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| 'Nothing I'm saying is radical': Sanders brushes off attacks in chaotic debate – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Sanders and Bloomberg come under attack in latest debate before crucial Super Tuesday contests | Sanders and Bloomberg come under attack in latest debate before crucial Super Tuesday contests |
| That’s it from me tonight after the 10th Democratic debate, the last debate before Saturday’s South Carolina primary and Super Tuesday. | |
| Here are some key takeaways from the night: | |
| Early in the night, Bernie Sanders was the main target of his opponents’ attacks, but the frontrunner then seemed to fade into the background as the debate repeatedly devolved into bickering. The Vermont senator’s status as the one to beat in the nominating contest appears to be unchanged. | |
| The CBS News moderators were sharply criticized for their inability to maintain control of the debate as candidates tried to wrest control of the discussion by shouting over each other. A number of commentators also bemoaned the lack of questions on key issues like climate change and immigration. | |
| Republicans reveled in the “chaos” of the night, dismissing all the Democratic candidates as unworthy of ascending to the Oval Office. | |
| Coming off his disastrous first debate performance last week, Mike Bloomberg faced the lowest expectations of any candidate but still managed to inflict some damage upon himself. For example, Bloomberg said in response to criticism from Elizabeth Warren that he was “probably wrong” to make sexist jokes about his employees. | |
| The candidates repeatedly tried to address racial issues in light of Saturday’s primary in South Carolina, where more than half the Democratic electorate is African American. Most notably, Joe Biden promised to nominate an African-American women to the Supreme Court. But the direct appeals to black voters from the seven white candidates on stage struck some critics as blatant pandering. | |
| Thanks for following along with our debate coverage, and tune back in tomorrow morning for more of the Guardian’s live analysis of the 2020 election. | |
| MSNBC’s Chris Matthews pushed Elizabeth Warren on her accusation that Mike Bloomberg told an employee to “kill it” when he learned of her pregnancy. | |
| But as previously noted, the woman’s accusation, which Bloomberg denied, is well documented: | |
| Wondering why Bloomberg didn’t do so badly this time? | |
| It may be due to his debate prep (although it didn’t seem to help too much): | |
| An aide to Pete Buttigieg said the presidential candidate had canceled a planned trip to Florida because he is sick. | An aide to Pete Buttigieg said the presidential candidate had canceled a planned trip to Florida because he is sick. |
| During tonight’s debate, the former Indiana mayor could be heard coughing and sneezing as other candidates delivered their answers. | During tonight’s debate, the former Indiana mayor could be heard coughing and sneezing as other candidates delivered their answers. |
| Speaking to the Guardian’s Oliver Laughland in Charleston, Tom Steyer defended his record on private prisons. | Speaking to the Guardian’s Oliver Laughland in Charleston, Tom Steyer defended his record on private prisons. |
| “I worked to get rid of any use of private prisons,” Steyer said of his activism in his home state of California. “We successfully did it.” | “I worked to get rid of any use of private prisons,” Steyer said of his activism in his home state of California. “We successfully did it.” |
| During the debate, Joe Biden attacked Steyer, who is rising in the South Carolina polls, for previously investing in a private prison system. | During the debate, Joe Biden attacked Steyer, who is rising in the South Carolina polls, for previously investing in a private prison system. |
| “That’s something I’ve thought for 15 years, long before other people were talking about it,” Steyer said on his opposition to private prisons. “I made the right decision, and I’ve been working on it ever since.” | “That’s something I’ve thought for 15 years, long before other people were talking about it,” Steyer said on his opposition to private prisons. “I made the right decision, and I’ve been working on it ever since.” |
| Asked by another reporter whether he would reconsider his candidacy if he fell short in Saturday’s South Carolina primary, Steyer would not give a clear answer. | Asked by another reporter whether he would reconsider his candidacy if he fell short in Saturday’s South Carolina primary, Steyer would not give a clear answer. |
| The billionaire activist predicted the primary in South Carolina, where more than half of Democratic voters are African-American, would provide a “course correction” in the race. | The billionaire activist predicted the primary in South Carolina, where more than half of Democratic voters are African-American, would provide a “course correction” in the race. |
| During the debate, Pete Buttigieg condemned the “revolutionary politics of the 1960s”, in an implicit dig at Bernie Sanders. | During the debate, Pete Buttigieg condemned the “revolutionary politics of the 1960s”, in an implicit dig at Bernie Sanders. |
| The former Indiana mayor also tweeted and then deleted a tweet in which he said the US “can’t afford a scenario where it comes down to Donald Trump with his nostalgia for the social order of the 1950’s and Bernie Sanders with his nostalgia for the revolutionary politics of the 1960’s.” Buttigieg repeated the line again when he spoke to reporters in the debate spin room. | The former Indiana mayor also tweeted and then deleted a tweet in which he said the US “can’t afford a scenario where it comes down to Donald Trump with his nostalgia for the social order of the 1950’s and Bernie Sanders with his nostalgia for the revolutionary politics of the 1960’s.” Buttigieg repeated the line again when he spoke to reporters in the debate spin room. |
