News set up the first dangerous crossfire on gun safety legislation. After a sleepy opening about jobs and wages, moderator Lester Holt zinged Bernie Sanders on his new reversal on immunity for gun-makers. Sanders did his best to avoid the question by talking at length about his D- rating from the NRA. |
| Sadly all his answer did was tee up Clinton for an easy barrage against Sanders on the pro-gun lobby votes he didn’t talk about. This is the challenge of policy reversals before debates: you’re just making the moderators’ jobs that much easier. | Sadly all his answer did was tee up Clinton for an easy barrage against Sanders on the pro-gun lobby votes he didn’t talk about. This is the challenge of policy reversals before debates: you’re just making the moderators’ jobs that much easier. |
| 2.27am GMT | 2.27am GMT |
| 02:27 | 02:27 |
| Clinton’s asked about the opioid/heroin addiction crisis that’s hit parts of New England and the south particularly hard. | Clinton’s asked about the opioid/heroin addiction crisis that’s hit parts of New England and the south particularly hard. |
| She says she would put a couple million federal dollars into tackling the issue, and that “the policing needs to change.” She wants police and firefighters to carry “the antidote to a heroin overdose or an opioid overdose”. | She says she would put a couple million federal dollars into tackling the issue, and that “the policing needs to change.” She wants police and firefighters to carry “the antidote to a heroin overdose or an opioid overdose”. |
| Without outright saying that the war on drugs has failed, she concedes: “We need to move away from treating the use of drugs as a crime and instead move it to where it belongs as a health issue.” | Without outright saying that the war on drugs has failed, she concedes: “We need to move away from treating the use of drugs as a crime and instead move it to where it belongs as a health issue.” |
| Sanders jumps in to say she’s right about how Americans need to think about addiction as a disease and not a crime – and segues a little awkwardly into his pitch for universal healthcare. | Sanders jumps in to say she’s right about how Americans need to think about addiction as a disease and not a crime – and segues a little awkwardly into his pitch for universal healthcare. |
| Lester Holt cuts off O’Malley mid-plea for “just 10 seconds”. Commercial break! | Lester Holt cuts off O’Malley mid-plea for “just 10 seconds”. Commercial break! |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.07am GMT | at 3.07am GMT |
| 2.24am GMT | 2.24am GMT |
| 02:24 | 02:24 |
| A voter gets a question in about the conflict of interest between prosecutors and police in cases of police shootings. | A voter gets a question in about the conflict of interest between prosecutors and police in cases of police shootings. |
| Sanders answers first: “This is a responsibility of the US Justice Department to get involved. Whenever anybody in this country is killed in police custody it should automatically trigger a US attorney general investigation.” | Sanders answers first: “This is a responsibility of the US Justice Department to get involved. Whenever anybody in this country is killed in police custody it should automatically trigger a US attorney general investigation.” |
| He says that it a police officer breaks the law they’ve got to be held accountable. He also wants to “demilitarize police departments so they don’t look like occupying armies” and instead “look like the communities they serve in their diversity”. | He says that it a police officer breaks the law they’ve got to be held accountable. He also wants to “demilitarize police departments so they don’t look like occupying armies” and instead “look like the communities they serve in their diversity”. |
| 2.20am GMT | 2.20am GMT |
| 02:20 | 02:20 |
| Clinton: 'systemic racism in criminal justice' | Clinton: 'systemic racism in criminal justice' |
| Clinton gets a question about the police killings of black Americans around the country. | Clinton gets a question about the police killings of black Americans around the country. |
| “It has been heartbreaking,” she says, “to see the constant stories of young men like Walter Scott” and others killed by police. | “It has been heartbreaking,” she says, “to see the constant stories of young men like Walter Scott” and others killed by police. |
| She says there’s “systemic racism in our criminal justice system and that requires a very clear agenda for retraining police officers, looking at ways to end racial profiling, finding more ways to really bring the disparities that stalk our country into high relief. One out of three African American men may well end up going to prison. That’s the statistic.” | She says there’s “systemic racism in our criminal justice system and that requires a very clear agenda for retraining police officers, looking at ways to end racial profiling, finding more ways to really bring the disparities that stalk our country into high relief. One out of three African American men may well end up going to prison. That’s the statistic.” |
| “What we would be doing if it was one out of three white men,” she asks the crowd. | “What we would be doing if it was one out of three white men,” she asks the crowd. |
| The moderator tries to redirect but Sanders doesn’t let him: “we have a criminal justice system that is broken.” | The moderator tries to redirect but Sanders doesn’t let him: “we have a criminal justice system that is broken.” |
