Thursday night’s Democratic presidential debate included fewer candidates than all this season, but the exchanges about who has the most experience, best plans for student debt and universal health care were familiar arguments.
The last Democratic debate of the year took place at Loyola Marymount University, in Los Angeles, sponsored by Politico and PBS Newshour. Seven candidates participated, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Yang, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Two other democratic presidential candidates −Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard − did not participate in the debate.
»MORE: Booker, Gabbard will not compete in the upcoming debate
Andrew Yang drew some attention for his comments about the inequity for women in government. His joke about not allowing too many men to run things struck a nerve with many on social media.
Yang, a businessman, also shed a light on the issue of racial diversity during his time on stage.
Sanders, who has recently come under fire because of his growing income, pointed to his own privilege as a white man.
Warren spoke on the racial disparities as it relates to student debt. The Massachusetts senator has promoted a $50 billion aid plan for HBCU students for the last several months. She reiterated that Thursday night.
Warren also got into a head-to-head battle with Buttigieg about hosting wine events, calling them wine caves, that, she said, would not be open to many of his constituents. Buttigieg responded by saying Warren’s income was much closer to those wine donors than his.
Buttigieg and Klobuchar also went back and forth about experience level. Many folks also gave her props for halting the fundraiser conversation.
Two of the more experienced politicians on the stage, Biden and Sanders, were both questioned about their votes and opinions on the Iraq war. For Biden, his discussion about his battles with stuttering, including mimicking a stutter, got reactions.
To see additional coverage of Thursday’s debate, look here:
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