| But the “revolutionary politics” of the 60s include the civil rights movement and the Stonewall riots. In South Carolina, during Black history month, the comments came off as tone deaf. | But the “revolutionary politics” of the 60s include the civil rights movement and the Stonewall riots. In South Carolina, during Black history month, the comments came off as tone deaf. |
| The Sanders campaign picked up on Buttigieg’s point, as well. Nina Turner, a top Sanders surrogate, addressed the former South Bend mayor in a tweet: “Check your history!” | The Sanders campaign picked up on Buttigieg’s point, as well. Nina Turner, a top Sanders surrogate, addressed the former South Bend mayor in a tweet: “Check your history!” |
| Buttigieg has previously been criticized by LBGTQ+ activists. As The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reported earlier this month, “Buttigieg may be the first openly gay candidate to sweep the national stage and perform as well as he has in Iowa and New Hampshire, but more and more young queer voters say they feel he is not representative of them or their experiences.” | Buttigieg has previously been criticized by LBGTQ+ activists. As The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reported earlier this month, “Buttigieg may be the first openly gay candidate to sweep the national stage and perform as well as he has in Iowa and New Hampshire, but more and more young queer voters say they feel he is not representative of them or their experiences.” |
| Pete Buttigieg has canceled a planned trip to Florida, which will hold its primary on 17 March. | Pete Buttigieg has canceled a planned trip to Florida, which will hold its primary on 17 March. |
| Buttigieg’s campaign sent a memo to donors earlier today that seemed to downplay expectations for Super Tuesday, which appears to be very favorable for frontrunner Bernie Sanders. | Buttigieg’s campaign sent a memo to donors earlier today that seemed to downplay expectations for Super Tuesday, which appears to be very favorable for frontrunner Bernie Sanders. |
| The Buttigieg campaign said its strategy was to “minimize Sanders’ margins on Super Tuesday”, but that may not be enough to halt Sanders’ march toward the nomination. | The Buttigieg campaign said its strategy was to “minimize Sanders’ margins on Super Tuesday”, but that may not be enough to halt Sanders’ march toward the nomination. |
| Even while Joe Biden’s campaign celebrated his debate performance tonight, the former vice president’s advisers were struggling to explain his outlandish claim about being arrested trying to see Nelson Mandela. | Even while Joe Biden’s campaign celebrated his debate performance tonight, the former vice president’s advisers were struggling to explain his outlandish claim about being arrested trying to see Nelson Mandela. |
| Biden has repeatedly claimed in the past month that he was arrested while trying to visit the late South African leader in prison. | Biden has repeatedly claimed in the past month that he was arrested while trying to visit the late South African leader in prison. |
| The New York Times reported last week: | The New York Times reported last week: |
| Now Biden’s campaign is claiming the former vice president was referring to how he was separated from fellow Congress members during the trip: | Now Biden’s campaign is claiming the former vice president was referring to how he was separated from fellow Congress members during the trip: |
| There wasn’t a single question from the CBS moderators on climate change tonight, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Most notably, Bernie Sanders has quote retweeted Alexandria Ocasio Cortez after she called its absence from the debate “horrifying”. | There wasn’t a single question from the CBS moderators on climate change tonight, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Most notably, Bernie Sanders has quote retweeted Alexandria Ocasio Cortez after she called its absence from the debate “horrifying”. |
| However, Tom Steyer has been acknowledged for bringing it up nonetheless: | However, Tom Steyer has been acknowledged for bringing it up nonetheless: |
| Steyer also seems to have a good source of information for his latest climate crisis coverage | Steyer also seems to have a good source of information for his latest climate crisis coverage |
| Elizabeth Warren ended the debate by invoking Matthew 25 — as she’s done many times before. “In as much as ye have done to one of these, the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me,” she quoted, when asked what she considers her motto. | Elizabeth Warren ended the debate by invoking Matthew 25 — as she’s done many times before. “In as much as ye have done to one of these, the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me,” she quoted, when asked what she considers her motto. |