| “Who in America is satisfied” with the criminal justice system, he asks, when it incarcerates more people than China. | “Who in America is satisfied” with the criminal justice system, he asks, when it incarcerates more people than China. |
| “Who is satisfied that 51% of African American young people are either unemployed or underemployed,” he goes on, showing off his own statistics. | “Who is satisfied that 51% of African American young people are either unemployed or underemployed,” he goes on, showing off his own statistics. |
| The he turns it into something of a stump speech, asking “who is satisfied that million of people have police records … while the CEOs of Wall Street companies who destroyed our economy have no [records]?” | The he turns it into something of a stump speech, asking “who is satisfied that million of people have police records … while the CEOs of Wall Street companies who destroyed our economy have no [records]?” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.30am GMT | at 2.30am GMT |
| 2.18am GMT | 2.18am GMT |
| 02:18 | 02:18 |
| Jeb Lund | Jeb Lund |
| From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: | From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund: |
| The trouble with Martin O’Malley opening the debate with far more specificity in his answers than either Clinton or Sanders’ vaguely aspirational openers is that it’s far more glaring when he runs back to convenient anecdotes and evasive, emotive waffling in the face of difficult questions, as he did when called on to explain what he would say to people worried that he might take away their guns. | The trouble with Martin O’Malley opening the debate with far more specificity in his answers than either Clinton or Sanders’ vaguely aspirational openers is that it’s far more glaring when he runs back to convenient anecdotes and evasive, emotive waffling in the face of difficult questions, as he did when called on to explain what he would say to people worried that he might take away their guns. |
| The sad thing is that there is safety and benefit in being facile. Call it the Being There quotient. | The sad thing is that there is safety and benefit in being facile. Call it the Being There quotient. |
| 2.16am GMT | 2.16am GMT |
| 02:16 | 02:16 |
| Sanders: 'gun critique is disingenuous' | Sanders: 'gun critique is disingenuous' |
| The candidates then get a question about gun control, and Sanders immediately says that Clinton’s attacks on him are “disingenuous”. | The candidates then get a question about gun control, and Sanders immediately says that Clinton’s attacks on him are “disingenuous”. |
| He says that he supports a ban on assault-style and closing gunshow loopholes, and that he’s always had a D-minus rating from the NRA. He then alludes to the gunman who killed nine people in Charleston last summer. | He says that he supports a ban on assault-style and closing gunshow loopholes, and that he’s always had a D-minus rating from the NRA. He then alludes to the gunman who killed nine people in Charleston last summer. |
| “We have seen in this city a horrendous tragedy, of a crazed person praying” and then killing people, he says. “This should not be a political issue, what we should be doing is working together.” | “We have seen in this city a horrendous tragedy, of a crazed person praying” and then killing people, he says. “This should not be a political issue, what we should be doing is working together.” |
| He adds that “as a senator from a rural state” with virtually no gun control, “I believe I am in an excellent position to bring people together to fight for gun control.” | He adds that “as a senator from a rural state” with virtually no gun control, “I believe I am in an excellent position to bring people together to fight for gun control.” |
| Clinton doesn’t back down: “He has voted with the gun lobby, with the NRA, numerous times.” | Clinton doesn’t back down: “He has voted with the gun lobby, with the NRA, numerous times.” |
| She says Sanders voted against the Brady campaign foive times, voted “for what we now call the Charleston loophole” – a rule that helped the Charleston shooter get a gun when he otherwise would have been barred one. | She says Sanders voted against the Brady campaign foive times, voted “for what we now call the Charleston loophole” – a rule that helped the Charleston shooter get a gun when he otherwise would have been barred one. |
| “Let’s not forget what this is about. Ninety people a day die from gun violence in our country, that’s 33,000 people a year … one of the most horrific examples, not a block from here, where we had nine people murdered.” | “Let’s not forget what this is about. Ninety people a day die from gun violence in our country, that’s 33,000 people a year … one of the most horrific examples, not a block from here, where we had nine people murdered.” |
| “I am pleased to hear that senator Sanders has reversed his position on immunity,” she continues, turning toward the gun industry. “There is no other industry in America that was given the total pass that the gun makers and dealers were and that needs to be reversed.” | “I am pleased to hear that senator Sanders has reversed his position on immunity,” she continues, turning toward the gun industry. “There is no other industry in America that was given the total pass that the gun makers and dealers were and that needs to be reversed.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.29am GMT | at 2.29am GMT |
| 2.11am GMT | 2.11am GMT |
| 02:11 | 02:11 |
| Holt asks the candidates what their priorities would be in the first 100 days of their presidencies. | Holt asks the candidates what their priorities would be in the first 100 days of their presidencies. |
