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Ty /DEBATE LIVE BLOG EDITING DOC

Tuesday, Oct. 15

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EDITORS: THIS SECTION IS FOR POSTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED

HED: Klobuchar keeps up criticism of Warren post-debate


FROM: Allan
Klobuchar, who repeatedly went after Warren during Tuesday’s debate, kept up her criticism in
the spin room, telling MSNBC that she doesn’t think Warren “should be taking swipes that we
don't fight hard enough." Commented [1]: done
Commented [2]: got

HED: Candidates get asked about friends who they disagree with
FROM: Allan
A question aimed at a controversy involving Ellen Degeneres and George W. Bush got many
gorans online, but drew a variety from answers on stage. Asked who they are friends with that is
not like them or did not view things as they do, candidates dropped names like John McCain,
Chris Christie, Rand Paul and Jim Inhofe. Some candidates chose not to name anyone
specifically, however. Commented [3]: done
Commented [4]: got
Jason
HED: Love is all you need.
https://twitter.com/jonallendc/status/1184300142863814656 Commented [5]: ready
Commented [6]: got

HED: Baseball and donut shops: What the other candidates are doing on debate night
By: Alex Seitz-Wald

The half dozen candidates who didn’t qualify for tonight’s debate instead spent the evening
watching baseball and livestreaming their messages to supporters on social media.

Former Maryland Rep. John Delaney got to watch the Washington Nationals play the St. Louis
Cardinals in Game 4 of the National League Championship, while keeping an eye on the debate
on his phone. “These questions about age are inappropriate in my judgement,” he tweeted.

https://twitter.com/JohnDelaney/status/1184285494387138566

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock was watching the debate his family, according to a spokesperson.

Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio had a similar plan, saying in a text message that he was watching
“some” of the debate while also “reading to my five year old.”

Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, retired admiral Joe Sestak was livestreaming his answers to the
debate questions over on Facebook, “live from a Donut shop in New Hampshire,” as he
announced on Twitter.

And author Marianne Williamson was speaking in Encinitas, California which she too
livestreamed online, where she said America needs to “know who we are and claim the power
of knowing who we are.” Commented [7]: done
Commented [8]: got

HED: Buttigieg says his Supreme Court plan is more than ‘packing’ courts
FROM: Benjy
Buttigieg referenced his plan to change the Supreme Court, which he said could be done
without a Constitutional amendment.
He said it wasn’t just “packing” the court, however, since his plan would involve restructuring the
court to include justices backed by both parties rather than just expanding it. Under his
proposal, the court would have 15 justices, 5 supported by Republicans, 5 by Democrats, and 5
chosen by the ten partisan justices. He talked to NBC News about his plan earlier. Commented [9]: waiting for biden quote, but can pull
trigger if we don't want to
HED: Frontrunners go at it Commented [10]: ill post, we can always add quote
FROM: Allan after

Biden said that presidential candidates can’t be “vague” about their proposals and then hit
Sanders and Warren for Medicare for All. He said he’s the only one on stage to get big things
done. Sanders hit back, saying some of those big things were actually not good! Warren jumped
in to defend her record and talked about the founding of the Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau — something Biden said he played a large role in getting passed. Warren then thanked
Obama for helping create the agency. Commented [11]: done
Commented [12]: got
HED: dont’ think this is a stand alone but rather an addendum to something else
From: Janell

In the days before the October Democratic debate, a Fort Worth Police officer shot and killed a
woman in her home, resigned just before the police chief planned to fire him and was charged with
murder. Atatiana K. Jefferson, the woman killed, was like a disproportionate share of those who ide
in police shootings each year, black and unarmed.

Prior to Tuesday’s debate Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, a
Texas native, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kamala Harris (D-Ca.),
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), former Rep. Beto O’Rourke and businessmen Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang
all posted public statements on Twitter expressing outrage, sympathy for Jefferson’s family or calls
for investigation and reform. Commented [13]: This post is done and ready for edit.
Matt said he might add to something else on the blog.
The links here are to the tweets.
On Tuesday night, only Castro mentioned Jefferson by name.
Commented [14]: thanks - will add to that post

Jason
HED: Tech is bad, candidates say
When asked about breaking up big tech companies, most candidates offer tepid support that
generally centers around, yes, tech companies are big, and yes, something should be done.

O’Rourke offers some of the most specific assessments, touching on data privacy as well as
antitrust. Harris also pushes for Twitter to ban Trump, but Warren declines to back harris up —
instead saying she wants to push him out of the White House. Commented [15]: ready
Commented [16]: got

HED: Warren’s war on Facebook


Warren’s war on big tech has gotten personal lately. She deliberately took out a false ad on
Facebook to pressure CEO Mark Zuckerberg to crack down on misleading political advertising.
She previously put up a billboard that said “BREAK UP BIG TECH” in the Bay Area.

O’Rourke raised some of the same issues as well in the debate, but said he would not
“specifically call out which companies” should be broken up as Warren has done, arguing it was
not the role of a president to prejudge independent government agencies and investigations.

Anti-monopoly issues have been gaining a lot of steam among Democrats this cycle, in general. Commented [17]: ready or can be cannibalized
Commented [18]: got thanks

Posting from Carrie Dann:


Democrats are right that a majority of Americans support universal background checks, an
assault weapons ban and a voluntary gun buyback program.

According to an August NBC/WSJ poll, 89 percent of Americans back universal background


checks, while 75 percent support voluntary buybacks. Sixty-two percent back an assault
weapons ban.

But there are some measures that Americans say go too far.

The same poll found that just 25 percent back a ban on handguns.

