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| Democratic debate: Clinton and Sanders both oppose deportations | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders criticized a surge in deportations of illegal immigrants carried out by the Obama administration, saying they would both block the expulsions and offer them a new legal path toward citizenship. | |
| “I am against the raids. I am against the kind of inhumane treatment that is now being visited upon families,” said Clinton, who served as President Obama’s first secretary of state, during Thursday night’s Democratic presidential debate. | |
| [Live updates from the debate] | [Live updates from the debate] |
| The deportations have begun in recent weeks, and affect families who were part of a surge of tens of thousands of Central Americans, many of them minors traveling alone, who flooded across the U.S. border in the last few years. The administration said that all of them had been ordered deported by judges. Latino leaders have criticized the raids, but the Obama administration has said they are necessary to deter others in Central America from making the dangerous journey themselves. | |
| Sanders said he believed that this message was being sent to people who had no other choice. “When we saw children coming from these horrendous, horrendously violent areas,” Sanders said. “I thought it was a good idea to allow those children to stay in this country.” He also said that the country should be welcoming to Latino immigrants: “We have got to stand up to the Trumps of the world, who are trying to divide us up.” Billionaire Donald Trump, who won the New Hampshire GOP primary, has said that undocumented immigrants are “rapists” and has called for a massive deportation of all the undocumented. | |
| [The Democratic debate in Milwaukee, annotated] | |
| Most of Thursday’s Democratic debate hardly seemed like a debate at all, with both Sanders and Obama agreeing on a variety of principles. They both called for criminal-justice reform, both called for universal health coverage, and both called for a path to citizenship for the undocumented. “We are in vigorous agreement here,” Clinton said at one point. When they disagreed, it was often about how to accomplish those goals, with Clinton saying that Sanders’ proposals were un-achievable, and Sanders replying that anything less than his proposals was un-worthy of a great country. | |
| Earlier, Clinton was asked about a comment from another former secretary of state – Clinton ally Madeleine Albright. | |
| Albright had told voters in New Hampshire that “There’s a special place in hell” for women who don’t help each other. Young women who support Sanders said this was campaigning by guilt trip. | |
| “She’s been saying that for as long as I’ve known her, for about 25 years,” Clinton said, before moving on to say she hoped men and women felt empowered to choose in this campaign. She finished with a nod to the demographics of the debate stage, where there was one female candidate and two female moderators, PBS’ Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff. “This is the first time there’s been a majority of women on the stage. So, you know, we’ll take our progress where ever we can find it.’ | |
| [Clinton, feminists and the politics of voting for ‘the old white guy’] | |
| Clinton’s rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is of Jewish heritage and identifies as a “democratic socialist,” said he too would make history as president, as well. “Somebody with my background, somebody with my views . . . I think a Sanders victory would be of some historical accomplishment as well,” the senator from Vermont said. | Clinton’s rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is of Jewish heritage and identifies as a “democratic socialist,” said he too would make history as president, as well. “Somebody with my background, somebody with my views . . . I think a Sanders victory would be of some historical accomplishment as well,” the senator from Vermont said. |
| Earlier in the debate Clinton criticized Sanders for promising sweeping liberal changes that he couldn’t deliver – turning their second one-on-one debate into a circular, rather vague discussion of whose abstract policy proposals were the most achievable. | Earlier in the debate Clinton criticized Sanders for promising sweeping liberal changes that he couldn’t deliver – turning their second one-on-one debate into a circular, rather vague discussion of whose abstract policy proposals were the most achievable. |
| “I feel like we have to level with people [because] there is a great deal of skepticism about the federal government,” Clinton said that. “So we have a special obligation, to make clear what we stand for. Which is why I think we can’t make promises we can’t keep.” | “I feel like we have to level with people [because] there is a great deal of skepticism about the federal government,” Clinton said that. “So we have a special obligation, to make clear what we stand for. Which is why I think we can’t make promises we can’t keep.” |
