After two Republican debates—or four, counting their JV debates—we get to a Democratic debate.
Onstage in Las Vegas Tuesday night:
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders
Martin O'Malley
Jim Webb
Lincoln Chafee
As the leader, Clinton is at center stage, flanked by Sanders to her right and O'Malley to her left, with Webb and Chafee taking the outside. The media really wanted us speculating about whether Vice President Joe Biden would make a dramatic entry to the race with a last-minute appearance (parachuting in, perhaps?), but ... no.
Here's to a healthy exchange of ideas and not too many stupid questions from moderators and questioners Anderson Cooper, Dana Bash, Juan Carlos Lopez, and, reading questions from social media, Don Lemon. (At least they have Lemon just offering other people's questions.) If their questions aren't bad enough for you, Donald Trump has promised to live-tweet.
The debate is airing on CNN and streaming on CNNGo and CNN.com.Tue Oct 13, 2015 at 7:23 PM PT (Hunter):
Tue Oct 13, 2015 at 7:28 PM PT (Meteor Blades): Lincoln Chafee thinks Edward Snowden should be allowed to come back to U.S. without charges. Webb avoids a direct answer, saying he would leave it to legal system, as if others wouldn't. Clinton says he must face charges because he stole important documents instead of acting as a whistleblower. Sanders says Snowden must face charges because he broke the law but that he also did the nation a service.
Tue Oct 13, 2015 at 7:33 PM PT (Barbara Morrill): Candidates asked how their presidency would not be like President Obama's third term:
O'Malley: Follow through on promise to help middle class.
Clinton: Being first woman would be quite a change. Would build on Obama's successes.
Sanders: A lot of respect for him, but the power of corporations is too great and to transform America needs a political revolution to say our government will work for all of us.
Webb: Use of executive authority. He's against it. Wouldn't allow divisions because apparently that's Obama's fault.
Chafee: Sorry, man, he makes my eyes glaze over.
Tue Oct 13, 2015 at 7:42 PM PT (Meteor Blades): O'Malley: Move to 100% renewable by 2050. Webb: Strong proponent of nuclear power. China and India greatest polluters. But U.S. per capita CO2 emissions highest in America. Had to be done globally. Sanders: Moral issue. Scientists say we have to move fast. Must have campaign finance reform to get real climate change action because Republicans are funded by those who don't want action on climate change. Clinton: Nothing effective unless China and India are involved. She said she and Obama hunted down Chinese at international meeting to get first agreement of action by China.
Tue Oct 13, 2015 at 7:46 PM PT (Barbara Morrill): New thread here.