Jason
HED: Alta Vista for life
Yang when asked about breaking up the big tech companies drops a bit of a burn on Bing,
Microsoft’s search engine.
https://twitter.com/CharlieGileNBC/status/1184289303276511232 Commented [19]: ready
Commented [20]: got

HED: Warren’s got a (fitness) plan


https://twitter.com/BenPu_nbc/status/1184288256906665984 Commented [21]: ready
Commented [22]: got

HED: Police shootings are a leading cause of death for young black men
From: Janell Ross
Police shootings, which claim the lives of an average of about 1,000 people each year in
the United States, has become a leading cause of death for young men, according to
research published in July in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study did not differentiate between killings later determined to be justified and those
which were not. The study did find that the risk is particularly acute for young black men and
those between the ages of 20 and 35. However, over the course of a lifetime, about 1 in
1,000 black men, “can expect to be killed by police,” according to the study.

Police shootings account for nearly 2 percent of all deaths of black men between the ages
of 20 and 24, compared to just .5 percent of deaths among young white men in the same
age range. And, a 40 year old black man lives with about the same risk of being shot and
killed by police as a 20-year old white man in the United States.

These figures together help to make homicide the seventh leading cause of death for all
black Americans in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Commented [23]: Done. Ready for Edit.
Commented [24]: got

HED: Biden flips the script on age


DART
Instead of being defensive about his age — he would turn 80 years old during his first term —
Biden said it is an asset for him as president. “Because I’ve watched it, I know what the job is
and I’ve been engaged,” the former vice president said. “I’m running because of my age.” He
said that his age comes with decades of legislative experience and the ability to command
respect on the international stage. Biden said he would release his health records before the
first primary vote, but questions regarding age are not likely to die down, especially as health
concerns are on voters’ minds. . Commented [25]: done
Commented [26]: got
HED: Castro
Commented [27]: could add "with it comes wisdom" in
hed if you want, thats a quote
HED: Bernie addresses recent heart attack
FROM: Allan
Tuesday’s debate marked a return to the campaign trail for Sanders, who suffered a heart
attack earlier this month. He said he was “healthy” and “feeling great,” and invited viewers to
come to an upcoming rally in Queens, pledging a vigorous campaign moving forward. He
thanked colleagues and supporters for well-wishes. Commented [28]: done
Commented [29]: got

HED: Do gun safety groups want mandatory buybacks? They’re split.

Beto O’Rourke accused Pete Buttigieg of disrespecting March For Our Lives, the activist group
founded in the wake of the Parkland shooting, by calling mandatory buybacks a “shiny object”
that distracts from other policies.
“That was a slap in the face to every single one of those groups and every single survivor of a
mass casualty assault with a AR-14 and AK-47,” he said. “We must buy them back.”

O’Rourke is right that March For Our Lives backs mandatory buybacks, but major gun safety
groups mostly oppose the approach or have minimized it. Giffords, another gun safety group,
put out a polling memo for candidates warning that the issue “could be dangerous” when trying
to win over voters who support other gun restrictions.

Giffords favors an alternate approach, which Warren mentioned: Requiring owners of existing
assault weapons to register their weapons and accept new restrictions on their possession and
sale, similar to automatic weapons.

“I want to use the method we used for example with machine guns,” Warren said. “We
registered them, we put in a huge penalty if you didn’t register them, and a huge tax on them,
and we let people turn them in.” Commented [30]: ready
Commented [31]: got

HED: Castro gets applause for answer on tackling gun deaths


DART
Castro was the first candidate to mention the Texas shooting in which a now-former white police
officer shot and killed a black woman, Atatiana Jefferson. He got big applause for mentioning
police shootings as gun violence and talking about growing up in Texas against the backdrop of
gun violence. As a result, he said he is against mandatory and voluntary gun buybacks but he
did not directly address how he plans to stop violence committed by handguns versus assault
weapons. Commented [32]: done
Commented [33]: got

Beto is light on details

Twice in a week, Beto O’Rourke has touched upon major policy proposals that would impact the
Bill of Rights — both the First Amendment's right to religious freedom, and the Second
Amendment's right to bear arms.

At last week’s LGBTQ presidential forum, O’Rourke said he would revoke tax exempt status
from any religious organization that is discriminatory toward LGBTQ people.

““There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone, or any institution, any
organization in America, that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single
one of us,” O’Rourke said.

Such a move would likely impact the faithful of many religions — Muslims, Jews, and Christians
alike.
Later, Warren and Buttigieg came out against O’Rourke’s proposal.

So when O’Rourke on Tuesday reprised his proposal for a mandatory gun buyback for
semiautomatic assault weapons like the AR-15, he couldn’t answer questions about how he
would find these weapons, because the government does not track such sales — which other Commented [34]: Done.
candidates didn’t let slide by. I am fairly sure on the last line but not positive.
Commented [35]: got
HED: Yang presents equivalency between U.S. and Russia
FROM: Allan
Asked about how he would handle Putin and Russia, Yang raised some eyebrows by
presenting an equivalency between Russia interfering in the U.S. election and the U.S.
interfering in other foreign elections. Klobuchar, the next candidate to speak, said she sees
no equivalency between the two countries. Commented [36]: done
Commented [37]: got

Benjy
How would Warren’s wealth tax work, and would anyone actually pay it?
The field debated whether to impose a wealth tax on ultra-rich households, with the conversation
largely centered on a plan by Warren to — as she put it in the debate and in her speeches — charge
“two cents” for every dollar billionaires own in assets and property, not just their annual earnings.
More specifically, she would charge a 2 percent annual tax on wealth for fortunes over $50 million and
3 percent on fortunes over $1 billion. She estimates it would raise $2.75 trillion over 10 years. Sen.
Bernie Sanders recently put out a plan for a wealth tax as well that would raise taxes even higher on
billion-plus fortunes, up to 8 percent, and raise $4.35 trillion.
Several other candidates said they were open to the idea, but Andrew Yang raised the criticism that
similar taxes have been tried in Europe and were eventually repealed because they were difficult to
implement. He’s correct that the number of nations with some form of wealth tax is on the decline —
one OECD report found that number dropped from 12 to four between 1990 and 2017.
But it’s also not clear Warren’s plan wouldn’t raise a lot of money either. Economist Jonathan Gruber
conducted a study of wealth taxes in Switzerland and found that, while reported wealth declined when
taxes went up — a signal that the rich might be successful at finding new ways to avoid paying taxes —
they still collected significant amounts.
"It doesn't mean it's a bad idea or it won’t raise money," Gruber told NBC News. "Elizabeth Warren's tax
would raise money, it's a question of how much."