| This is an argument that Clinton also directed against Sanders in the last debate, just before the New Hampshire primaries, which Sanders won handily. It is a difficult argument to make in a party primary – for one thing, because essentially tells the party faithful they can’t have all they want. The other problem is that, in the context of a televised debate, everyone is likely making a few promises they can’t keep. And neither candidate is laying out the nitty-gritty compromises and half-measures that would be essential to actually making law. | This is an argument that Clinton also directed against Sanders in the last debate, just before the New Hampshire primaries, which Sanders won handily. It is a difficult argument to make in a party primary – for one thing, because essentially tells the party faithful they can’t have all they want. The other problem is that, in the context of a televised debate, everyone is likely making a few promises they can’t keep. And neither candidate is laying out the nitty-gritty compromises and half-measures that would be essential to actually making law. |
| Sanders usually turned the questions from the details of his plans to their moral underpinnings, arguing in essence that America could do these things because other countries had – and because it would be unjust not to do them. | Sanders usually turned the questions from the details of his plans to their moral underpinnings, arguing in essence that America could do these things because other countries had – and because it would be unjust not to do them. |
| He finished this section to applause, by saying he would make Wall Street bankers pay for major parts of his plans, including an expansion of funding for infrastructure. “We bailed them out. Now it is their time to help the middle class!” Sanders said. | He finished this section to applause, by saying he would make Wall Street bankers pay for major parts of his plans, including an expansion of funding for infrastructure. “We bailed them out. Now it is their time to help the middle class!” Sanders said. |
| In their opening statments, both candidates tried to pitch themselves to African American voters – a crucial voting bloc in upcoming primaries. | In their opening statments, both candidates tried to pitch themselves to African American voters – a crucial voting bloc in upcoming primaries. |
| Sanders spoke about what he called a “a broken criminal justice system,” which he said treats the rich and poor unequally. He said that young people get criminal records for using marijuana, while Wall Street executives escape prosecutions for actions that plunged the U.S. into recession. | Sanders spoke about what he called a “a broken criminal justice system,” which he said treats the rich and poor unequally. He said that young people get criminal records for using marijuana, while Wall Street executives escape prosecutions for actions that plunged the U.S. into recession. |
| [This could be Bernie Sanders’s last, best chance to appeal to black voters] | |
| Clinton also talked about criminal-justice reform, and about fighting discrimination against African Americans in housing and jobs. | Clinton also talked about criminal-justice reform, and about fighting discrimination against African Americans in housing and jobs. |
| Clinton also adopted a refrain from Sanders’ stump speech: “The economy is rigged, in favor of those at the top.” But she returned to a common criticism of Sanders, which is that his plans for expanding government benefits – particularly health insurance – would bring an enormous, and expensive, expansion of government. | Clinton also adopted a refrain from Sanders’ stump speech: “The economy is rigged, in favor of those at the top.” But she returned to a common criticism of Sanders, which is that his plans for expanding government benefits – particularly health insurance – would bring an enormous, and expensive, expansion of government. |
| “It would probably increase the size of the federal government by about 40 percent,” Clinton said. She focused in particular on Sanders’ promise that his health-care plan could save middle-class families $4,500 per year: “The numbers don’t add up. That’s a promise that cannot be kept.” | “It would probably increase the size of the federal government by about 40 percent,” Clinton said. She focused in particular on Sanders’ promise that his health-care plan could save middle-class families $4,500 per year: “The numbers don’t add up. That’s a promise that cannot be kept.” |
| As the candidates prepared for the debate on Thursday, Clinton got a bit of good news. She was endorsed by the political arm of the Congressional Black Caucus, with Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), the caucus chairman, saying no candidate “understands the racial divide” as well as Clinton does. | As the candidates prepared for the debate on Thursday, Clinton got a bit of good news. She was endorsed by the political arm of the Congressional Black Caucus, with Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), the caucus chairman, saying no candidate “understands the racial divide” as well as Clinton does. |
