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No Country for Old Men? The 2020 Candidates Debate Leadership Warren Notes She’d Be ‘Youngest Woman Inaugurated’ as Democrats Debate Leadership
(about 1 hour later)
About an hour into what was a relatively calm Democratic debate Thursday night, moderators turned up the heat by asking the 2020 Democrats if they agreed with an assessment made recently by former President Obama: That women should lead, and that problems arise when “old people, usually old men,” fail to get “out of the way.” About an hour into what was a relatively calm Democratic debate Thursday night, moderators turned up the heat by asking the 2020 candidates if they agreed with an assessment made recently by former President Barack Obama: That women should lead, and that problems arise when “old people, usually old men,” fail to get “out of the way.”
One of the debate moderators, Tim Alberta, asked first for a response from Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who he noted was “the oldest candidate onstage.” Mr. Alberta then moved on to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who sought to assure viewers that Mr. Obama had not had him in mind when he made the remarks about age. Mr. Alberta then asked Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota to weigh in.One of the debate moderators, Tim Alberta, asked first for a response from Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who he noted was “the oldest candidate onstage.” Mr. Alberta then moved on to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who sought to assure viewers that Mr. Obama had not had him in mind when he made the remarks about age. Mr. Alberta then asked Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota to weigh in.
But the most raucous applause came after Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts had her turn. In asking for her response, Mr. Alberta noted that Ms. Warren “would be the oldest president ever inaugurated.”But the most raucous applause came after Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts had her turn. In asking for her response, Mr. Alberta noted that Ms. Warren “would be the oldest president ever inaugurated.”
Ms. Warren replied: “I’d also be the youngest woman ever inaugurated.”Ms. Warren replied: “I’d also be the youngest woman ever inaugurated.”
Here is a transcript of the exchange:Here is a transcript of the exchange:
MODERATOR TIM ALBERTA: Senator Sanders, you are the oldest candidate onstage this evening.MODERATOR TIM ALBERTA: Senator Sanders, you are the oldest candidate onstage this evening.
BERNIE SANDERS: And I’m white as well!BERNIE SANDERS: And I’m white as well!
Yes.Yes.
ALBERTA: How do you respond to what the former president had to say?ALBERTA: How do you respond to what the former president had to say?
SANDERS: Well, I got a lot of respect for Barack Obama. I think I disagree with him on this one. Maybe a little self-serving, but I do disagree. Here is the issue: The issue is where power resides in America, and it’s not white or black or male or female. We are living in a nation increasingly becoming an oligarchy, where you have a handful of billionaires who spend hundreds of millions of dollars buying elections and politicians. You have more income and wealth inequality today, than at any time since the 1920s. We are the only major country on earth not to guarantee health care for all people, which is why we need Medicare for all. We are facing an existential crisis of climate change. The issue is not old or young, male or female. The issue is working people standing up, taking on the billionaire class and creating a government and economy that works for all, not just the 1 percent.SANDERS: Well, I got a lot of respect for Barack Obama. I think I disagree with him on this one. Maybe a little self-serving, but I do disagree. Here is the issue: The issue is where power resides in America, and it’s not white or black or male or female. We are living in a nation increasingly becoming an oligarchy, where you have a handful of billionaires who spend hundreds of millions of dollars buying elections and politicians. You have more income and wealth inequality today, than at any time since the 1920s. We are the only major country on earth not to guarantee health care for all people, which is why we need Medicare for all. We are facing an existential crisis of climate change. The issue is not old or young, male or female. The issue is working people standing up, taking on the billionaire class and creating a government and economy that works for all, not just the 1 percent.
ALBERTA: Thank you, Senator Sanders. Vice President Biden, I’m going to guess that President Obama did not clear that remark through your campaign ahead of timeALBERTA: Thank you, Senator Sanders. Vice President Biden, I’m going to guess that President Obama did not clear that remark through your campaign ahead of time
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.: And I’m going to guess he wasn’t talking about me, either.JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.: And I’m going to guess he wasn’t talking about me, either.
ALBERTA: O.K.ALBERTA: O.K.
BIDEN: Look, I’m running, I’m running because I’ve been around — on my experience. With my experience comes judgment and a little bit of wisdom. The fact is that we’re in a position now, the next president of the United States is going to inherit two things: an economy out of kilter and a domestic policy that needs to be — we will have to unite America. And a foreign policy that requires somebody being able on day one to stand up, look out, the entire world knows who that person is, know what they stand for and know they know them, and that’s the reason I’m running. I have more experience in doing that than anybody on this stage.BIDEN: Look, I’m running, I’m running because I’ve been around — on my experience. With my experience comes judgment and a little bit of wisdom. The fact is that we’re in a position now, the next president of the United States is going to inherit two things: an economy out of kilter and a domestic policy that needs to be — we will have to unite America. And a foreign policy that requires somebody being able on day one to stand up, look out, the entire world knows who that person is, know what they stand for and know they know them, and that’s the reason I’m running. I have more experience in doing that than anybody on this stage.
ALBERTA: Just to follow up, Vice President Biden, if elected, you would turn 82 at the end of your first term. You’d be the oldest president in American history.ALBERTA: Just to follow up, Vice President Biden, if elected, you would turn 82 at the end of your first term. You’d be the oldest president in American history.
BIDEN: [garble] Winston Churchill.BIDEN: [garble] Winston Churchill.
ALBERTA: American history.ALBERTA: American history.
BIDEN: I was joking. That was a joke.BIDEN: I was joking. That was a joke.
ALBERTA: Appreciate it.ALBERTA: Appreciate it.
BIDEN: Politico doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.BIDEN: Politico doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.