Jason
We interrupt your debate to bring on snapshots from the best hashtag of the night: #debatedogs.
Jason
HED: Seriously who would not want a “Succession” question at this debate?

https://twitter.com/NishaChittal/status/1184279288322940929

HED: Klobuchar described wealth tax as unrealistic. Experts say tax policy is contributing to
wealth inequality
From: Janell Ross

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) argued Tuesday night that calls from Sen. Elizabeth Warren
(D-Mass.) to reduce wealth inequality with a 2 percent tax on those earning more than $50
million from any source is simply unrealistic. But, Warren is right about the effects of the
different tax rates paid by working Americans and those wealthy enough to live off of
interest and investment gains.

The rate at which earnings on investments are taxed, also known as the capital gains tax,
has always sat at a lower rate than taxes on wages earned at jobs. However, in 2018, more
than 70 percent of capital gains tax benefits went to taxpayers with incomes over $1 million,
according to an Urban Institute and Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center analysis. The
capital gains tax rate is such a key contributor to wealth inequality that of the of the
household income growth realized in the United States since 1979, a disproportionate share
went to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, according to a second analysis from the
same think tank. That’s those who earn little of their income at a job but instead collect the
bulk of their money from interest on savings and investment growth.

In 1979, the top 1 percent of American households took in about 9 percent of all income in
the United States. By 2014, that figure had grown to 17 percent. Commented [38]: Whew. Done and ready for edit.
Hope this is clear. Happy to try again if needed.

TIM: Vet on vet combat Commented [39]: thank you, got

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Mayor Pete Buttigieg took off the gloves as their disagreement on U.S.
wars abroad came into full focus.

Gabbard repeated her call for an end to “regime change wars,” which is how she describes U.S.
involvement in the Syrian Civil War — most recently a 1,000 person special operations force,
according to NBC News.

But then Gabbard went further, describing economic and government sanctions against
governments like Syria’s as a type of modern day “siege.”
But Pete Buttigieg — the only other post 9/11 veteran on stage — came to a strong defense of
U.S. involvement in Syria, describing the small contingent of U.S. forces as an impactful
deployment that keeps Americans safe.

He said when the options presented are “endless war” and “total isolation,” the result is
abandonment of the world stage.

JASON
HED: Biden his time.
https://twitter.com/amandacarpenter/status/1184277706873147397 (embed) Commented [40]: ready
Commented [41]: got

HED: Gabbard: “Donald Trump has the blood of the Kurds on his hands”
DART
Gabbard, a veteran, excoriated Trump when asked about his decision to withdraw U.S. forces
from Syria, which made way for Turkish forces to attack Kurdish fighters — leading to a
bipartisan outcry, charges of a humanitarian crisis and ISIS resurgence. Gabbard, who has
come under scrutiny for her position on Syria, called for the end to the “regime change war”
there and to end the idea of using sanctions to punish countries. Gabbard also used the
moment to take on her critics who have called her an apologist for the leader of Syria, Bashar al
Assad. Commented [42]: done
Commented [43]: got

Jason
HED: Social media not having it with Gabbard’s Syria response
Gabbard’s response on Syria — saying the U.S. should not have participated in a “regime
change war” is not playing well on social media, where many people pointed to Gabbard’s track
record of apologizing for Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.

https://twitter.com/mattdpearce/status/1184275758618828800
https://twitter.com/CahnEmily/status/1184275647302193152

https://twitter.com/speechboy71/status/1184275716671754240 Commented [44]: ready


Commented [45]: got

HED: Biden gets first foreign policy question


FROM: Allan
Biden asked the first foreign policy question of the debate more than an hour in — this one
focused on Trump’s recent decision to pull out troops in Syria, leading to a Turkish invasion.
Biden offered strong criticism of Trump’s move. Commented [46]: done
Commented [47]: got

HED: Elizabeth Warren vs. The Field


By: Alex Seitz-Wald

Elizabeth Warren has come under attack from fellow candidates in nearly every part of the
debate, underscoring her newfound status -- and therefore threat -- as a frontrunner.

It’s a stark contrast from the previous three debates, when the candidates barely laid a glove on
Warren, nor even really tried.

But tonight, Warren has come under fire on Medicare for All from Pete Buttigieg and an
enlivened Amy Klobuchar, who said her plan was “making Republican talking points” for them;
From Beto O’Rourke, who said Warren is “more focused on being punitive” towards the wealthy
than “lifting people up;” And from Andrew Yang, who said her wealth tax had “massive
implementation problems” in other countries that tried it.

https://twitter.com/davidaxelrod/status/1184272741148565504 Commented [48]: Done


Commented [49]: got
JASON
HED: Washington Post runs ad during New York Times debate

Who doesn’t love a bit of news media gamesmanship? The Washington Post, not a publication
that runs a lot of TV ads, drops one during the CNN/New York Times debate.