| With an implicit attack on Sanders, Butterfield dismissed candidates who “just promise wonderful things, but things that are politically impossible to achieve.” | With an implicit attack on Sanders, Butterfield dismissed candidates who “just promise wonderful things, but things that are politically impossible to achieve.” |
| But also Thursday, The Washington Post revealed new details about a State Department investigation into Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state. The Post reported that investigators with the State Department issued a subpoena to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation in the fall seeking documents about the charity’s projects that may have required approval from the federal government during Hillary Clinton’s term as secretary of state. | But also Thursday, The Washington Post revealed new details about a State Department investigation into Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state. The Post reported that investigators with the State Department issued a subpoena to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation in the fall seeking documents about the charity’s projects that may have required approval from the federal government during Hillary Clinton’s term as secretary of state. |
| The subpoena also asked for records related to Huma Abedin, a longtime Clinton aide. For six months in 2012 Abedin was employed simultaneously by the State Department, the foundation, Clinton’s personal office and a private consulting firm with ties to the Clintons. | The subpoena also asked for records related to Huma Abedin, a longtime Clinton aide. For six months in 2012 Abedin was employed simultaneously by the State Department, the foundation, Clinton’s personal office and a private consulting firm with ties to the Clintons. |
| In Thursday’s debate, Clinton may face new questions about the relationships between the foundation and people important to the State Department — both its employees, and the foreign governments it had contact with — during her tenure as secretary. She may also face questions about her use of a private email server to handle government business during that period, which has raised questions about whether Clinton mishandled classified information. | In Thursday’s debate, Clinton may face new questions about the relationships between the foundation and people important to the State Department — both its employees, and the foreign governments it had contact with — during her tenure as secretary. She may also face questions about her use of a private email server to handle government business during that period, which has raised questions about whether Clinton mishandled classified information. |
| [State Dept. investigators subpoenaed records from Clinton Foundation] | [State Dept. investigators subpoenaed records from Clinton Foundation] |
| Thursday will mark the first time the candidates have met since Sanders — a senator from Vermont who calls himself a “democratic socialist” — won a runaway victory in Tuesday’s New Hampshire presidential primary. | Thursday will mark the first time the candidates have met since Sanders — a senator from Vermont who calls himself a “democratic socialist” — won a runaway victory in Tuesday’s New Hampshire presidential primary. |
| On Thursday, Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea, was asked if she had a sinking feeling now, or saw parallels to the 2008 Democratic primary, where her mother began as the front-runner but lost to then-Sen. Barack Obama. | On Thursday, Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea, was asked if she had a sinking feeling now, or saw parallels to the 2008 Democratic primary, where her mother began as the front-runner but lost to then-Sen. Barack Obama. |
| “I didn’t have a sinking feeling eight years ago, and I don’t now,” Chelsea Clinton said. “I don’t think of the world that way.” | “I didn’t have a sinking feeling eight years ago, and I don’t now,” Chelsea Clinton said. “I don’t think of the world that way.” |
| Chelsea Clinton was visiting a pediatric clinic and a pipefitter’s union hall in Flint, Mich., where mismanagement by state and local authorities led to massive leaching of toxic lead into the city’s water supply. The city has a large African American population, and Hillary Clinton has sought to make it an example of how black communities receive unequal treatment from government. | Chelsea Clinton was visiting a pediatric clinic and a pipefitter’s union hall in Flint, Mich., where mismanagement by state and local authorities led to massive leaching of toxic lead into the city’s water supply. The city has a large African American population, and Hillary Clinton has sought to make it an example of how black communities receive unequal treatment from government. |
| “I have a 16-month-old daughter, I’m pregnant with my second child, and I couldn’t even imagine the trauma knowing that my child was a victim, not because I did anything but because of where I live?” Chelsea Clinton said. “I just can’t imagine that.” | “I have a 16-month-old daughter, I’m pregnant with my second child, and I couldn’t even imagine the trauma knowing that my child was a victim, not because I did anything but because of where I live?” Chelsea Clinton said. “I just can’t imagine that.” |