| Sanders gives a variation of his stump speech, saying that he wants to do everything in his power to combat inequality, that healthcare should be available for every American, | Sanders gives a variation of his stump speech, saying that he wants to do everything in his power to combat inequality, that healthcare should be available for every American, |
| Clinton hammers her healthcare plan, a variation on what Obama and Sanders have said. She says she wants “a more stable platform that doesn’t take too much money out of the pockets of hard working Americans”. | Clinton hammers her healthcare plan, a variation on what Obama and Sanders have said. She says she wants “a more stable platform that doesn’t take too much money out of the pockets of hard working Americans”. |
| Then she says “we do have too much division” in the country, and that she would try hard to reunite the American people. | Then she says “we do have too much division” in the country, and that she would try hard to reunite the American people. |
| O’Malley runs down a list of issues that his rivals did not mention: bargaining rights for labor unions, getting 11 million people “out of the shadow economy”, $15 minimum wage everywhere possible, and tackling climate change. | O’Malley runs down a list of issues that his rivals did not mention: bargaining rights for labor unions, getting 11 million people “out of the shadow economy”, $15 minimum wage everywhere possible, and tackling climate change. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.08am GMT | at 3.08am GMT |
| 2.08am GMT | 2.08am GMT |
| 02:08 | 02:08 |
| Opening statements | Opening statements |
| Hillary Clinton: I remember well when my youth minister took me to hear Dr Martin Luther King when I was a teenager, his moral clarity, the message that he conveyed that evening really stayed with me. | Hillary Clinton: I remember well when my youth minister took me to hear Dr Martin Luther King when I was a teenager, his moral clarity, the message that he conveyed that evening really stayed with me. |
| And it stayed with me that on the last day of his life in Memphis Dr King was fighting for higher pay and dignity for people. That is our fight still. We have to keep our communities and country safe. We need a president who can do all aspects of that job. | And it stayed with me that on the last day of his life in Memphis Dr King was fighting for higher pay and dignity for people. That is our fight still. We have to keep our communities and country safe. We need a president who can do all aspects of that job. |
| Bernie Sanders: As we honor the extraordinary life of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, it’s important that we remember not just what he stood for but that we continue to remmber his vision for this country. We have an economy that’s rigged: ordinary Americans are working more hours for lower wages. | Bernie Sanders: As we honor the extraordinary life of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, it’s important that we remember not just what he stood for but that we continue to remmber his vision for this country. We have an economy that’s rigged: ordinary Americans are working more hours for lower wages. |
| And to make a bad situation worse we have a corrupt campaign finance system where billionaires are spending extraordinary amounts of money to buy Americans. This is about a political revolution not only for president but to transform the country. | And to make a bad situation worse we have a corrupt campaign finance system where billionaires are spending extraordinary amounts of money to buy Americans. This is about a political revolution not only for president but to transform the country. |
| Martin O’Malley: I’m Martin O’Malley. I was born when Dr King delivered his ‘I have a dream speech’. And I remember when there was a tragic shooting here in Charleston last year, and that the struggle is not over. Our country’s doing better and we’re creating jobs again, compared to eight years ago. But in order to do more for equal opportunity, we have to defeat the voices of anger and fear and division, we need new leadership. We need to build on the accomplishments of President Obama. | Martin O’Malley: I’m Martin O’Malley. I was born when Dr King delivered his ‘I have a dream speech’. And I remember when there was a tragic shooting here in Charleston last year, and that the struggle is not over. Our country’s doing better and we’re creating jobs again, compared to eight years ago. But in order to do more for equal opportunity, we have to defeat the voices of anger and fear and division, we need new leadership. We need to build on the accomplishments of President Obama. |
| 2.06am GMT | 2.06am GMT |
| 02:06 | 02:06 |
| Jeb Lund | Jeb Lund |
| From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund, live in Tampa, Florida: | From Guardian US columnist Jeb Lund, live in Tampa, Florida: |
| Welcome to the last Democratic debate before the Iowa caucus, for some reason scheduled at the very first hour of the average American’s Sunday when he or she will feel obligated to spend time with the kids after ignoring them for seven straight hours in favor of some of the most important football of the year. | Welcome to the last Democratic debate before the Iowa caucus, for some reason scheduled at the very first hour of the average American’s Sunday when he or she will feel obligated to spend time with the kids after ignoring them for seven straight hours in favor of some of the most important football of the year. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.07am GMT | at 2.07am GMT |
