Democratic debate as it happened: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders battle in the first TV debate
- Five candidates will face off in the first Democratic presidential debate of the 2016 election cycle. They are: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley, Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb. The debate is hosted by CNN and will be moderated by journalist Anderson Cooper.
- The night's biggest contenders will be Clinton, the front-runner, and Sanders, who has steadily risen in the polls. However, O'Malley, Chafee and Webb should not be discounted.
- Republican front-runner Donald Trump has informed his Twitter followers that he will be live tweeting the debate, much like Sanders and Clinton did during the two previous Republican debates.
- CNN reported that the first debate, which began much later than the first Republican debate, caused some strife within the Democratic National Committee. DNC vice-chair Representative Tulsi Gabbard claims she was disinvited from the first debate after calling for more debates.
O'Malley says he will go further by advocating comprehensive immigration reform and providing Obamacare to undocumented immigrants.
Clinton makes sure to note that the Democratic candidates are much more open to undocumented immigrants and passing comprehensive immigration reform than their Republican counterparts.
Sanders takes the mic next on the economy. Much like his campaign rallies, he says that Republicans have "amnesia" on what the US economy was like before President Barack Obama assumed office.
Next topic is gun control.
Sanders is questioned on his differing views on gun control. When asked if he's tough on gun control, Clinton quickly answers, "No!" Sanders argues that guns should be not be in the hands of those that should not have guns. He adds he supports background checks and work in mental health.
O'Malley says that he is the only candidate who has managed to pass gun control as governor of Maryland. Meanwhile, Sanders continues to maintain that the situation between urban and rural states is different.
Chafee, who has an F rating from the National Rifle Association, says legislators need to bring in gun lobbyists to find "common ground".
Sanders is up next. Cooper asks the senator: "How can any kind of socialist candidate like Sanders win a general election in this country?"
Sanders says that he wants people to know what exactly a Democratic socialist is and he is confident that he will win. He also says he does not consider himself to be a capitalist. Clinton hits back by saying that when she thinks of capitalism, she thinks of the small businesses established in the US.
Clinton is asked by Cooper if she changes her views based on who she's speaking with and in order to get elected. Clinton categorically denies that she'll say anything to get elected and says her stances can change based on new information. She also declares herself a progressive, but says she wants to get things done.
Cooper explains that each candidate has 1 minute to answer questions and 30 seconds for rebuttals. Each candidate now has 2 minutes to introduced him or herself. This will prove crucial for all candidates, especially Chafee, Webb and O'Malley, who are polling dangerously low.
Chafee, the first to introduce himself, takes a quick shot at Clinton by saying he has not had any scandals and that he has "high ethical standards".
Webb, the former senator from Virginia, is the next up. The largely unknown candidate discusses his previous military service, his marriage to refugee Hong Le Webb and his five children.
O'Malley, the former governor of Maryland, takes the mic next. While he applauds Barack Obama for his work on reducing unemployment, O'Malley says more needs to be done for the disappearing middle class.
Sanders, Vermont's senator, is up next and he begins his introduction by attacking Citizens United and big money in the election. "Climate change is real," Sanders continues. The 74-year-old candidate is making sure to touch on all of his talking points from his campaign rallies.
Last, but certainly not least, is Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The former secretary of state brings up her grandchild, 1-year-old Charlotte. She says she'll invest in science and research to tackle climate change and improve the economy. Clinton also tackles the tax loop holes and tax cuts for the middle class. She is the first and only candidate to discuss equal rights and pay for women.
The five candidates take to the stage, with Clinton and Sanders garnering the loudest from the crowd. The bottom three candidates, Chafee, Webb and O'Malley will attempt to use this debate to rise in the polls, where they have fared poorly. A recent CNN/ORC poll revealed the three polled under 30% in familiarity and scored net favourable scores near zero among Democratic voters.
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