Democrats Face off in First Debate

The Democratic Presidential Debate was a battle for the narrative against Martin O’Malley, Hillary Clinton, Jim Webb, Bernie Sanders, and Lincoln Chafee.  Hosted by Anderson Cooper, the debate gave two hours for the five Democratic presidential candidates to discuss their views for America and answer questions of various topics given. The debate aired live on CNN at 5:30 PT, in Las Vegas, on October 13, 2015.  Many more Republican and Democratic Debates will be held before the voting of the new president in November of 2016.

After the five candidates took their positions at their assigned podiums, Sheryl Crow opened the night by singing the national anthem.  Each candidate then made an opening statement, where in some way or another all tied into expressing their views or taxes, classes, military, education, equality, their experience, and goal to make America better.  Anderson Cooper then began the debate, with Dana Bash and Juan Carlos Lopez asking additional questions and Don Lemon presenting questions submitted by voters via Facebook.

The candidates overall agreed on more topics than the Republicans.  All the candidates showed that they are leading toward one specific goal (making our nation greater) when answering questions of college prices, equality, Trump’s ideas, Republican ideas, and the fact that the economy boomed with the last two Democrats in office.  The candidates all gave a chuckle when Bernie Sanders, agreeing with Hillary exclaimed, “The American people are tired of hearing about these damn emails!”(Referring to Hillary’s email controversy).  The other questions about government, finances, immigration, Snowden, and marijuana were all vastly debated over.  The highlights of the debate were posted on CNN’s website.

Pressing issues, such as the Oregon College shooting was brought up to then ask the candidates about their gun views and what they would change.  Bernie Saunders and Lincoln Chafee’s view was to keep guns from those who shouldn’t have the, therefore tighten the process of buying a gun.  Jim Webb said that each family has the right to protect themselves with a gun.  Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley agreed that the United States should overstep the NRA (National Rifle Association) to gain control over gun sales.

When asked how each candidate would respond to Putin in the Russian bombings, Clinton’s and Sanders’ opinions stood out most to the crowd. Hillary Clinton states, “I think it’s important too that the United States make it very clear to Putin that it’s not acceptable for him to be in Syria creating more chaos, bombing people on the behalf of Assad and we can’t do that if we don’t take more of a leadership position, which is what I’m advocating.” Sanders took a different view by saying that we should not get involved (like Afghanistan or Vietnam) but back up Arab countries if asked.

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.”  Anderson Cooper asked the candidates who their greatest enemy is.  Lincoln Chafee replied with a laugh saying the Coal lobby was his greatest enemy. Martin O’Malley said the NRA.  With his other choice of Wall Street, Bernie Sanders chose the pharmaceutical drug companies.  Jim Webb chose the enemy soldier who threw the hand grenade at him during his deployment who is now dead.  Choosing between the NRA, pharmaceutical drug companies, and health insurance companies, Hillary Clinton began to laugh when she chose the Republicans as her greatest enemy.

When answering a question in the debate, if another candidate’s name comes up in their answer, then time will be given to the named person to discuss their answer as well. Overall, the news such as The Washington Post decided that Hillary had “won” the debate due to most talking time and strong points in her debate. The talking time of each candidate was recorded as follows

Clinton: 30 min 25 seconds

Sanders: 27 min 41 seconds

O’Malley: 17 min 08 seconds

Webb: 15 min 20 seconds

Chafee: 9 min 05 seconds

In the end, each candidate ended with a closing statement. It began with Lincoln Chafee who finished by telling the United States about his standards and judgment applies to a presidential job.  Jim Webb went over his ideas of taxes and gun control.  Martin O’Malley told

Photo from: www.thestreet.com

the analytical view of the night of nobody ill-spoke of another candidate and how that applies to the Democratic ways. Bernie Sanders finished with his views on health care, and  how we need to stand up to the billionaire class through taxes.  Hillary closed out the night by saying “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up”, and how the United States will get back up, because the best days are ahead of us.