| 2.03am GMT | 2.03am GMT |
| 02:03 | 02:03 |
| The trio of Democratic candidates takes the stage, welcomed by moderator Lester Holt for NBC News. | The trio of Democratic candidates takes the stage, welcomed by moderator Lester Holt for NBC News. |
| There’s applause, and even a little bit of excited whooping. Clinton stands center stage. | There’s applause, and even a little bit of excited whooping. Clinton stands center stage. |
| Holt gives each 45 seconds to open. | Holt gives each 45 seconds to open. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.07am GMT | at 3.07am GMT |
| 1.54am GMT | 1.54am GMT |
| 01:54 | 01:54 |
| It's Carolina debate time! | It's Carolina debate time! |
| To those who’re tuning in now, welcome to our live coverage of the fourth Democratic presidential debate. The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington and Dan Roberts are in attendance at the debate in Charleston, South Carolina, where Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley are about to take the stage. | To those who’re tuning in now, welcome to our live coverage of the fourth Democratic presidential debate. The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington and Dan Roberts are in attendance at the debate in Charleston, South Carolina, where Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley are about to take the stage. |
| With only two weeks before caucus time in the great state of Iowa, the camaraderie among the Democratic candidates – nobody cares about any emails over here! – has finally soured. Allies of the Clinton camp have maligned Sanders’ health and healthcare plan, Clinton accused Sanders of “making [it] up as he goes along”, and the Vermont senator has fought back by suggesting Clinton gets along a little too well with Wall Street. | With only two weeks before caucus time in the great state of Iowa, the camaraderie among the Democratic candidates – nobody cares about any emails over here! – has finally soured. Allies of the Clinton camp have maligned Sanders’ health and healthcare plan, Clinton accused Sanders of “making [it] up as he goes along”, and the Vermont senator has fought back by suggesting Clinton gets along a little too well with Wall Street. |
| O’Malley said the whole debate thing itself hasn’t been fair. But he’s shown up anyway, polls be damned. | O’Malley said the whole debate thing itself hasn’t been fair. But he’s shown up anyway, polls be damned. |
| Tonight’s 9pm debate will be a less crowded affair than the opposing party’s debate on Thursday – though Republican candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz will be sure to make an appearance in angry, Twitter-embodied spirit. | Tonight’s 9pm debate will be a less crowded affair than the opposing party’s debate on Thursday – though Republican candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz will be sure to make an appearance in angry, Twitter-embodied spirit. |
| The candidates are: | The candidates are: |
| We’ve got a cast of political reporters, columnists here and across the US. You can watch a livestream here, but it’s the Sunday before a holiday and there’s no football on. Why not hang out with us instead? | We’ve got a cast of political reporters, columnists here and across the US. You can watch a livestream here, but it’s the Sunday before a holiday and there’s no football on. Why not hang out with us instead? |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.57am GMT | at 1.57am GMT |
| 1.49am GMT | 1.49am GMT |
| 01:49 | 01:49 |
| Bernie Sanders has unexpectedly bowed to pressure about his proposed healthcare plan, releasing a white paper just an hour before the debate. Dan Roberts and Ed Pilkington report from Charleston. | Bernie Sanders has unexpectedly bowed to pressure about his proposed healthcare plan, releasing a white paper just an hour before the debate. Dan Roberts and Ed Pilkington report from Charleston. |
| The so-called “single-payer” insurance model is employed successfully in a number of industrialised countries such as Canada, but several practical questions over how to move from the current US system had overshadowed Sander’s ambitious promise. | The so-called “single-payer” insurance model is employed successfully in a number of industrialised countries such as Canada, but several practical questions over how to move from the current US system had overshadowed Sander’s ambitious promise. |
| Sanders has always argued the efficiency benefits from having a single government purchaser of healthcare would more than compensate for the extra taxes used to pay for it – estimating there would be overall savings of $6tn over the next 10 years compared to the current system. | Sanders has always argued the efficiency benefits from having a single government purchaser of healthcare would more than compensate for the extra taxes used to pay for it – estimating there would be overall savings of $6tn over the next 10 years compared to the current system. |
| But it remained unclear whether employers would necessarily pass on their savings from not having to provide medical insurance, or leave taxpayers facing a huge hike in their payments to the government in the interim. | But it remained unclear whether employers would necessarily pass on their savings from not having to provide medical insurance, or leave taxpayers facing a huge hike in their payments to the government in the interim. |
