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Sanders and Bloomberg come under attack in chaotic Democratic debate – live Democratic candidates bicker and shout over each other in chaotic debate – live
(32 minutes later)
Opponents seek to slow Bernie Sanders’ momentum while billionaire Mike Bloomberg needs a strong showing at tenth debateOpponents seek to slow Bernie Sanders’ momentum while billionaire Mike Bloomberg needs a strong showing at tenth debate
Chaos is still one of the main themes of tonight’s Democratic debate, although the bickering has died down slightly since it first erupted earlier tonight.
But candidates are still going over time on their answers, being abruptly cut off, and speaking over one another.
Some former Obama administration officials are praising Joe Biden’s debate performance, but they have one suggestion: stop yelling.
CBS News’ Gayle King has asked the night’s first question about the coronavirus after two days of stock market losses because of the health threat.
King asked senator Amy Klobuchar whether she would close borders to Americans who have been exposed to the virus.
Klobuchar responded by saying that the focus needs to be on helping infected Americans. “I’m not gonna give you my website, I’m going to give the CDC’s site, it’s cdc.gov,” the Minnesota senator said.
Some viewers have spotted quite an overstatement from Joe Biden:
Mike Bloomberg was the first candidate to bring up the coronavirus after two days of steep stock market losses due to fears about the spreading health threat.
But the CBS News moderators have not yet asked any questions about coronvirus, which has not escaped the attention of Twitter commentators.
Meanwhile, the virus has now reached into the ranks of the US military:
Here’s where tonight’s Democratic debate stands so far:
It’s looking like a good night for Bernie Sanders, who has often faded into the background as his opponents bicker and yell over each other. The Vermont senator’s frontrunner status currently appears safe.
The CBS News moderators have been criticized for failing to keep the debate on track as candidates try to seize the stage by launching into answers when they have not been addressed.
Elizabeth Warren once again criticized Mike Bloomberg for his reported history of making sexist comments, so the billionaire has not escaped scrutiny after his widely panned debate performance last week.
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
While the last debate was defined by the heavy blows the candidates were landing on each other, this one has so far been defined by its disorderly chaos.
Ironically, it’s also the first debate to be sponsored by Twitter which, as some have noted, it is increasingly starting to resemble.
Asked about his anti-junk food campaign as mayor of New York, Mike Bloomberg said the policy may not work well for the entire country.
Bloomberg noted New York “isn’t like all other cities, otherwise you would have a Naked Cowboy in every city.”
The billionaire candidate’s obviously pre-written jokes are attracting some mockery on Twitter:
The moderators appear to be trying to take back control of the debate after candidates spent the first hour cutting each other off and yelling to deliver answers.
As Pete Buttigieg tried to interject himself into the discussion, CBS News’ Margaret Brennan told him to “honor the rules of the debate.”
Questions are being asked about how tickets were made available for tonight’s debate. Some reports suggest that certain tickets were priced between $1,750 - $3,200.
Some are saying that might account for the unexpected enthusiasm being shown for billionaire candidate Bloomberg ...
Mike Bloomberg tried to make a joke about his widely panned debate performance last week by suggesting he actually did a great job pushing back against his opponents.
But the joke was poorly timed and did not appear to land with the Charleston audience:
Did Mike Bloomberg fall prey to an unfortunate Freudian slip earlier, and say he bought 21 Democratic seats in 2018?Did Mike Bloomberg fall prey to an unfortunate Freudian slip earlier, and say he bought 21 Democratic seats in 2018?
Donald Trump Jr has already jumped on the moment, but watch the clip and decide for yourself (it happens just towards the end):Donald Trump Jr has already jumped on the moment, but watch the clip and decide for yourself (it happens just towards the end):
There is a sense of desperation to tonight’s debate, as candidates repeatedly cut each other off to launch attacks at each other.There is a sense of desperation to tonight’s debate, as candidates repeatedly cut each other off to launch attacks at each other.
Here’s how much each candidate has spoken tonight, via the New York Times’ live tracker:Here’s how much each candidate has spoken tonight, via the New York Times’ live tracker:
Once again turning their attention to frontrunner Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg criticized the frontrunner for not supporting an elimination of the Senate filibuster.Once again turning their attention to frontrunner Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg criticized the frontrunner for not supporting an elimination of the Senate filibuster.
“How are we going to deliver a revolution if you won’t even support a rule change?” Buttigieg asked.“How are we going to deliver a revolution if you won’t even support a rule change?” Buttigieg asked.
