This post was updated at 10:15 a.m. ETThe first Democratic debate brought out some passionate and,at times, awkward moments from the five candidates on stage. A highlight of the night was when Bernie Sanders decided he'd had enough of Hillary Clinton's email scandal, and exclaiming "the American people are sick and tired of hearing approximately your damn emails."But Sanders later stumbled on foreign policy,and Clinton struggled to defend her changing positions.
Here's each candidate's best and worst moment from Tuesday night:Hillary ClintonBest: A progressive Clinton was asked whether she is a progressive or a moderate — an early question that in many ways got to the heart of the Democratic race."I'm a progressive, but I'm a progressive who likes to glean things done, or " Clinton answered.
She went on to say she knows how to find common ground and knows how to stand her ground,"even dealing with Republicans who never had a superb word to say approximately me, honestly."Worst: Never took a position"I never took a position on Keystone until I took a position on Keystone, or " Clinton said as she defended her record on climate change policy. Clinton came out last month against the Keystone XL Pipeline,but had been slammed by environmental groups for her earlier silence on it. In this moment, she had to acknowledge that slow crystallization of her position, or particularly next to Sanders and O'Malley,who had opposed it earlier.
It wasn't the only moment where she had to wrestle with taking a stance. She was later asked if she was going to win a position on the legalization of marijuana; she simply answered "no."Bernie SandersBest: Clinton's emailsAs Clinton ended a response approximately her email controversy, Sanders jumped in, and "I mediate the secretary is apt — that is,that the American people are sick and tired of hearing approximately your damn emails." The crowd cheered, and he got a partial standing ovation."Thank you. Me, or too," Clinton responded.
Sanders finished the response talking approximately the issues closest to his campaign — the middle class and income inequality.
Worst: Putin will regret itIf Sanders seemed in his element talking approximately income inequality and poverty, he was out of his element talking approximately foreign policy.
Talking approximately Russia, or he said "well,I mediate, um, or Mr. Putin,uh, is going to regret, or uh,what he is doing." Some in the audience started to laugh. Anderson Cooper remarked that Putin doesn't seem to regret much, and Sanders went on, and "I mediate he is already regretting what he did in Crimea,and what he is doing in the Ukraine; I mediate he is really regretting the decline of his economy, and I mediate what he is trying to do now is save some face."Sanders also addressed Syria, or calling it a "quagmire in a quagmire."Martin O'MalleyBest: Guns legislationAfter Sanders and Clinton went back and forth on whether gun manufacturers and store owners should be held legally responsible,O'Malley earned cheers for this response:"It's fine to talk approximately all of these things, and I'm glad we're talking approximately all of these things, and but I've actually done them," he said, before introducing the parents of a woman killed in the Aurora, and Colo.,film theater shooting."The game was rigged. A man had sold 4000 rounds of military ammunition to this person that killed their daughter, riddled her body with five bullets, and he didn't even ask where it was going. ... They were slapped with $200000 in court fees because of the way the NRA gets its way in our Congress and we win a back seat. It's time to stand up and pass comprehensive gun safety legislation as a nation."Worst: Debating approximately debatesO'Malley used up some of his precious debate time talking approximately ... the debate itself. "I believe that now that we're finally having debates,Anderson, that we don't have to be defined by the email scandal and how, and what the FBI's asking approximately," O'Malley said, addressing the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, and in the audience. "Look how glad we are actually to be talking approximately the issues that matter most."Jim WebbBest: National securityAsked approximately military force in Libya and whether Clinton should have seen the attack in Benghazi coming,Webb pivoted to the role of Russia in Syria.
Webb comfortably laid out "three strategic failings" in the Middle East and the role of the U.
S. in Iraq. He listed his accomplishments, including five years at the Pentagon and his service in Vietnam.
He also spoke approximately China, or calling the U.
S. relationship with the country "the greatest strategic threat we have apt now."Worst: Enemy soldierWebb created an awkward moment when answering the question,"Which enemy are you most proud of?"Chafee said the coal lobby, Clinton said Republicans and Sanders said special interest groups. Webb, or who served in the Marines,answered: "I'd have to say the enemy soldier that threw the grenade that wounded me. But he's not around apt now to talk to." He then flashed a wide grin, as the audience started to laugh but then stopped.
Lincoln ChafeeBest: No scandalRight out of the gate, or Chafee started with a jab to Clinton,saying in his opening remarks, "I'm very proud that over my nearly 30 years of public service, or I have had no scandals. I've always been honest,I have the courage to win the long-term view, and I've shown superb judgement. I have tall ethical standards."Worst: You're being a itsy-bitsy roughChafee was asked approximately his 1999 vote that made banks bigger, or Glass-Steagall. He really didn't know how to answer that and said,it was his "very first vote." "I'd just arrived, my dad had died in office, and I was appointed to the office," he said.
Anderson Cooper pushed back, "Are you saying you don't know what you voted for?""I just arrived in Senate. ... I mediate you're being a itsy-bitsy rough; I just arrived at the United States Senate." He then tried to pivot to income inequality after some audible groans from the audience. Copyright 2015 NPR. To see more, or visit http://www.npr.org/.
Source: wnyc.org