We’ll be on the lookout for a Times ad during the upcoming MSNBC/WaPo debate. Commented [50]: ready
Commented [51]: got
HED: Zing!

https://twitter.com/Tyrangiel/status/1184273547637727233 (embed)

Tom Steyer agrees with Bernie: Billionaires should be taxed out of existence.
DART, Alex Seitz Wald, and Tim Fitzsimmons
CNN’s Erin Burnett asking Sanders about taxing billionaires out of existence under his plan to
tackle income inequality took an unexpected turn when the lone billionaire on the stage —
businessman Tom Steyer — agreed. Steyer in his first debate spoke directly to voters about the
need for a wealth tax and strengthening worker and union rights. “The corporations have bought
our government,” he said, adding that it’s time to “break the power of these corporations.” It’s
important to note, however, Steyer has spent nearly $20 million on radio and TV ads ahead of
the debate, which helped him qualify for it while other candidates did not. And he spent almost
$200 million to fund candidates and campaigns in the past for years, which helped him grow his
name recognition in politics. Commented [52]: done
Commented [53]: got
HED: Senator Cory Booker wants ‘sectoral bargaining’ for workers. What is that?

Senator Cory Booker name-checked a plan to encourage “sectoral bargaining” for workers in
order to help boost the labor movement in America and raise wages. Under this system,
workers would negotiate standards for their industry across the country, rather than just
individual unions at individual companies negotiating with their management.

A number of candidates, including Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, have
signed onto the concept, which is used in some European countries. SEIU head Mary Kay
Henry is in favor of the idea, which she sees as a way to counter a longtime decline in union
membership. Commented [54]: ready
Commented [55]: got

Jason
HED: The debate on Twitter? It’s about Tom Steyer’s tie.

Plenty of content on the debate stage, but the real debate is happening on Twitter — and it’s
focused on Tom Steyer’s tie. Some like it. Meghan McCain? Not a fan.

https://twitter.com/c_cauterucci/status/1184270120413204480

https://twitter.com/MeghanMcCain/status/1184270532507815936

https://twitter.com/JuliaManch/status/1184270652133347329 Commented [56]: ready


Commented [57]: got

Jason
HED: Yang’s presence felt
While Yang’s supporters have pointed out that he has not received much attention in previous
debates, he’s been a big part of the first hour tonight. The automation question that was posed
is a direct nod to his main plan, which is meant to establish a monthly payment to all Americans
as a way to counteract the encroachment of robotics and artificial intelligence in a variety of
industries.

https://twitter.com/PeterHamby/status/1184269550776270848 (embed) Commented [58]: read


Commented [59]: got

HED:
From: Janell Ross
Medical debt was often described as the leading cause of bankruptcy before the Affordable
Care Act, also known as Obamacare, became law in 2010. Commented [60]: got

By some estimates, including one in a series of often mentioned papers published by then
Harvard University professor and bankruptcy expert Elizabeth Warren -- now a Senator
from Massachusetts and a candidate seeking the Democratic Party’s presidential
nomination -- found that before the Affordable Care Act, medical debt was responsible for
about half of all bankruptcies in the United States.

However, the number of people filing for bankruptcy due to a medical event has not
declined, according to a paper published in February in the American Journal of Public
Health Statistics. That study found that about 66.5 percent of all bankruptcies stemmed
from medical problems and related costs. There is, however, other research which puts the
share of bankruptcies caused by medical debt below 5 percent. Each of the studies used
different data sets to reach their conclusions.

HED: Klobuchar-red: Minnesota senator roasts Trump and Warren early


FROM: Jon Allen

Klobuchar, one of the candidates in need of a breakout moment, landed punches twice in the
opening stage of the debate on a pair of the hottest topics.

The first came as several candidates were asked to explain their positions on impeaching
Trump. Klobuchar said Trump put his own interests before those of his country. Borrowing his
slogan, she said pressuring Ukraine to investigate an opponent, his abandonment of the Kurds
and his affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin did not make America great but made
Russia great.

Later, as Warren tried to avoid agreeing with Sanders that their Medicare for All plans would
result in broad tax increases, Klobuchar cut through some of the policy noise. “At least Bernie’s
being honest here,” she said. “I’m sorry Elizabeth but you have not said that … The difference
between a plan and a pipe dream is something that you can actually get done.”

TIM: Klobuchar promises to make drug giants pay for “killing” Ohioans
Amy Klobuchar won applause with a threat to force opioid manufacturers to pay for the people
who have become addicted to or “killed” by pain pills.
The threat is likely to regiser in Ohio, which as a state is highly impacted by the opioid epidemic.
Ohio has the second highest rate of drug overdoses in the U.S., according to the National
Institutes of Health.
Just this month, drug giant Johnson & Johnson reached a $20 million settlement with Ohio
counties and avoided a potential federal trial, according to NBC News.

HED: Yang gang, assemble!

In what has to be Yang’s most fiery moment in any of the recent debates, he jumps into a convo
and pushes Warren about what her plan will do for people at risk of losing their jobs to
automation.

He focuses on truck driving, adding that it’s the most common job in Ohio. She offers an answer
about making sure there’s a safety net as Americans age — and gets a nod of approval from
Yang. Commented [61]: ready
Commented [62]: got

HED: What’s the difference between Warren, Buttgieg, Biden on health care?

Senator Elizabeth Warren and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg got into an extended exchange
on health care, with Warren defending her Medicare for All plan and Buttigieg defending his
alternative.
Commented [63]: got this
Here’s how each plan works: Warren would move virtually all Americans to a more generous Commented [64]: or will get
version of Medicare that has no premiums and few out-of-pocket costs. Once everyone was
moved to the new plan, all comprehensive private insurance plans would be banned, although
customers could purchase supplemental insurance that cover any items that Medicare does not.
Estimates of the cost peg it at upwards of $32 trillion over 10 years, although proponents argue
it will lower overall health care spending by eliminating overhead and negotiating lower
payments to hospitasl, doctors, and pharmaceutical companies.