| Economist Gerald Friedman estimated in the plan the average working family now pays $4,955 in premiums for private insurance and spends another $1,318 on deductibles for care that isn’t covered. The Sanders campaign claim that under his plan, a family of four earning $50,000 would pay just $466 per year to the Medicare-for-all program. | Economist Gerald Friedman estimated in the plan the average working family now pays $4,955 in premiums for private insurance and spends another $1,318 on deductibles for care that isn’t covered. The Sanders campaign claim that under his plan, a family of four earning $50,000 would pay just $466 per year to the Medicare-for-all program. |
| Hillary Clinton has been stepping up her attacks on Sanders’ single-payer healthcare scheme, mindful no doubt of tightening polls in Iowa and her rival’s enduring lead in New Hampshire. She has claimed that the impact of the plan would be to return control over health insurance to the governors of individual states, and slap an additional 9% tax on middle-class families to pay for it. | Hillary Clinton has been stepping up her attacks on Sanders’ single-payer healthcare scheme, mindful no doubt of tightening polls in Iowa and her rival’s enduring lead in New Hampshire. She has claimed that the impact of the plan would be to return control over health insurance to the governors of individual states, and slap an additional 9% tax on middle-class families to pay for it. |
| She released a statement almost immediately Sunday night, accusing Sanders of having “backpedaled” on guns and now healthcare. “When you’re running for president and you’re serious about getting results for the American people, details matter,” she said. “Senator Sanders is making them up as he goes along.” | She released a statement almost immediately Sunday night, accusing Sanders of having “backpedaled” on guns and now healthcare. “When you’re running for president and you’re serious about getting results for the American people, details matter,” she said. “Senator Sanders is making them up as he goes along.” |
| Funding 'single payer' health with payroll tax not income tax seems smart move by Sanders - gives employers no choice but to pass on savings | Funding 'single payer' health with payroll tax not income tax seems smart move by Sanders - gives employers no choice but to pass on savings |
| 1.43am GMT | 1.43am GMT |
| 01:43 | 01:43 |
| Musician endorsement rankings, Democrats 2016 edition. | Musician endorsement rankings, Democrats 2016 edition. |
| Hillary Clinton: Bon Jovi, Ne-Yo, Ja Rule, Ariana Grande, Snoop Dogg, Ellie Goulding (5) | Hillary Clinton: Bon Jovi, Ne-Yo, Ja Rule, Ariana Grande, Snoop Dogg, Ellie Goulding (5) |
| Bernie Sanders: Neil Young, Killer Mike, Lil B the Based God, Dave Matthews, the Red Hot Chili Peppers (5) | Bernie Sanders: Neil Young, Killer Mike, Lil B the Based God, Dave Matthews, the Red Hot Chili Peppers (5) |
| Martin O’Malley: Martin O’Malley (1) | Martin O’Malley: Martin O’Malley (1) |
| By your blogger’s inclinations, Sanders has the slight edge: the co-creator of Run the Jewels is in the Charleston spin room tonight to campaign for the senator. | By your blogger’s inclinations, Sanders has the slight edge: the co-creator of Run the Jewels is in the Charleston spin room tonight to campaign for the senator. |
| Then again, Clinton has a somewhat famous saxophonist on the trail for her. | Then again, Clinton has a somewhat famous saxophonist on the trail for her. |
| Jason Winter for Best Dressed! #ImWithHer https://t.co/ZUXeZvA16h | Jason Winter for Best Dressed! #ImWithHer https://t.co/ZUXeZvA16h |
| *Update: reporter Lauren Gambino points out that HRC has a huge roster of music celebrities in her camp. Beyoncé, Kanye, Cristina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez. She may have the edge. Or we’ll need some kind of reality show or music critic showdown to decide. | *Update: reporter Lauren Gambino points out that HRC has a huge roster of music celebrities in her camp. Beyoncé, Kanye, Cristina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez. She may have the edge. Or we’ll need some kind of reality show or music critic showdown to decide. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.01am GMT | at 2.01am GMT |
| 1.35am GMT | 1.35am GMT |
| 01:35 | 01:35 |
| Need to catch up on the intrigue and bickering of the 2016 election? Don’t miss the weekend’s main political events: | Need to catch up on the intrigue and bickering of the 2016 election? Don’t miss the weekend’s main political events: |
| And on the other side of the aisle … | And on the other side of the aisle … |
| 1.25am GMT | 1.25am GMT |
| 01:25 | 01:25 |
| Meanwhile, Ed Pilkington and Dan Roberts are meeting the men and women who believe the Clinton and Sanders camps shall overcome … each other. They write in: | Meanwhile, Ed Pilkington and Dan Roberts are meeting the men and women who believe the Clinton and Sanders camps shall overcome … each other. They write in: |
| There’s a pretty lively protest going on outside the Gaillard Centerwhere tonight’s Democratic presidential debate is being held. Supporters of Bernie Sanders are lined up on one side of Calhoun Street, chanting “no more flip-flopping” and “Grassroots not Superpacs” – not the snappiest of jingles. | There’s a pretty lively protest going on outside the Gaillard Centerwhere tonight’s Democratic presidential debate is being held. Supporters of Bernie Sanders are lined up on one side of Calhoun Street, chanting “no more flip-flopping” and “Grassroots not Superpacs” – not the snappiest of jingles. |
| Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton troupers are lined up on the other side of the road, producing a noisy though placid face-off. | Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton troupers are lined up on the other side of the road, producing a noisy though placid face-off. |
| The Bernie supporters definitely have the edge on decibel levels, though I’m not sure that shouting volume necessarily translates into votes, Donald Trump’s strategy notwithstanding. In other ways, the protesters seemed fairly identical to me. | The Bernie supporters definitely have the edge on decibel levels, though I’m not sure that shouting volume necessarily translates into votes, Donald Trump’s strategy notwithstanding. In other ways, the protesters seemed fairly identical to me. |
| “I’m with Bernie because he actually cares about us - he’s been working for women and equal rights for 30 years without changing positions once,” said Melissa McKenzie, 32, on one side of the street. | “I’m with Bernie because he actually cares about us - he’s been working for women and equal rights for 30 years without changing positions once,” said Melissa McKenzie, 32, on one side of the street. |
| “I’m excited to see a woman in the White House, and I’m insanely proud I get to elect the first female president in my first election ,” said Abby Beauregard, 18, on the other. | “I’m excited to see a woman in the White House, and I’m insanely proud I get to elect the first female president in my first election ,” said Abby Beauregard, 18, on the other. |
| Lively protest feeling the Bern outside tonight's televised debate in Charleston https://t.co/zFQdKrWSRR | Lively protest feeling the Bern outside tonight's televised debate in Charleston https://t.co/zFQdKrWSRR |
| But scratch beneath the surface and Bernie fans are worried, they continue. | But scratch beneath the surface and Bernie fans are worried, they continue. |
| The lack of organisation in South Carolina concerns many of the supporters, especially compared with Iowa, where Sanders has invested in a formidable ground operation. | The lack of organisation in South Carolina concerns many of the supporters, especially compared with Iowa, where Sanders has invested in a formidable ground operation. |
| “I’m not sure how hard he is trying in South Carolina,” said one supporter trudging away from the battle of the banners. “I had two calls this week from Clinton campaign people trying to get me to turn out for her and nothing from his people. I just don’t think they have the money.” | “I’m not sure how hard he is trying in South Carolina,” said one supporter trudging away from the battle of the banners. “I had two calls this week from Clinton campaign people trying to get me to turn out for her and nothing from his people. I just don’t think they have the money.” |
| 1.16am GMT | 1.16am GMT |
| 01:16 | 01:16 |
| Tonight’s debate is at a stadium only a block away from the Mother Emanuel, the black church that was brutally attacked last June by a white supremacist. Nine people were killed after praying at a Bible studies class with the gunman, and the tragedy continues to reverberate through the community. | Tonight’s debate is at a stadium only a block away from the Mother Emanuel, the black church that was brutally attacked last June by a white supremacist. Nine people were killed after praying at a Bible studies class with the gunman, and the tragedy continues to reverberate through the community. |
| Chief reporter Ed Pilkington sends a sketch from the church service earlier Sunday. | Chief reporter Ed Pilkington sends a sketch from the church service earlier Sunday. |
| That terrible event, so close in location to the debate venue, is unquestionably going to be raised tonight as the presidential contestants compete with each other to be seen to be tough on gun violence. | That terrible event, so close in location to the debate venue, is unquestionably going to be raised tonight as the presidential contestants compete with each other to be seen to be tough on gun violence. |
| We had a preview of that this morning, at a special Mother Emanuel Sunday service for Martin Luther King weekend. Bernie Sanders was among the packed congregation, giving a short speech in which he recalled attending King’s 1963 march on Washington. | We had a preview of that this morning, at a special Mother Emanuel Sunday service for Martin Luther King weekend. Bernie Sanders was among the packed congregation, giving a short speech in which he recalled attending King’s 1963 march on Washington. |
| Hillary Clinton wasn’t there, but her place was taken by her newly-announced surrogate, the former US attorney general Eric Holder. “Those who are elected must be held accountable” on fighting gun violence, he said, “and those who will not stand with us must be held accountable”. | Hillary Clinton wasn’t there, but her place was taken by her newly-announced surrogate, the former US attorney general Eric Holder. “Those who are elected must be held accountable” on fighting gun violence, he said, “and those who will not stand with us must be held accountable”. |
| Holder did not specify whom he was referring to, but you could be forgiven for assuming it was the white-haired senator for Vermont about five feet away – the senator whom Clinton has been bashing hard in recent days over his perceived weakness on gun reform. | Holder did not specify whom he was referring to, but you could be forgiven for assuming it was the white-haired senator for Vermont about five feet away – the senator whom Clinton has been bashing hard in recent days over his perceived weakness on gun reform. |
