This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/feb/19/debate-tonight-live-democratic-news-nevada-bernie-sanders-mike-bloomberg-latest

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Warren calls on Bloomberg to release women from NDAs during Democratic debate – live 'Bloomberg, should you exist?': Democrats spar over wealth at Nevada debate – live
(32 minutes later)
Six candidates – Sanders, Warren, Biden, Klobuchar, Buttigieg and Bloomberg – seek to break through as state readies for west’s first primary contestSix candidates – Sanders, Warren, Biden, Klobuchar, Buttigieg and Bloomberg – seek to break through as state readies for west’s first primary contest
Now Bloomberg is addressing his previous comments that scapegoated the end of racist redlining practices for the financial crisis. Redlining “is practiced everywhere and we have to cut it out,” he said, once again brushing away his past comments and policies. Klobuchar: “I wish everyone was as perfect as you”
Defending her record, she said, “You’ve memorized a bunch of talking points, and a bunch of things,” after listing off immigration reform legislation she’s worked on as senator.
Pete Buttigieg is once again trying to sell himself as the best middle ground. “Mayor Bloomberg thinks he can buy this election, he said. Senator Sanders wants to burn the house down.”
He’s going after fellow moderate Amy Klobuchar on her record on immigration, breaking into a bit of Spanish.
My colleague Joan E Greve agrees that Elizabeth Warren has stood out tonight:
Elizabeth Warren is coming out swinging against her opponents – having name-checked nearly all of them as she criticizes their campaign tactics and healthcare plans.
Warren used her first answer to call out Mike Bloomberg for reportedly making sexist comments and using his personal fortune to bankroll his campaign, and she later criticized Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders for their healthcare plans. Warren has seen her polling numbers slump in recent weeks, and her allies have complained that the media has covered her campaign unfairly since her third-place finish in Iowa. Klobuchar was able to turn in a much-better-than-expected showing in New Hampshire after a widely praised (and combative) debate performance earlier this month, and Warren may be hoping to replicate that success tonight.
Buttigieg failed to address the substance of the question that referenced his award-winning high school essay: Why does he lag in support among young people. While Buttigieg has drawn in many older, white supporters, Sanders has by far won over young people. Polls show
Trump joins in attacks on Bloomberg
The president is apparently keeping tabs on the debate tonight, even as he stands at a podium in Arizona, where he’s in the middle of a rally.
“Now they have a new member of the crew, Mini Mike,” Trump said, referencing the former New York mayor’s 5ft8in stature. “No boxes, we call him no boxes.”
“I hear he’s getting pounded tonight. I hear they’re pounding him,” he added, accusing Bloomberg of “buying” his candidacy.
The two wealthy New Yorkers have been trading barbs for the past week, with the president calling the former mayor a “loser” and Bloomberg describing the president as a “barking clown”.
Candidates have aggressively targeted Bloomberg since the debate’s opening, keeping the spotlight on his stop and frisk policy as well as his history of misogynistic insults. Warren hit Bloomberg with a particularly cutting remark when she said: “Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.”
“Let’s put forward somebody who is actually a Democrat,” said Buttigieg.
“I was into Bernie before it was cool,” said Pete Buttigieg, responding to a question about his past admiration of the Vermont senator and his policies. Buttigieg won an award for an essay about Sanders that he wrote while in high school. But the camaraderie was short-lived.
Sanders and Buttigieg quarreled whether the country is better off with revolutionary change, or moderation.
In case you missed it, here’s the tense moment Amy Klobuchar asked Pete Buttigieg if he was calling her “dumb”, after he attacked her for not knowing the name of the Mexican president during an interview:
Sanders retorted that Bloomberg’s brandishing of the communism descriptor was “a cheap shot.” In his zone, railing against the 1%, Sanders said: “We have socialism for the very rich, rugged individualism for the poor.”
Bloomberg hit back, “It’s ridiculous, we’re not going to throw out capitalism.” He jabbed Sanders on the fact that the Vermont senator has three homes and recently became a millionaire himself.
Moderator Chuck Todd asked, “Mayor Bloomberg, should you exist?”
“Should you have earned that much money?”
Multibillionaire Bloomberg, of course, responded: “Yes,” adding that he was “giving it away” to make the country better. Contrasting himself with progressive Sanders and Warren, who endorse much higher taxes on the ultra-rich, Bloomberg said the country doesn’t need “communism”.