Buttigieg’s approach is dubbed “Medicare For All Who Want It,” and would automatically some
uninsured in a Medicare-like plan and allow other Americans to either keep their existing private
insurance or buy in to the Medicare plan with aid from federal subsidies based on their income.
No one would pay more than 8.5 percent of their income in premiums. His plan would also cap
the amount health providers are allowed to charge private insurers relative to Medicare.
Buttigieg estimates the cost would be $1.5 trillion and be paid for with new taxes on
corporations.

Vice President Joe Biden has a relatively similar $750 billion plan that would also create a
Medicare-like option and cap premiums with expanded subsidies, but make participation
voluntary.
You can read about all the candidates plans at our issue tracker. Commented [65]: ready
Commented [66]: got
Jason
HED: Booker time
Cory Booker gets a bit of time, and he thanks the moderators for it. He’s been just about silent
in the debate so far. There’s just too many candidates for some people not to slip through the
cracks for long periods of time. Commented [67]: ready
Commented [68]: got

HED: Warren comes under fire


FROM: Allan

Warren has watched her stock rise in the polls as she faced little pushback from fellow
Democratic presidential candidates on the trail and in the debates. That changed Tuesday.
Already, Buttigieg and Klobuchar took aim at her over Medicare for All, signaling a gloves-off
approach is over. Commented [69]: done
Commented [70]: got

From Carrie Dann: Commented [71]: grabbing


As the debate kicks off with questions about impeachment, a series of recent polls have shown
growing support for an impeachment inquiry by Congress, although Americans remain split
about whether the president should be impeached and removed from office.

A NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released last week found that a majority of adults — 55
percent — say that there is either enough evidence to impeach Trump and remove him from
office now (24 percent) or that Congress should keep pursuing the investigation (31 percent.)
Another 39 percent say there is not enough evidence for a congressional inquiry.

But if asked to choose between just two options — removing him from office or allowing him to
stay — it's a mixed bag.

Forty-three percent say Trump should be removed, while 49 percent say he should not be
impeached and removed at this time.

Jason
HED: Bernie revisits his favorite line.
Sanders has said it before, and he said it again tonight: He wrote the damn bill.
Commented [72]: ready
The bill, in this case, is a Medicare-for-All proposal. Commented [73]: got
HED: Biden defends his son amid Ukraine controversy
DART

Biden was asked about his son’s business dealings while he was vice president, but he seemed
to dodge the question by making it about Trump’s alleged abuses of power and said that Trump
is only attacking him because he’s the only one who can beat Trump in the general election.
Biden’s campaign has been somewhat struggling to counter the onslaught of allegations from
Trump and his allies. But Biden said that he was satisfied with his son’s response to questions
about his business dealings in which his son said he showed poor judgment and may have
benefited from nepotism. Biden promised to avoid the appearance of conflict. However, none of
his contenders appeared to have jumped in to attack him on the issue. Commented [74]: done
Commented [75]: got
HED: Buttgieg hits Warren on Medicare for All
FROM: Allan

Buttigieg took the biggest shot at Warren that the Massachusetts senator has faced on a
presidential debate stage so far. Warren was asked whether Medicare for All would raise taxes
on the middle class, and she instead said that she would sign no bill that would raise costs on
the middle class. Buttigieg then shot back, “A yes or not question that didn’t get a yes or no
answer,” and took aim at Warren for having a plan for everything but not addressing that
question. Warren then hit back, taking aim at Buttigieg’s healthcare proposal. Commented [76]: done
Commented [77]: got

HED: Buttigieg discusses what happens after Trump is impeached and/or voted out
FROM: Allan

Every candidate on stage reiterated their support for impeachment, but Buttigieg took his time to
discuss what happens after Trump is impeached or voted out, saying it’s going to be more
important to figure out how the country moves forward post-Trump. He noted that divisions in
the country are only likely to worsen in his aftermath. Commented [78]: done
Commented [79]: got

HED: Sanders, Biden, Harris and Klobuchar all agree: Trump is the most corrupt president
DART

Right off the bat, four candidates came out swinging at Trump calling him the most corrupt
president in the country’s history. These remarks, of course, come against the backdrop of the
House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry and 2020 Democrats’ belief that Trump needs to be
held accountable for alleged abuses of power. Commented [80]: done
Commented [81]: got
Jason
HED: Pat Sajack is out

“Wheel of Fortune” host and noted conservative Pat Sajack lasted about two minutes tonight.

https://twitter.com/patsajak/status/1184258344187580416 (embed) Commented [82]: done.


Commented [83]: got

From: Allan
HED: Impeachment questions right off the bat
CNN’s Anderson Cooper launched the debate by asking Sens. Warren and Sanders and former
Vice President Biden about impeachment — a topic almost entirely avoided during the first
three Democratic debates. Obviously, this comes after Democrats launched an impeachment
inquiry into Trump’s actions with regard to Ukraine. Commented [84]: done
Commented [85]: got
What was going on between Biden and Castro on health care?
By Benjy Sarlin

Things got a little confusing in the debate when Julian Castro accused Vice President Joe Biden
of forgetting what he had said earlier on health care, an exchange that drew attention for
perhaps implying an attack on Biden’s age and memory.

The exchange came after Castro criticized Biden’s health care plan for not automatically
enrolling all uninsured Americans in a Medicare-like plan, as Castro says his plan would do.

“The difference between what I support and what you support, Vice President Biden, is that you
require them to opt in and I would not require them to opt in, they would automatically be
enrolled - they wouldn't have to buy in,” Castro said. “That's a big difference, because Barack
Obama's vision was not to leave 10 million people uncovered.”

When Biden protested that “they would not have to buy in,” Castro said that he was
contradicting an earlier claim that people would have to “buy in” to Medicare. Biden responded “I
said if they can’t afford it!”
There’s two issues at play here. One is the narrow issue of what Biden said earlier, two is a
disagreement between the two on health care policy.

