High stakes Democrat debate has Sanders in the crosshairs
The Democratic presidential prospect debate in Charleston, SC, reprised a piece of political theatre similar to a performance six days earlier in Las Vegas.
On stage in Nevada last week, the debate played out like a dinner-theatre murder mystery. Michael Bloomberg was the victim, while everybody else on the stage had a motive and the means to do him in.
This time, on Tuesday night, it was Bernie Sanders who got the rhetorical bludgeoning. It had been the last debate before South Carolina votes on Saturday - followed by 14 other states next Tuesday - and was packed with tense moments and sharp exchanges, reflecting the high stakes.
Right at the top, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg referenced a recent report that Russia was attempting to boost Sanders's presidential campaign. "Vladimir Putin thinks that Donald Trump should be president of the United States," he said. "So in retrospect Russia is helping you get elected, and that means you will eventually lose to him."
Elizabeth Warren, who hasn't often taken swipes at Sanders, said they both wanted universal healthcare, but she "dug in" and "did the task" to pay for her plan.
and "Bernie's team trashed me for it".
After facing pressure from his opponents, Sanders backed from his 2005 vote to safeguard gun manufacturers from legal liability for deaths from their products - a rare admission of error from the Vermont senator."I've cast thousands of votes, including bad votes," he said. "That was a bad vote."He stood behind his recent praise of communist Cuba's literacy programmes (while still condemning the country's human rights abuses.)
"Really? Literacy programs are bad?" Sanders exclaimed. "Occasionally it could possibly be a good idea to be honest about American foreign policy. America has overthrown governments around the globe."For two hours, Sanders faced slings and arrows from his opponents. He responded in typical Sanders fashion, with tried and true lines his supporters can probably recite from heart at this point.
It spent some time working for him so far. It wasn't the fight most of the people were anticipating, nonetheless it was one they probably should have expected. Biden has his back again to the wall in South Carolina, where he needs a win if he wants to keep his hopes of winning the nomination alive.
While Tom Steyer was not much of one factor nationally, the self-funded billionaire prospect has spent heavily in South Carolina - and eaten into the former vice-president's support there.On Tuesday night, Biden tried to take him down a peg, by criticising Steyer's investment in a company that ran private prisons cited for human-rights abuses.
When Steyer replied that he previously sold his stock and had helped fund a bank to aid black-owned businesses, Biden was ready along with his rejoinder."Where we result from, that's called Tommy come lately," he quipped.It might not exactly have already been the knockout blow Biden needed, but through the entire debate he showed a fire and a feeling of urgency he's lacked in previous engagements.
Now, he must hope that it is enough to provide him another lease of electoral life. The Bloomberg campaign promised that Tuesday night's debate would go superior to last week's. These were right, although it had less related to the candidate's performance than his opponents deciding they had bigger fish (Sanders) to fry.
That didn't stop the former mayor from almost torpedoing his candidacy again, by verbally stumbling and practically saying that he "bought" - instead of "got" - all of the winning prospects who enabled the Democratic takeover of the home of Representatives in the 2018 mid-term elections.
And then there was Elizabeth Warren, Bloomberg's nemesis the other day, who made yet another run at the billionaire and his past funding of Republican candidates, including her 2000 Senate opponent, Scott Brown."I don't care how much money Mayor Bloomberg has," she said. "The core of the Democratic Party won't trust him. He hasn't earned their trust."
Bloomberg had a few bright moments, boasting of his monetary and social policy record in NEW YORK and highlighting his support for gun control. It's clear at this point, however, that his strongest campaign asset will be his limitless resources, not rhetorical flourishes in the debate hall.It had been a chaotic, sprawling debate, with prospects often talking over the other person and the moderators. Often their answers went on beyond the allotted time.
"I know it goes fast, but one minute 15 is really quite a long time," Gale King, among the hosts, admonished Pete Buttigieg.At one point, Joe Biden expressed exasperation, sardonically saying, "I understand how you cut me off each time, but I'm not going to be quiet anymore."
Then he stopped talking. He'd later say, "Gentlemen don't get treated perfectly up here."Politics ain't a beanbag, as the old saying
