I know my opinion will be very unpopular among fellow progressives, but since I’m not a Republican with my head in the sand or somewhere smellier, I’ll deal with an unpleasant truth, rather than pretend it does not exist. Hillary Clinton clearly won last nights Democratic Presidential Debate. Often by distorting facts, she kept Bernie on the defensive for the entire night, so the debate focused on his perceived shortcomings far more that on the actual issues themselves. I have the complete video and transcript, so you can judge for yourselves.
Hillary Clinton targeted Bernie Sanders’s electoral appeal with some of her strongest language yet in a debate on Sunday night, seizing on Mr. Sanders’s recent policy shifts on universal health care and gun control to try to undercut his image as an anti-political truth teller.
Mrs. Clinton also repeatedly aligned herself with a former political rival, President Obama, as she sought to portray her current one, Mr. Sanders, as a fringe candidate who did not stand with Mr. Obama on major issues like Wall Street regulation. Mr. Sanders, in turn, gave no quarter as he criticized Mrs. Clinton as dishonest in her attacks.
With Mr. Sanders gaining on her before the Feb. 1 Iowa caucuses, Mrs. Clinton cast herself as the defender of Mr. Obama’s record and Mr. Sanders as playing into Republican hands with proposals like replacing the Affordable Care Act with a single-payer plan, which Mr. Sanders describes as “Medicare for all.”
“We’ve accomplished so much already,” she said. “I don’t want to see the Republicans repeal it.”
“That is nonsense,” Mr. Sanders said. “What a ‘Medicare for all’ program does is finally provide health care for every man, woman and child as a right.” He added that 29 million people still lack health insurance.
Mrs. Clinton was pointed in her critiques of Mr. Sanders but relatively restrained in tone and words as she sought to raise doubts about what many liberals see as Mr. Sanders’s greatest virtues: his integrity and consistency on policy issues.
She chose not to accuse him of “flip-flopping” on gun control bills as she had earlier on Sunday, but rather said at the debate that she was “pleased” he had “reversed” himself.
For Mrs. Clinton, it was enough to note Mr. Sanders’s changes in policy: By doing so, she raised doubts about his consistency, but stopped short of eviscerating his positions and potentially alienating a restless liberal base that largely favors Mr. Sanders.
Her tactics left Mr. Sanders appearing frustrated at times, such as when he called her “very disingenuous” on his gun record, or when he sighed audibly and rolled his eyes as she implicitly questioned his principles on health care… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
I agree with Bernie that Hillary’s tactics were disingenuous, but the problem is that, unless someone is thoroughly well educated on the issues, they won’t realize that.
Here is the complete video.
And here is the transcript of the Democratic Debate.
Here’s a note of criticism for the Congressional Black Caucus. If an organization is going to host a debate, they should not officially endorse a participant in that debate until afterwards.
In conclusion, I think Hillary is a far more skillful politician than Bernie is. That’s a big reason that I favor Bernie.
10 Responses to “The 4th Democratic Presidential Debate”
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Here are observations I recorded as I watched the debate and post debate commentary:
Equal pay for equal work was the ONLY part of Clinton's opening statements that got audience applause while the other two got several in response to theirs…
Hillary claims a commitment to revisit means a change of opinion on gun immunity to liability…
she had so few votes with how short a time she served yet knows the trade offs of getting bills through so disingenious is a pretty mild rebuke from Bernie…
wish I knew the date of the 2:1 black caucus vote…
Hillary wants the separate children's program to be her legacy and is pretending to be more ignorant than she wants to claim in how she speaks about not understanding Bernie's universal health care…and ignores the needs he presents
Hillary pretended it wasn't to get GOP votes that the public option got dropped from ACA…
The YouTube blogger is 23 and she speaks most about college costs for his age and then voting? no wonder Bernie has them 2:1 over her
Is Hillary still protecting $250k from more taxes as middle class?
I got worried at half time when there was a more reason to fear ISIS announcement blurb…but it was same old same old to let Hillary shine
The one commentator claimed the room was Clinton's–but the applause and cheers pattern didn't match that IMO (how old was the last SC poll?)
Noteworthy that DWS required HJ waiting to endorse for SC to get to host this debate
Winners and losers from the 4th Democratic presidential debate
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/winners-and-losers-from-the-4th-democratic-presidential-debate/ar-BBolojN?ocid=ansmsnnews11
Who won Democratic 2016 debate last night? Online polls suggest Bernie Sanders overwhelmed Hillary Clinton
http://nvonews.com/who-won-democratic-2016-presidential-debate-last-night-online-polls-suggest-bernie-sanders-won/
Who Won the Democratic Debate Last Night? Viewers Favor Bernie Sanders
Nancy C. (810) Monday January 18, 2016, 12:30 pm
I think Hillary pulled ahead a few times, however, Bernie had the facts! Agreed, Carrie. She lies and many have seen beyond her rhetoric. Bernie also had to deal with Andrea Mitchell who had no sense of diplomacy and should NOT have been hosting. I agree with you Tom about Hillary's polliticking. We need someone with wisdom not the same old experience that got us to where we are today.
I'm going to try to do some phoning for Bernie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocgyg-n_S_8
I agree with you about the endorsement Tom. Timing should not trump(!) truth.
Hillary is an Excellent politician…too bad she's not a Liberal. I agree with Tom, Hillary probably "won" (at least in the media..but Bernie speaks to why we NEED Liberal (Warren-wing) Democrats & Independents!
The clear Winners were the American voters who were presented three candidates ALL of whom would be leagues better than anything the GOP has going.
Specifically I appreciated a debate where the candidates were:
[1] Mature Adults
[2] Focused on Policy Issues
[3] Respectful
[4] Progressive – even if not to the degree I’d prefer
But no matter who you support, it was head-and-shoulders better than the poo-flinging GOP ones … even if theirs may be “entertaining” in the way a train wreck is
"In conclusion, I think Hillary is a far more skillful politician than Bernie is. That’s a big reason that I favor Bernie."
I think that "skillful politician" is what we will need in order to deal with the crack pots in Congress. I love what Bernie has been saying, but am afraid that he wil be too easy a target as a "Socialist," democratic, or not. There are just soooo many fools who will blindly vote with the GOPig propaganda machine.
Sorry to say it, but I agree with you!
More than ANYTHING else, I fervently want a "D" in the Oval Office. Purity be damned!
We need someone that ISN'T as skilled as a politician that will tell the TRUTH, instead of blowing smoke up our collective arses and get the job done!
I see Bernie as the one to do that!
I missed the debate but have read a lot about it today. I think Hillary is afraid of Bernie and her staff have decided to quit playing nice. She is a skillful politician and that is who gets elected. I prefer Bernie, but want a Dem in office. I will vote for whomever gets the nomination.i
So, if I understand the article and your comment correctly, Hillary won on points because she pulled a Republican on Bernie, by attacking him with distorted facts. Yes, a man of integrity will have problems with that if he refuses to stoop to the same level. So much for Democrats being above those wing-nuts in the other debates.