To parse this, you need to understand the difference between their plans. Castro, according to
the outline published on his website, would enroll newborns and people who lose their
insurance automatically in a Medicare-like plan as a default.

Biden’s proposal is a little different. According to his campaign, people who qualify for Medicaid
under Affordable Care Act expansion would automatically qualify for a zero-premium Medicare-
like plan, as opposed to people at higher incomes who would have to pay at least some
premium. And he would automatically enroll “individuals when they interact with certain
institutions (such as public schools) or other programs for low-income populations (such as
SNAP).”

Before the exchange with Castro, Biden said “anyone who can’t afford it gets automatically
enrolled in the Medicare-type option we have,” which is true if you accept his plan’s definition of
“can’t afford it.” He also said “you automatically can buy into this” if you lose your job and
insurance, which is also true in that someone who lost their job would be given the opportunity
to buy a Medicare-like plan with government help, although they would not be enrolled
automatically.

This reference to two situations -- one, a person who loses their job and two, a person who can’t
afford insurance -- created a mix-up later when they argued over both issues simultaneously.

When Castro referenced 10 million residents who would potentially be without insurance under
Biden’s plan, Biden protested “they do not have to buy in.” Castro took his initial answer to
mean Biden was backtracking, but Biden immediately and repeatedly clarified he was referring
to people at low incomes, who would get their plans for free and be automatically enrolled if they
made use of anti-poverty programs. Castro kept challenging him on the supposed contradiction
anyway, even after he had cleared it up.

Castro was also making a separate point, which he articulated at the end, which is that Biden’s
plan would not automatically enroll everyone in a Medicare-like plan who doesn’t have one,
leaving some people uncovered.

“It automatically enrolls people regardless of whether they choose to opt in or not. If you lose
your job, for instance, his health care plan would not automatically enroll you. You would have
to opt in,” he said.

Here Castro was correct, but they didn’t get to debate it further. People who lost their job would
have access to a Medicare-like plan under Biden’s approach, but wouldn’t be automatically
enrolled unless they hit those other qualifiers in his proposal. But Biden also described his plan
throughout their exchange largely accurately, noting it was free and enrollment was automatic
only at lower incomes.

Making matters even more confusing, the main issue Castro was raising -- whether Biden’s plan
truly covered everyone or left millions without insurance -- was not just about automatic
enrollment. A lot of it has to do with Biden’s decision not to subsidize car for undocumented
immigrants in his plan, which they didn’t discuss onstage.

The end result was a debate where two candidates with some differences were largely talking
past each other. Castro articulated a real divide, but Biden also described his plan largely
accurately and did not appear to backtrack on his earlier answers in a significant way.

RNC, Trump re-election campaign blast Democrats’ so-called ‘socialist’ policies

By Rebecca Shabad

Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said in a


statement reacting to the debate that the Democratic contenders would hurt U.S.
communities with what she described as their “radical, socialist policies.”

“Tonight’s debate featured no new ideas to empower Americans as they work and raise
their families. Instead, Democrats again promised tax hikes, ending private health
insurance, and a total government takeover of our lives,” said McDaniel, who said
meanwhile, “President Trump will continue to fight for the American people.” Commented [86]: done
Commented [87]: got
Trump’s re-election campaign echoed that message, with national press secretary
Kayleigh McEnany saying that Democrats’ “big government socialism would force a
government takeover of healthcare, eliminate private insurance, provide free healthcare
to illegal immigrants, kill millions of jobs by ending the fossil fuel industry, disarm the
American public, and raise taxes to pay for their radical agenda.”

HED: Anticipated Biden v. Warren clash never materialized


FROM: Allan
It was what everyone was looking forward to. Biden, the frontrunner since he joined the
Democratic primary, vs. Warren, who’s been slowly and steadily gaining ground on him.
Thursday was the first time the two would be on stage with each other.

In the lead up to the debate, both candidates signaled they’d be drawing contrasts with
the other, with Biden’s campaign going the furthest in saying getting things done was
more important than having a lot of “plans. Plus, attention was given to the candidates’
contentious history in the run up to Thursday.

But the anticipated clash never happened. In fact, the two had little chance to address
each other. Biden and Warren had an exchange early on regarding each others’
healthcare plans, but that was the extent of it. For a long stretch in the middle of the
debate, Warren went without being addressed by the moderators. Biden, meanwhile,
was fending off attacks from others on the stage like former Housing and Urban
Development Secretary Julian Castro.

As a result, the debate appeared unlikely to move the needle between the two. Commented [88]: done
Commented [89]: got

Fourth debate prep

Thirsty for more? If so, yikes.

But no harm in getting ready. The fourth debate is set for Oct. 15 (and, unbelievably, maybe
Oct. 16 if we need to go back to two nights). The qualifying criteria is the same.

Could Tom Steyer make the stage? Or could we see a return of Tulsi Gabbard? It’s certainly
possible. Commented [90]: if you want
Commented [91]: got

The reviews for ABC are in!

https://twitter.com/ErikWemple/status/1172340892943798272(embed) Commented [92]: maybe too glib but


Commented [93]: got

Tim Fitzsimons
HED: Buttigieg closes with coming out tale

“As a military officer serving under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ and as an elected official in the
state of Indiana when Mike Pence was governor, at a certain point, when it came to
professional setbacks, I had to wonder whether just acknowledging who I was was going
to be the ultimate career ending setback.”