| This debate is likely to focus on the concerns of African American and Latino voters, who will play key roles in several upcoming Democratic contests. Clinton, having struggled in heavily white Iowa and New Hampshire, thinks her support among these voters will provide a “firewall” that stymies Sanders’s upstart campaign. | This debate is likely to focus on the concerns of African American and Latino voters, who will play key roles in several upcoming Democratic contests. Clinton, having struggled in heavily white Iowa and New Hampshire, thinks her support among these voters will provide a “firewall” that stymies Sanders’s upstart campaign. |
| To hold that support, Clinton has focused in recent days on issues like gun control, criminal-sentencing reform and the disastrous mismanagement that allowed toxic lead to leach into drinking water in Flint, Mich. | To hold that support, Clinton has focused in recent days on issues like gun control, criminal-sentencing reform and the disastrous mismanagement that allowed toxic lead to leach into drinking water in Flint, Mich. |
| But Sanders has been aggressively moving to appeal to the same voters, combining his core message about economic unfairness with his own calls to reform the criminal-justice system. | But Sanders has been aggressively moving to appeal to the same voters, combining his core message about economic unfairness with his own calls to reform the criminal-justice system. |
| [Sanders debuts 4-minute ad featuring daughter of New York man who died in police chokehold] | [Sanders debuts 4-minute ad featuring daughter of New York man who died in police chokehold] |
| The tests of Sanders’s success will come in the next two Democratic contests, held in Nevada on Feb. 20 and in South Carolina on Feb. 27. The most recent polls in South Carolina and Nevada showed Clinton well ahead of Sanders. But they were all taken before the results came in from Iowa or New Hampshire. | The tests of Sanders’s success will come in the next two Democratic contests, held in Nevada on Feb. 20 and in South Carolina on Feb. 27. The most recent polls in South Carolina and Nevada showed Clinton well ahead of Sanders. But they were all taken before the results came in from Iowa or New Hampshire. |
| “If the elections were held today in both those states, we would lose,” Sanders told The Washington Post on Wednesday. “But I think we have momentum, I think we have a shot to win, and if we don’t win, we’ll do a lot better than people think we will.” | “If the elections were held today in both those states, we would lose,” Sanders told The Washington Post on Wednesday. “But I think we have momentum, I think we have a shot to win, and if we don’t win, we’ll do a lot better than people think we will.” |
| Clinton — the former secretary of state, senator, first lady and the race’s original front-runner — only barely beat Sanders in Iowa. Then, in New Hampshire, Sanders crushed Clinton by 22 percentage points, beating her among a variety of demographic groups, including women — who went for Sanders despite Clinton’s bid to be the first female president. | Clinton — the former secretary of state, senator, first lady and the race’s original front-runner — only barely beat Sanders in Iowa. Then, in New Hampshire, Sanders crushed Clinton by 22 percentage points, beating her among a variety of demographic groups, including women — who went for Sanders despite Clinton’s bid to be the first female president. |
| [A key reason young people don’t support Hillary Clinton? They don’t have daughters.] | [A key reason young people don’t support Hillary Clinton? They don’t have daughters.] |
| Also worrisome for Clinton: Exit polls showed Sanders overwhelmingly won young voters and middle-class voters. The only age group that went for Clinton was those older than 65, and the only income bracket that went for her was people making over $200,000 per year. | Also worrisome for Clinton: Exit polls showed Sanders overwhelmingly won young voters and middle-class voters. The only age group that went for Clinton was those older than 65, and the only income bracket that went for her was people making over $200,000 per year. |
| In the aftermath of that win, Sanders said he raised more than $6 million in new donations, according to news media reports. That infusion of money, which the campaign said was largely from small-dollar donors, will allow Sanders to spend heavily on TV ads in the coming states. | In the aftermath of that win, Sanders said he raised more than $6 million in new donations, according to news media reports. That infusion of money, which the campaign said was largely from small-dollar donors, will allow Sanders to spend heavily on TV ads in the coming states. |
| Steve Friess, a freelance writer, contributed to this report from Flint, Mich. | Steve Friess, a freelance writer, contributed to this report from Flint, Mich. |