| Warren has evoked the Gospel of Matthew many times, but she’s far from the only Democratic candidate to do so. As the Associated Press’ Elana Schor reported last week, the biblical passage is a favorite for Dems. Pete Buttigieg evoked Matthew in a political ad, saying in a voice over: “Whatever happened to, ‘I was hungry and you fed me? I was a stranger and you welcomed me?’” Cory Booker referenced it when he was still in the running. Barack Obama, back in 2008, referenced Matthew. And a political action committee that helped Obama’s campaign that year was dubbed the Matthew 25 Network.The gospel’s message is a way to speak to Democrats’ progressive ideas of building up the social safety net while trying to connect with and appeal to a solid bloc of Christian voters. | Warren has evoked the Gospel of Matthew many times, but she’s far from the only Democratic candidate to do so. As the Associated Press’ Elana Schor reported last week, the biblical passage is a favorite for Dems. Pete Buttigieg evoked Matthew in a political ad, saying in a voice over: “Whatever happened to, ‘I was hungry and you fed me? I was a stranger and you welcomed me?’” Cory Booker referenced it when he was still in the running. Barack Obama, back in 2008, referenced Matthew. And a political action committee that helped Obama’s campaign that year was dubbed the Matthew 25 Network.The gospel’s message is a way to speak to Democrats’ progressive ideas of building up the social safety net while trying to connect with and appeal to a solid bloc of Christian voters. |
| Joe Biden’s campaign said it saw its best online fundraising day since the former vice president launched his White House bid. | Joe Biden’s campaign said it saw its best online fundraising day since the former vice president launched his White House bid. |
| Biden is counting on a win in South Carolina to reinvigorate his campaign after dismal performances in Iowa and New Hampshire and a distant second-place finish in Nevada. | Biden is counting on a win in South Carolina to reinvigorate his campaign after dismal performances in Iowa and New Hampshire and a distant second-place finish in Nevada. |
| Biden predicted during tonight’s debate that he would win Saturday’s South Carolina primary. If he does, the money he raises today will help him try to compete against frontrunner Bernie Sanders on Super Tuesday next week. | Biden predicted during tonight’s debate that he would win Saturday’s South Carolina primary. If he does, the money he raises today will help him try to compete against frontrunner Bernie Sanders on Super Tuesday next week. |
| Here are the final speaking times for each candidate now the debate is over, via the New York Times’ live tracker. | Here are the final speaking times for each candidate now the debate is over, via the New York Times’ live tracker. |
| What’s most noticeable is how much less time Elizabeth Warren spoke for this time. As the final table for last week shows, she was down by four minutes tonight, putting her in fourth place. | What’s most noticeable is how much less time Elizabeth Warren spoke for this time. As the final table for last week shows, she was down by four minutes tonight, putting her in fourth place. |
| Viewers may have noticed the boisterous cheers and applause for Mike Bloomberg. The debate audience clapped enthusiastically when Bloomberg mentioned a gun control group he founded. They also booed Bernie Sanders — Bloomberg’s biggest competition. | Viewers may have noticed the boisterous cheers and applause for Mike Bloomberg. The debate audience clapped enthusiastically when Bloomberg mentioned a gun control group he founded. They also booed Bernie Sanders — Bloomberg’s biggest competition. |
| The display prompted some viewers to wonder if the billionaire candidate had stacked the audience. After all, the Bloomberg has paid Instagram influencers to promote his candidacy and paid people to text their friends to drum up support. | The display prompted some viewers to wonder if the billionaire candidate had stacked the audience. After all, the Bloomberg has paid Instagram influencers to promote his candidacy and paid people to text their friends to drum up support. |
| But the Democratic National Committee’s communications director clarified that each candidate is allocated the same number of tickets. | But the Democratic National Committee’s communications director clarified that each candidate is allocated the same number of tickets. |
| “No one is packing the debate hall,” said the DNC’s Xochitl Hinojosa. “This is how conspiracy theories get started.” | “No one is packing the debate hall,” said the DNC’s Xochitl Hinojosa. “This is how conspiracy theories get started.” |
| But Bloomberg was able to boost his message outside the debate hall: by running campaign ads during the commercial breaks. | But Bloomberg was able to boost his message outside the debate hall: by running campaign ads during the commercial breaks. |
| In a post-debate interview, Bernie Sanders repeated his final debate answer, arguing his policy proposals are not radical because other countries have already adopted them. | In a post-debate interview, Bernie Sanders repeated his final debate answer, arguing his policy proposals are not radical because other countries have already adopted them. |
| “The truth is, nothing I am saying is radical,” Sanders said. | “The truth is, nothing I am saying is radical,” Sanders said. |
| The Vermont Senator also once again stood by his flattering comments on Fidel Castro’s literacy programs, while condemning the “authoritarian” leader’s regime. | The Vermont Senator also once again stood by his flattering comments on Fidel Castro’s literacy programs, while condemning the “authoritarian” leader’s regime. |
| But Sanders’ comments have attracted some criticism from fellow Democrats, including this freshman House member who was born in Poland during the Cold War: | But Sanders’ comments have attracted some criticism from fellow Democrats, including this freshman House member who was born in Poland during the Cold War: |