Eliminating the Senate filibuster would lower the threshold required to pass legislation, and the proposal has another high-profile supporter -- Donald Trump.Eliminating the Senate filibuster would lower the threshold required to pass legislation, and the proposal has another high-profile supporter -- Donald Trump.
The debate moderators are coming in for a lot of heat tonight. Viewers’ criticisms have included the lack of control over the bickering candidates, and the fact no-one has yet been asked about the global panic over coronavirus.The debate moderators are coming in for a lot of heat tonight. Viewers’ criticisms have included the lack of control over the bickering candidates, and the fact no-one has yet been asked about the global panic over coronavirus.
Bernie Sanders was asked why he voted to protect gun manufacturers from legal liability, which other candidates have criticized him for.Bernie Sanders was asked why he voted to protect gun manufacturers from legal liability, which other candidates have criticized him for.
Sanders initially tried to pivot to criticizing Joe Biden for his record on trade deals, which prompted boos from the Charleston audience.Sanders initially tried to pivot to criticizing Joe Biden for his record on trade deals, which prompted boos from the Charleston audience.
“I have cast thousands of votes, including bad votes,” Sanders then said. “That was a bad vote.”“I have cast thousands of votes, including bad votes,” Sanders then said. “That was a bad vote.”
Elizabeth Warren has so far directed more criticism at Mike Bloomberg than Bernie Sanders, the frontrunner in the primary race.
As another progressive senator, Warren will likely need to pick off some of Sanders’ supporters to have any chance of the nomination.
But Warren cannot criticize Sanders’ agenda too harshly -- because it aligns so closely with her own -- so she has decided to continue slamming the billionaire former mayor of New York.
While tonight’s debate hasn’t been quite as fierce as last week’s, it has featured the most cross-talk, shouting and overall bickering. At one point the candidates spoke over one another for about 20 seconds as they argued over the cost of Bernie Sanders’ healthcare plans.
And it’s not just the candidates on stage – the audience is also far more vocal and unruly than before:
Joe Biden just went after Tom Steyer for his past support for private prisons, a clear effort to stop the billionaire activist’s rise in the South Carolina polls.
Biden pointed to Steyer’s past investment in a private prison system to argue he was not in sync with Democratic voters on criminal justice.
Steyer responded by saying he no longer supports private prisons, which prompted Biden to give him a new nickname: “Tommy come lately!”
It’s round two of Warren v Bloomberg, and this time it’s just as personal as it was last week.
Similar to her first attack on the billionaire media mogul in the previous debate, Warren started off by highlighting one of the disturbing remarks Bloomberg allegedly made to a female employee in 1995 (which he denies):
Warren has also gone after Bloomberg over his electability with Democratic voters, and whether they can trust him:
Elizabeth Warren was asked for evidence to back up her accusation that Mike Bloomberg responded to news of an employee’s pregnancy by telling her to “kill it.”
But the claim has been thoroughly reported:
Asked about reports of his sexist comments, Mike Bloomberg said he was “probably” wrong to make jokes that sparked complaints against him.
Elizabeth Warren used her first answer to criticize Bernie Sanders, but she has now turned her attention to Mike Bloomberg, who she targeted in the last debate.
“I don’t care how much money Mayor Bloomberg has,” Warren said. “The core of the Democratic Party will never trust him. He has not earned their trust. I will.”
Warren then resurrected reports of Bloomberg’s history of sexist remarks, specifically an allegation that the billionaire responded to news of an employee’s pregnancy by telling her to “kill it.”
Bloomberg denied the claim and criticized the senator for once again raising the issue of his company’s non-disclosure agreements, accusing Warren of continually moving the goalposts.
Amy Klobuchar was just been asked her first question of the night. But while the other candidates have been going back and forth over the last eighteen minutes, it’s the first chance she’s had to speak.
Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar both agreed “stop and frisk,” the controversial policy supported by Mike Bloomberg while he was New York’s mayor, was racist.
“I’m conscious of the fact that there are seven white people on this stage talking about racial justice,” Buttigieg added.
“Stop and frisk” has been repeatedly criticized for unfairly targeting young men of color. Bloomberg has apologized for supporting the policy, but his controversial record on race could be an issue in the South Carolina primary, where more than half of voters were African American in 2016.
Asked about his declining support among African American voters, Joe Biden expressed confidence he would win Saturday’s South Carolina primary.
Biden noted polls indicate he still leads the Democratic field with black voters. “I’ve worked like the devil to earn the vote of the African American community,” Biden said.
The former vice president then unequivocally predicted he would be victorious on Saturday. “I will win South Carolina,” Biden said.