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| Clinton, Sanders debate in midst of argument over progressive credentials | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| DURHAM, N.H. — Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have begun their first one-on-one debate — and their last before this state’s crucial primary. | |
| The debate began at 9 p.m. Eastern, and can be seen on MSNBC. This is the first time the two have debated without former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, who struggled to find a niche between the former secretary of state and the “democratic socialist” senator and who dropped out of the race after Monday’s Iowa caucuses. | |
| In this debate, both Clinton and Sanders will be playing an unfamiliar role. | |
| For Sanders, that means being the front-runner. | For Sanders, that means being the front-runner. |
| The Vermont senator has spent most of this race as an underdog, chipping away at Clinton’s by highlighting her close ties to Wall Street and her policy shifts on issues like the Iraq War and same-sex marriage. | |
| He was still doing it Thursday, in an appearance in Rochester, N.H., just hours before the debate. | He was still doing it Thursday, in an appearance in Rochester, N.H., just hours before the debate. |
| [The 7 big issues in Democrats’ New Hampshire debate] | [The 7 big issues in Democrats’ New Hampshire debate] |
| “Sometimes it’s easy to apologize for a bad vote 15 or 20 years later when the tide has changed,” Sanders said at a rally here. He was referring to Clinton’s vote in favor of the Iraq War, which came in 2002 while she was a Democratic senator from New York. Clinton has apologized for that vote. Sanders, then in the House, voted no. “It is a lot harder to stand up … and cast the right vote. That’s what leadership is about, not having to apologize for what's right.” | “Sometimes it’s easy to apologize for a bad vote 15 or 20 years later when the tide has changed,” Sanders said at a rally here. He was referring to Clinton’s vote in favor of the Iraq War, which came in 2002 while she was a Democratic senator from New York. Clinton has apologized for that vote. Sanders, then in the House, voted no. “It is a lot harder to stand up … and cast the right vote. That’s what leadership is about, not having to apologize for what's right.” |
| But now, in New Hampshire, which is next door to his home state, Sanders is playing Clinton’s old role: trying to hold on to a huge lead. He is leading Clinton 61 percent to 30 percent among likely Democratic primary voters, according to the latest CNN/WMUR poll. The margin was 58 to 38 percent in a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll. | But now, in New Hampshire, which is next door to his home state, Sanders is playing Clinton’s old role: trying to hold on to a huge lead. He is leading Clinton 61 percent to 30 percent among likely Democratic primary voters, according to the latest CNN/WMUR poll. The margin was 58 to 38 percent in a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll. |
| In recent days, Sanders has tried to lower expectations here, even as the polls have raised them. He’s talked about the Clinton family’s long experience in New Hampshire, and Hillary Clinton’s own win in New Hampshire in 2008. | In recent days, Sanders has tried to lower expectations here, even as the polls have raised them. He’s talked about the Clinton family’s long experience in New Hampshire, and Hillary Clinton’s own win in New Hampshire in 2008. |
| Clinton, by contrast, is playing up the underdog role — trying to make expectations low, then beat them. Clinton’s campaign has said New Hampshire is Sanders’s “back yard,” but she has poured in supporters to try to close the gap in the polls. | Clinton, by contrast, is playing up the underdog role — trying to make expectations low, then beat them. Clinton’s campaign has said New Hampshire is Sanders’s “back yard,” but she has poured in supporters to try to close the gap in the polls. |
| [Bill Clinton, prominent African American women head south to protect Hillary Clinton’s firewall] | [Bill Clinton, prominent African American women head south to protect Hillary Clinton’s firewall] |
| Clinton barely beat Sanders in the Iowa caucuses Monday. Her campaign has said, though, that the road will get easier for her after these first two states, which have a lot of white voters and very liberal voters — two groups among whom Sanders does well. | Clinton barely beat Sanders in the Iowa caucuses Monday. Her campaign has said, though, that the road will get easier for her after these first two states, which have a lot of white voters and very liberal voters — two groups among whom Sanders does well. |
| Their debate Thursday will most likely reprise an argument between the two about whether Clinton should be counted as a “progressive.” Earlier this week, Sanders said that Clinton is a progressive “some days,” except when she “announces she is a moderate.” | Their debate Thursday will most likely reprise an argument between the two about whether Clinton should be counted as a “progressive.” Earlier this week, Sanders said that Clinton is a progressive “some days,” except when she “announces she is a moderate.” |
| Clinton called Sanders’ comments a “low blow,” but her pitch to voters is essentially based on the idea that Sanders’s brand of progressivism is too idealistic and uncompromising to ever work in the real world. | Clinton called Sanders’ comments a “low blow,” but her pitch to voters is essentially based on the idea that Sanders’s brand of progressivism is too idealistic and uncompromising to ever work in the real world. |
| “I’m a progressive who likes to get things done,” Clinton said at a CNN forum Wednesday in which the two candidates appeared one after the other. | “I’m a progressive who likes to get things done,” Clinton said at a CNN forum Wednesday in which the two candidates appeared one after the other. |
| [Clinton, Sanders spar over ‘progressive’ label] | [Clinton, Sanders spar over ‘progressive’ label] |
| Clinton’s campaign announced Thursday evening that she would leave New Hampshire briefly Sunday to visit the city of Flint, Mich. In Flint, a poor city with a large African American population, a series of government breakdowns meant that residents’ drinking water was highly contaminated with lead. | |
| Democrats have said that the state’s Republican governor, Rick Snyder, should resign for the role his state government played in causing the problem and failing to notify residents quickly. | |
| Also Thursday, Clinton reported that her campaign had raised $15 million in January — $5 million less than Sanders’s, according to the Associated Press. The AP said this was the first time an opponent had out-raised her. | Also Thursday, Clinton reported that her campaign had raised $15 million in January — $5 million less than Sanders’s, according to the Associated Press. The AP said this was the first time an opponent had out-raised her. |
| A day after taking the stage separately for a town hall, the two Democratic presidential hopefuls are set to share one Thursday night in what could be a defining debate days before the New Hampshire primary. | A day after taking the stage separately for a town hall, the two Democratic presidential hopefuls are set to share one Thursday night in what could be a defining debate days before the New Hampshire primary. |
| The Clinton-Sanders race was once marked by polite disagreements about governing style. Sanders, of course, famously dismissed a damaging Clinton scandal by saying he didn’t actually care about “your damn emails.” | The Clinton-Sanders race was once marked by polite disagreements about governing style. Sanders, of course, famously dismissed a damaging Clinton scandal by saying he didn’t actually care about “your damn emails.” |
| But as their race has tightened, both sides have turned less polite. | But as their race has tightened, both sides have turned less polite. |
| [Sanders calls the Clinton campaign ‘fantastic spinners’ and offers his criteria for negative ads] | [Sanders calls the Clinton campaign ‘fantastic spinners’ and offers his criteria for negative ads] |
| The Sanders campaign has criticized the speaking fees Clinton accepted from large financial firms, including Goldman Sachs. To Sanders — who wants to have government break up these banks to reduce their power — the payments are proof that Clinton owes Wall Street a favor. | The Sanders campaign has criticized the speaking fees Clinton accepted from large financial firms, including Goldman Sachs. To Sanders — who wants to have government break up these banks to reduce their power — the payments are proof that Clinton owes Wall Street a favor. |
| Clinton allies have pointed to a blurb Sanders wrote for a book that argues that President Obama let progressives down. | Clinton allies have pointed to a blurb Sanders wrote for a book that argues that President Obama let progressives down. |
| Abby Phillip contributed to this report. | Abby Phillip contributed to this report. |