| The most moving words at the service came from Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed 17-year-old black teenager shot dead by George Zimmerman in 2012. | The most moving words at the service came from Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed 17-year-old black teenager shot dead by George Zimmerman in 2012. |
| “If nothing in life breaks you down, then losing a child will bring you to your knees,” she said. “The pain never goes away.” | “If nothing in life breaks you down, then losing a child will bring you to your knees,” she said. “The pain never goes away.” |
| 1.08am GMT | 1.08am GMT |
| 01:08 | 01:08 |
| It’s the battle of the banners in Charleston, where DC bureau chief Dan Roberts is mingling with the partisans. | It’s the battle of the banners in Charleston, where DC bureau chief Dan Roberts is mingling with the partisans. |
| 12.43am GMT | 12.43am GMT |
| 00:43 | 00:43 |
| Lauren Gambino | Lauren Gambino |
| If a debate falls on a Sunday and no one is around to watch it, do the candidates make a sound? | If a debate falls on a Sunday and no one is around to watch it, do the candidates make a sound? |
| That’s a question from my colleague Lauren Gambino, who reports on whether the organizers of the Democratic debate schedule actually want anybody to think about anyone besides a certain former secretary of state. | That’s a question from my colleague Lauren Gambino, who reports on whether the organizers of the Democratic debate schedule actually want anybody to think about anyone besides a certain former secretary of state. |
| I did my best to make sure, along with my staff and along with our debate partners, to come up with a schedule that we felt was going to allow for the – to maximize the opportunity for voters to see our candidates.” | I did my best to make sure, along with my staff and along with our debate partners, to come up with a schedule that we felt was going to allow for the – to maximize the opportunity for voters to see our candidates.” |
| So said Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), told CNN’s Reliable Sources on Sunday. | So said Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), told CNN’s Reliable Sources on Sunday. |
| Two presidential candidates politely disagree. | Two presidential candidates politely disagree. |
| We’ve never had such an undemocratic debate schedule as we have this year in the Democratic Party,” said candidate Martin O’Malley last week, during Fusion’s Black and Brown forum. | We’ve never had such an undemocratic debate schedule as we have this year in the Democratic Party,” said candidate Martin O’Malley last week, during Fusion’s Black and Brown forum. |
| That event was not an official debate and drew even more dismal viewership numbers than the three debates so far. O’Malley added: | That event was not an official debate and drew even more dismal viewership numbers than the three debates so far. O’Malley added: |
| And then to add insult to injury, they schedule these debates on Saturday nights when as few people will see them as possible.” | And then to add insult to injury, they schedule these debates on Saturday nights when as few people will see them as possible.” |
| Polling far behind the other Democratic candidates, the former governor of Maryland blamed his flagging campaign squarely on the DNC’s debate schedule. | Polling far behind the other Democratic candidates, the former governor of Maryland blamed his flagging campaign squarely on the DNC’s debate schedule. |
| That schedule has been the source of much internal, well, debate, with many accusing party leadership of deliberately creating a schedule that drives down viewership and tilts the nomination in favor of Clinton. | That schedule has been the source of much internal, well, debate, with many accusing party leadership of deliberately creating a schedule that drives down viewership and tilts the nomination in favor of Clinton. |
| If true – and the party’s chairwoman has repeatedly said it is not – the plan to protect Clinton has backfired. Tonight is the last Democratic debate before voting begins in Iowa and New Hampshire, where Sanders and Clinton are deadlocked. | If true – and the party’s chairwoman has repeatedly said it is not – the plan to protect Clinton has backfired. Tonight is the last Democratic debate before voting begins in Iowa and New Hampshire, where Sanders and Clinton are deadlocked. |
| What’s the fuss? Lauren takes a look at the schedule: | What’s the fuss? Lauren takes a look at the schedule: |
| There was the one a Tuesday in October, so long ago that you might have forgotten about it. There was the other one on a Saturday in November that competed with college football. And the one just days before Christmas – in the same 24-hour window Star Wars was released to record ticket sales. Now there’s one tonight, in the middle of a holiday weekend, after two NFL playoff games. | There was the one a Tuesday in October, so long ago that you might have forgotten about it. There was the other one on a Saturday in November that competed with college football. And the one just days before Christmas – in the same 24-hour window Star Wars was released to record ticket sales. Now there’s one tonight, in the middle of a holiday weekend, after two NFL playoff games. |
| So far, the three Democratic debates have drawn a total of 33 million viewers. By contrast the Republicans have held six debates, collectively attracting 102 million viewers. | So far, the three Democratic debates have drawn a total of 33 million viewers. By contrast the Republicans have held six debates, collectively attracting 102 million viewers. |