Now Bloomberg is addressing his previous comments that scapegoated the end of racist redlining practices for the financial crisis. Redlining “is practiced everywhere and we have to cut it out”, he said, once again brushing away his past comments and policies.
Here’s how long each candidate has spoken so far tonight, according to the New York Times’ live tracker. It’s worth pointing out that Elizabeth Warren came in fifth at the end of the last debate.Here’s how long each candidate has spoken so far tonight, according to the New York Times’ live tracker. It’s worth pointing out that Elizabeth Warren came in fifth at the end of the last debate.
And according to Twitter’s Nick Pacilio, these are the most tweeted about candidates so far:And according to Twitter’s Nick Pacilio, these are the most tweeted about candidates so far:
Elizabeth Warren, who just chimed in with a reminder that she’s got plans to promote environmental justice, is seeing a surge in fundraising, according to her campaign. During the debate, Warren’s campaign had the best hour of fundraising to date.
My colleague Oliver Milman makes a thoughtful point: Why are questions about climate change during the Democratic debates so often framed in the economic context?
This was the memorable moment Elizabeth Warren went after Mike Bloomberg’s record on women after the businessmen tried to tout his accomplishments. It drew a strong reaction from the billionaire:
The fight over Nevada’s culinary union
Nevada’s powerful culinary union took center stage earlier in the evening when candidates attacked Sanders over the union’s criticism of his healthcare plan and reports that Sanders supporters harassed union officials as a result.
Here’s some background context from my colleague Mario Koran …
The powerful hospitality workers union in Nevada, which has declined to endorse a candidate head of the caucuses, recently circulated a flier criticizing Sanders’ “Medicare for All” proposal. The flier claimed Sanders would “end Culinary Healthcare” and “require Medicare for All” if elected president. The flyer took a comparably favorable view of the position taken by Sen Elizabeth Warren, who supports Medicare for all after a transition period.
According to the Nevada Independent, officials from the Culinary Union received threatening messages on via phone, email and Twitter from Sanders’ supporters angry about the flyer.
On Tuesday, Sanders condemned supporters who make “vicious attacks” on others, highlighting his support from labor unions.
“I am the strongest, perhaps lifetime, supporter of unions in the United States Congress. The idea that anybody who works with me would make a vicious attack against a union leader, just because we disagree on an issue, is incomprehensible to me,” Sanders said. “And you know what? I’m just not sure that that’s true.”
And we’re back... We’re now talking about climate change.
“I believe in science,” Warren said, launching into a defense of her ambitious proposals to combat global heating.
Sanders noted: “This is an existential threat... this is a moral issue.”
All the candidates tend to agree that climate change is a priority, though Warren and Sanders have the most progressive proposals.
Taking a short break. This has been a lively one.
Warren had another strong moment taking on Bloomberg over nondisclosure agreements women have signed at his company, saying: “You could release them from that immediately.”
“They signed those agreements, and we’ll live with it,” Bloomberg responded. When Bloomberg tried to suggest that it was a mutual “consensual” agreement of silence that both sides wanted, Warren responded: “If they wish to speak out and tell their side of their story, that’s ok with you? You’re releasing them on television tonight?” The exchange ended with Bloomberg refusing to say he would release women from nondisclosure agreements and some in the audience booing.
Bloomberg at one point also defended his record on women, saying, “In my company, lots and lots of women have big responsibilities. They get paid the same as men.” Warren responded: “I hope you heard what his defense was, I’ve been nice to some women.”
Amy Klobuchar, who forgot the name of Mexico’s president in an interview with Univision, said it was a momentary lapse.
When Buttigieg pushed back, she responded: “Are you calling me dumb? Are you mocking me?”
Buttigieg was the one candidate who correctly named Andrés Manuel López Obrador in the interview; Klobuchar and Tom Steyer (who is not on stage tonight) couldn’t remember. Mayor Pete’s campaign has been promoting the interview in campaig emails to supporters.
One thing that everyone seems to agree on tonight is that this debate is the most intense, combative one yet.
Bloomberg has gone after Sanders, Biden has gone after Bloomberg, and Warren has pretty much gone after everyone.
Here’s how viewers have been responding to the rumble happening on stage:
Warren is drilling down on Bloomberg, and the fact that he won’t released women from confidentiality agreements they signed relating to allegations of a hostile work environment at his company. She drew more parallels between Bloomberg and Donald Trump, who has brushed off a litany of sexual harassment accusations.