“So I just came out,” he said, diving back into the story of his 2015 coming out in a local
South Bend newspaper article.

https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/south-bend-mayor-why-coming-out-
matters/article_4dce0d12-1415-11e5-83c0-739eebd623ee.html

“They reelected me with 80 percent of the vote,” Buttigieg said, in a familiar stump
speech. “What I learned is that trust can be reciprocated.” Commented [94]: Done
Sanders: “We are going to cancel all student debt in this country” Commented [95]: got
By Benjy sarlin
Senator Bernie Sanders talked up his plan to cancel all $1.6 trillion in student debt in the
country. "We are going to cancel all student debt in this country and we are going to do that by
imposing a tax on Wall Street,” he said.

He’s the only one willing to go that far for now. Elizabeth Warren has a plan to cancel up to
$50,000 in debt for households making under $250,000 that she estimates would knock out
$640 billion of debt.

Both plans speak to an explosion in student loan debt over the last decade, but they’re
controversial within the party, with critics in the 2020 field warning they’d reward too many well-
off Americans and breed resentment in others who don’t qualify for benefits. Many in the field
have proposed alternative approaches like tying debt forgiveness to public service and making it
easier to refinance loans at lower rates.

To read about every candidate’s individual plans for student debt and college affordability,
check out our issues page. Commented [96]: done
Commented [97]: got
ALLAN AND JASON
Biden fumbles a point

The former vice president started off well, but his last couple answers have been tough to
follow.

In an answer on what he would do about injustices that stem from slavery, he starts talking
about education but somehow ends up talking about social workers going over to homes in
lower-income communities to teach parents how to be better parents, essentially, adding that
they would do things like keep the “record player on” at night so young children would hear and
learn more words.

There was a point in there, somewhere, but unfortunately for Biden, the answer in total was
jumbled — to put it lightly

https://twitter.com/emilynussbaum/status/1172333500051013632 (embed)

https://twitter.com/WajahatAli/status/1172333403162599426 (embed) Commented [98]: done


Commented [99]: thanks

Impeachment?

By Rebecca Shabad

The debate entered its third hour and moderators have not yet asked about impeachment and
none of the candidates has mentioned it either even though earlier in the day, the House
Judiciary Committee took a major step in its ongoing investigation into whether to recommend
the filing of articles of impeachment against Trump. Commented [100]: done

Passed along party lines, the committee adopted a resolution that set procedures and
rules for future impeachment investigation hearings.

Several of the Democratic presidential candidates have previously voiced support for
impeachment proceedings to begin against the president while others have been more
cautious on the issue. Impeachment came up at the last Democratic debate in late July
in Detroit, but not until the latter half of the event.

While Democrats have not set a deadline for recommending articles of impeachment,
congressional staffers have suggested a pre-election year timeframe and Judiciary
Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said this week he’d like to decide it “rather rapidly.”

The Democratic shift against charter schools


By Benjy Sarlin
Andrew Yang said he was “pro good schools” in response to a question on charter schools,
independently operated public schools that tend to not be unionized.
Elizabeth Warren appeared to take a pot shot at the concept, saying “money for public schools
should stay in public schools, not go anywhere else.”

Charter schools enjoyed prominent backing from Democrats under President Obama, but the
2020 president field has soured on them amid a spate of strikes by public school teachers and
clashes with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a prominent charter school advocate. Commented [101]: done
Commented [102]: got

Bilingual Booker

When asked if other people should copy his vegan diet to help address climate change, he says
no.

He then adds he’d like to answer in Spanish: “No.”

The gag lands. Commented [103]: done


Commented [104]: got
Tim
Commented [105]: we'll wrap into Tim's
Booker, vegan, asked, in Texas: should more Americans follow your diet?
Commented [106]: sure thing

“No,” he said, emphasizing the answer in English and Spanish. Commented [107]: done
Commented [108]: got
By Benjy Sarlin
Several candidates discussed their plans for climate change, where much of the field have put
out multi-trillion dollar plans to invest in renewable energy, research, and infrastructure and
issue new regulations on buildings, cars, and power plants.

To read about all the candidates’ individual plans and an explanation of the Green New Deal
resolution driving the debate, check out our issue page. Commented [109]: done
Commented [110]: got

HED: Yang has a gaffe


DART
On the topic of foriegn policy, Yang made a gaffe when he called Puerto Rico a country. "We're
not very good at rebuilding countries and if you want proof, all you have to do is look within our
own country of Puerto Rico," he said. Puerto Rico, which has been vying for statehood, has
been a U.S. territory since 1898. Commented [111]: done
Commented [112]: got

Timing is everything
The longer answers afforded the candidates tonight are providing candidates with the chance to
make nuanced and more complete points, but it also means some candidates can entirely
disappear for long periods of time.

That’s making it a bit disjointed, especially since after the healthcare exchange, there hasn’t
been too many heated exchanges between candidates. Right now, it’s mostly oratory. Commented [113]: thoughts?
Commented [114]: got

Buttigieg hits Trump’s Scotland problem

In the midst of talking about U.S. foreign policy and Afghanistan, Buttigieg hits on a recent
Trump scandal in which a U.S. Air Force crew was found to have stayed at one of the
president’s hotels during a layover in Scotland. Commented [115]: done
Commented [116]: got

Harris jabs Trump with ‘Oz’ reference

Harris with a jab at Trump that draw some laughs and applause.

“He reminds me of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ when you pull back the curtain and it’s a really small
dude?” she says.

