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Clinton and Sanders battle over Wall Street in Democratic debate – as it happened Clinton and Sanders battle over Wall Street in Democratic debate – as it happened
(30 days later)
4.36am GMT4.36am GMT
04:3604:36
The fourth Democratic debate has reached its fitting and complete anticlimax. Here’s a summary of what we learned in Charleston on Sunday night:The fourth Democratic debate has reached its fitting and complete anticlimax. Here’s a summary of what we learned in Charleston on Sunday night:
And you can read a full take on the debate, by my colleagues Dan Roberts and Ed Pilkington, through the link below.And you can read a full take on the debate, by my colleagues Dan Roberts and Ed Pilkington, through the link below.
Related: Democratic debate: Clinton and Sanders spar on guns, healthcare and Wall StreetRelated: Democratic debate: Clinton and Sanders spar on guns, healthcare and Wall Street
4.07am GMT4.07am GMT
04:0704:07
Ben JacobsBen 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.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.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/U9MkMdU5vgBernie Sanders' state coordinator inspires a room in Des Moines pic.twitter.com/U9MkMdU5vg
3.54am GMT3.54am GMT
03:5403:54
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.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.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.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.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.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”.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 GMT3.48am GMT
03:4803:48
Megan CarpentierMegan Carpentier
From Guardian US opinion editor 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”.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.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 GMT3.46am GMT
03:4603:46
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”.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.”“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.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.49am GMTat 3.49am GMT
3.44am GMT3.44am GMT
03:4403:44
Jeb LundJeb 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 GMT3.41am GMT
03:4103:41
“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 GMT3.33am GMT
03:3303:33
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.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.38am GMTat 3.38am GMT
3.29am GMT3.29am GMT
03:2903:29
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 GMT3.27am GMT
03:2703:27
Richard WolffeRichard Wolffe
From Guardian US columnist Richard WolffeFrom 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.]
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.38am GMTat 3.38am GMT
3.24am GMT3.24am GMT
03:2403:24
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
03:22
Candidates confront 'quagmire' of 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.
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.
Updated
at 3.34am GMT
3.19am GMT
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.
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.”
O’Malley: O’Malley doesn’t get a chance to answer.
3.17am GMT
03:17
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.)
3.14am GMT
03:14
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
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
3.14am GMT
03:14
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.
3.13am GMT
03:13
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.
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.
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!]
This cartoon depiction of American political gridlock is objectively hilarious. pic.twitter.com/8fRJpJsnRX
3.11am GMT
03:11
And we’re back: climate change!
Sanders: “The debate is over. Climate change is real.”
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.
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.
Updated
at 3.16am GMT
3.09am GMT
03:09
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.
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.
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
03:07
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.
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
“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”.
Moderator Lester Holt doesn’t really want to hear it. He breaks away to commercial.
3.02am GMT
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.
Not one of their executives is prosecuted while kids who smoke marijuana [get] jail time.
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!
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
at 3.36am GMT