ALBERTA: Oh, we’ve got a great sense of humor. They wouldn’t have put me onstage otherwise.ALBERTA: Oh, we’ve got a great sense of humor. They wouldn’t have put me onstage otherwise.
ALBERTA: Are you willing to commit tonight to running for a second term if you are elected next November?ALBERTA: Are you willing to commit tonight to running for a second term if you are elected next November?
BIDEN: No, I’m not willing to commit one way or another. Here’s the deal. I’m not even elected one term yet, and let’s see where we are. Let’s see what happens. But it’s a nice thought.BIDEN: No, I’m not willing to commit one way or another. Here’s the deal. I’m not even elected one term yet, and let’s see where we are. Let’s see what happens. But it’s a nice thought.
ALBERTA: Senator Klobuchar, you had your hand raised.ALBERTA: Senator Klobuchar, you had your hand raised.
AMY KLOBUCHAR: Thank you for asking a woman this question. I think — first of all, we have not had enough women in our government. When I was on Trevor Noah’s show once, I explained how in the history of the Senate there was something like 2,000 men and only 50 women in the whole history. And he said if a nightclub had numbers that bad, they would shut it down. However, it is not just about numbers. It’s about what you get done, and that is my argument. If you look at the state that knows me best, and that is the state of Minnesota, it showed in the state that Hillary had her lowest margin of victory, it showed that I’d beat Donald Trump by 18 points. I beat him with men more than anyone on this stage. So I think what matters in this election is, can you bring in those rural and suburban areas, particularly in the Midwest, and number two, what will you do when you get there? And I am someone that has passed over 100 bills with men and women, with Republicans and with Democrats, including changing the sexual harassment laws for the United States Congress, a bill I led so taxpayers are no longer going to have to pay for people that harass other people.AMY KLOBUCHAR: Thank you for asking a woman this question. I think — first of all, we have not had enough women in our government. When I was on Trevor Noah’s show once, I explained how in the history of the Senate there was something like 2,000 men and only 50 women in the whole history. And he said if a nightclub had numbers that bad, they would shut it down. However, it is not just about numbers. It’s about what you get done, and that is my argument. If you look at the state that knows me best, and that is the state of Minnesota, it showed in the state that Hillary had her lowest margin of victory, it showed that I’d beat Donald Trump by 18 points. I beat him with men more than anyone on this stage. So I think what matters in this election is, can you bring in those rural and suburban areas, particularly in the Midwest, and number two, what will you do when you get there? And I am someone that has passed over 100 bills with men and women, with Republicans and with Democrats, including changing the sexual harassment laws for the United States Congress, a bill I led so taxpayers are no longer going to have to pay for people that harass other people.
I have passed a law for drug shortages. I have done work in our rural areas. I think that’s what most matters to people. I would be so proud to be the first woman president. But mostly I want to be a president that gets things done and improves people’s lives.I have passed a law for drug shortages. I have done work in our rural areas. I think that’s what most matters to people. I would be so proud to be the first woman president. But mostly I want to be a president that gets things done and improves people’s lives.
ALBERTA: Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. Senator Warren, you would be the oldest president ever inaugurated. I would like you to weigh in as well.ALBERTA: Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. Senator Warren, you would be the oldest president ever inaugurated. I would like you to weigh in as well.
ELIZABETH WARREN: I’d also be the youngest woman ever inaugurated.ELIZABETH WARREN: I’d also be the youngest woman ever inaugurated.
I believe that President Obama was talking about who has power in America, whose voices get heard. I believe he’s talking about women and people of color and trans people and people whose voices just so often get shoved out. For me, the best way to understand that is, look at how people are running their campaigns in 2020. You know, I made the decision when I decided to run not to do business as usual. And now, I’m proud now at 100,000 selfies. That’s 100,000 hugs and handshakes and stories, stories from people who are struggling with student loan debt, stories from people who can’t pay their medical bills, stories from people who can’t find child care. Most of the people on the stage run a traditional campaign. And that means going back and forth from coast to coast to rich people and people who can put up $5,000 or more in order to have a picture taken, in order to have a conversation, and in order maybe to be considered to be an ambassador.I believe that President Obama was talking about who has power in America, whose voices get heard. I believe he’s talking about women and people of color and trans people and people whose voices just so often get shoved out. For me, the best way to understand that is, look at how people are running their campaigns in 2020. You know, I made the decision when I decided to run not to do business as usual. And now, I’m proud now at 100,000 selfies. That’s 100,000 hugs and handshakes and stories, stories from people who are struggling with student loan debt, stories from people who can’t pay their medical bills, stories from people who can’t find child care. Most of the people on the stage run a traditional campaign. And that means going back and forth from coast to coast to rich people and people who can put up $5,000 or more in order to have a picture taken, in order to have a conversation, and in order maybe to be considered to be an ambassador.
ALBERTA: Thank you, Senator Warren.ALBERTA: Thank you, Senator Warren.
WARREN: No, I want to finish this. Those selfies cost nobody anything. And I get it. In a democracy, we all have a lot of different points of view and everyone gets one vote. But here’s the thing: People who can put down $5,000 to have a picture taken don’t have the same priorities as people who are struggling with student loan debt or struggling to pay off medical debt. I want — I’m running a campaign where people whose voices get heard. We can’t have people who can put down $5,000 for a check drown out the voices of everyone else.WARREN: No, I want to finish this. Those selfies cost nobody anything. And I get it. In a democracy, we all have a lot of different points of view and everyone gets one vote. But here’s the thing: People who can put down $5,000 to have a picture taken don’t have the same priorities as people who are struggling with student loan debt or struggling to pay off medical debt. I want — I’m running a campaign where people whose voices get heard. We can’t have people who can put down $5,000 for a check drown out the voices of everyone else.