| There are only two more Democratic debates scheduled, compared to six for the Republicans. | There are only two more Democratic debates scheduled, compared to six for the Republicans. |
| On Sunday, Wasserman Schultz seemed to excuse the Democratic debates’ low viewership with a quality-over-quantity argument: | On Sunday, Wasserman Schultz seemed to excuse the Democratic debates’ low viewership with a quality-over-quantity argument: |
| They have got a reality TV star that is attracting a lot of train wreck, you know, you shouldn’t watch, but you can’t help yourself-type interest. On our side, we’re getting record viewership for our debates. And we have had three up to now, and this is our fourth. And that’s because voters really care about the issues.” | They have got a reality TV star that is attracting a lot of train wreck, you know, you shouldn’t watch, but you can’t help yourself-type interest. On our side, we’re getting record viewership for our debates. And we have had three up to now, and this is our fourth. And that’s because voters really care about the issues.” |
| So tonight we can expect Clinton and Sanders will likely go at it harder than they have yet, in a final sprint to shore up as many votes as possible before the 1 February caucus. | So tonight we can expect Clinton and Sanders will likely go at it harder than they have yet, in a final sprint to shore up as many votes as possible before the 1 February caucus. |
| 12.01am GMT | 12.01am GMT |
| 00:01 | 00:01 |
| Hello and welcome to our coverage of the fourth Democratic presidential debate, where Americans will get to spend time with a cantankerous semi-socialist from Brooklyn, the stateswoman who brought dancing to diplomacy, and a street busker from Maryland who thinks he can lead the free world. | Hello and welcome to our coverage of the fourth Democratic presidential debate, where Americans will get to spend time with a cantankerous semi-socialist from Brooklyn, the stateswoman who brought dancing to diplomacy, and a street busker from Maryland who thinks he can lead the free world. |
| Anything could happen! Most of it probably won’t. But you’ve probably got Monday off and all the football games have ended – probably – so why not stick around? | Anything could happen! Most of it probably won’t. But you’ve probably got Monday off and all the football games have ended – probably – so why not stick around? |
| Tonight we’re in Charleston, South Carolina, on the even of Martin Luther King Day, so it’s safe to expect some sober talk about civil rights – reproductive, voting, healthcare, inequality – and about a new struggle: gun control. Emotions are running high on both issues in Charleston, where chief reporter Ed Pilkington has landed and written up a little on what people are thinking. | Tonight we’re in Charleston, South Carolina, on the even of Martin Luther King Day, so it’s safe to expect some sober talk about civil rights – reproductive, voting, healthcare, inequality – and about a new struggle: gun control. Emotions are running high on both issues in Charleston, where chief reporter Ed Pilkington has landed and written up a little on what people are thinking. |
| And with only two weeks before one of our three contenders wins Iowa, the stakes are considerably higher. | And with only two weeks before one of our three contenders wins Iowa, the stakes are considerably higher. |
| This week the allies of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton ratcheted up attacks on her closest rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont – her daughter said something scary (and dubious) about his plans, and a Super Pac wanted to see a note from his doctor. | This week the allies of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton ratcheted up attacks on her closest rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont – her daughter said something scary (and dubious) about his plans, and a Super Pac wanted to see a note from his doctor. |
| Sanders bolstered his campaign presence in Iowa and launched a new ad tying Clinton to Wall Street – the great bugaboo of the senator’s campaign. Martin O’Malley, polling below 3% nationally, didn’t drop out of the race, so kudos for perseverance anyway. | Sanders bolstered his campaign presence in Iowa and launched a new ad tying Clinton to Wall Street – the great bugaboo of the senator’s campaign. Martin O’Malley, polling below 3% nationally, didn’t drop out of the race, so kudos for perseverance anyway. |
| The debate is set for 9pm ET on BC, a little after playoff football should end (unless the Steelers and Broncos go to overtime). Candidates will likely face questions about the Black Lives Matter movement, Sanders’ voting record, those pesky banks, those pesky military interventions in the Middle East – and you can bet they’ll give Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz a dishonorable mention or two. | The debate is set for 9pm ET on BC, a little after playoff football should end (unless the Steelers and Broncos go to overtime). Candidates will likely face questions about the Black Lives Matter movement, Sanders’ voting record, those pesky banks, those pesky military interventions in the Middle East – and you can bet they’ll give Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz a dishonorable mention or two. |
| Along for the ride this evening here at Guardian US are: | Along for the ride this evening here at Guardian US are: |
| We’ll make sense of the circus so you don’t have to … or at least we’ll try. Read on! | We’ll make sense of the circus so you don’t have to … or at least we’ll try. Read on! |