Sanders coming to the defense of Clinton during the Democratic debate is widely regarded as the evening's most memorable and impactful moment, but I believe the true reason why is not being discussed.
Sanders defends Hillary Clinton
Much of the discourse centers around Sanders' blunt admonition of the media to focus on the relevant and important issues at hand that affect the future of the nation, rather than on the ceaseless anti-Clinton pseudo-scandal being exhaustively engineered by the Republican Party.
But the real exchange we witnessed, what created the FEELING around this moment, is that Sanders instinctively defended someone he thought was being treated unfairly. And in this, Sanders revealed that he just cannot help himself - for this is his very nature, and the thing he so selflessly and unreservedly revealed to the viewers last night. In every way that he fights for the underdog and stands up to injustice, Sanders felt that his opponent was being unjustly attacked and his instinct to protect others was above any self-serving political opportunity that almost any other politician would have exploited.
And for this, we FELT Sanders' genuine nature to honestly protect and defend those of us who most need it - and to do so against adversaries who are the most powerful, ruthless, and relentless. Adversaries that so many others in the political realm are completely reluctant to confront. It is the very essence of Bernie Sanders.
Clinton is certainly a powerful personality, a seasoned debater, and well able to stand up for and defend herself, but even her genuine gratitude towards Sanders giving her a hand up when he didn't have to was warmly appreciated.
And we witnessed this later in the evening when Sanders helped the near-trampled Andrea Mitchell by holding off the crush of media. If you watch this video, it's clear that he genuinely cared more if Andrea Mitchell was okay than anything else. His nature to protect those being hurt by others was apparent and real, especially when he consoled Mitchell on her apology for the incident when he declared that it was the throng of reporters that should be sorry rather than Mitchell.
Sanders defends Andrea Mitchell
Aside from arguments of polish vs rawness, substance vs presentation, or directness vs deflection, Sanders' defense of Clinton stands out because it allowed us to FEEL the very nature of a hero that we root for - one who is willing to do what is right and just even if it is not what is the most profitable or expedient.