Stephanopoulos, known in part for his slight stature, offers a chuckle and responds, “I’m not
going to take the bait." Commented [117]: done
Commented [118]: got
HED: Dems go after Trump on China policies, say they would utilize tariffs in combating China
FROM: Allan

Picking up after the debate, candidates were asked about how they would handle the ongoing
China trade war, which Trump has ratcheted up. Yang was the first to go, saying he would not
remove tariffs right away but come up with a plan to deal with intellectual property theft.
Buttigieg said Trump mocked the mayor, suggesting it be impossible to conceive of him making
a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Buttigieg shot back that he would love to see Trump
make a deal with China, adding he thought that was supposed to happen months ago. The
moderators moved on to Klobuchar, Castro, Warren and Harris, who hit Trump’s strategy but
insisted on taking China to task. Commented [119]: done
Commented [120]: got

Trump reacts to Democratic debate

As the third Democratic debate got underway in Houston Thursday night, President Donald Trump took
aim at several of the candidates taking the stage there, including Warren and Biden.
"I hit Pocahontas way too early. I thought she was gone. She's emerged from the ashes and now it looks
like she could beat Sleepy Joe, he's falling asleep. He has no idea what the hell he's doing or saying,"
Trump said in remarks before House Republicans at their annual retreat in Baltimore Thursday night.

Trump brought out another favored trail nickname for a Democratic rival, calling Sen. Bernie Sanders,
I-Vt., "Crazy Bernie" and mocked the pronunciation of South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg's name,
repeatedly saying, "Boot-edge-edge."

The president then brought up Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Whoa boy. He’s a furious kind of a guy.
Great guy. He’s dying to see ... he wants Sleepy Joe."

FROM ERIK ORTIZ

HED: If Yang can’t fulfill cash giveaway, then Alexis Ohanian Sr. will

After Yang’s pledge to give $1,000 a month to 10 random American families raised questions about
possible campaign finance violations, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian Sr. tweeted that “I like this idea
so much,” he’ll personally step in if Yang can’t. Commented [121]: Done
Commented [122]: got
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sometimes you need to do something unprecedented to be
presidential. Glad to have your support, <a
href="https://twitter.com/alexisohanian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alexisohanian</a>! <a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DemDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DemDebate</a> <a
href="https://t.co/EP2z8QwfOn">pic.twitter.com/EP2z8QwfOn</a></p>&mdash; Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) <a
href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1172317755070013442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Gun restrictions have broad support


Carrie Dann
As Democrats debate some new gun restrictions, some of their proposals will fall on receptive
ears among Democratic primary voters — and among many voters who aren't Democrats as
well.

An August NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that:

Eighty-nine percent of all Americans and 97 percent of Democratic primary voters support
expanding background checks to all firearm sales and transfers.

Sixty-two percent of all Americans and 87 percent of Democratic primary voters support banning
the sale of selected semi-automatic firearms referred to as assault weapons.
And three quarters of all Americans and 89 percent of Democratic primary voters support a
voluntary program where the government would buy back firearms that people no longer want.

What's not popular: Only a quarter of Americans back a ban on the sale of all handguns.

HED: Vice deporter in chief?

The Obama administration deported more undocumented immigrants than any previous
administration, earning Obama the moniker “deporter in chief,” among some immigrant
rights groups.

Asked during the debate if the Obama administration made a mistake deporting so many
people, former Vice President Joe Biden distanced himself from the results of Obama-era
immigration policy. Biden also described the administration’s deportation and detention
practices as the work of a former president doing his best, and described Obama’s
immigration policy as entirely different from that of the Trump administration’s practice of
separating families and placing detainees in cages.

During the Obama years, unaccompanied child migrants and entire families with children
were housed in facilities which included cages. Commented [123]: done
Commented [124]: got
By Jonathan Allen Commented [125]: Done
Commented [126]: adding!
Warren and Sanders split over Senate rules.

Warren said as president she’d get rid of the filibuster — a move the president can influence but
only members of the chamber have a vote on — to advance gun-control legislation. She framed
the filibuster, which allows a minority of 41 senators to stop legislation, as corrupt.

But Sanders said he does not favor eliminating the tool, which liberal and conservative senators
have long used against majorities, even though it could be a major obstacle to his Medicare for
All health care plan if he wins the presidency and Democrats take control of the Senate.

Sanders has instead said that he would use a parliamentary process called “reconciliation” for a
Medicare for All bill and refashion the chamber’s rules around that if necessary.

Beto feels the home-state love


Mark Murray
It helps to be the home-state candidate, and tonight’s debate has been especially beneficial for Texan
Beto O’Rourke, who has been praised by much of the entire field for his handling of the El Paso
shootings.

Fellow-Texan Julián Castro praised O’Rourke when he received a question about racism and the El Paso
shootings. So did Joe Biden. And Kamala Harris. And Cory Booker.

HED: Castro calls Biden on flip-flopping on Obama’s legacy


DART
Castro really went after Biden hard after the former vice president was questioned about the
administration’s immigration policy. Castro, who served as HUD secretary under Obama, used
the moment to hit Biden for “taking credit” for the good under Obama and distancing himself
from the criticism of the administration. What to watch for is how his attacks might help Castro in
the polls by attacking the front-runner. Commented [127]: done
Commented [128]: got
Booker: Gun violence is not a side issue for me

Cory Booker reminded Democrats of their minority base when he pointed out that “gun violence is not a
side issue for me” because more people die daily in communities like his than in mass shootings.
Without that empathy, the issue won’t be solved, Booker said. Commented [129]: INE
Commented [130]: got

Can we get a breather? Commented [131]: could be fun?


Commented [132]: got

I don’t know about you, but I think we could all use a break.

https://twitter.com/thebrandedgirl/status/1172317405265055745 (embed) Commented [133]: could be fun?


Commented [134]: got

Bernie pivots from guns to lobbying

Bernie uses the discussion about gun violence to pivot to one of his most consistent talking
points: the lobbying that goes on in Washington. He equates the gun lobby to big pharma,
and notes he got an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association.

SHAQ
The Sanders campaign acknowledges that the Vermont Sen. has a hoarse voice tongiht,
something that reporters covering him first noticed on Monday in Denver. However, they say
that Sanders is not sick and is a result of a busy schedule last weekend when he had four visits Commented [135]: grabbing
to college campuses and bars through Iowa.

Beto: "Hell yes, we are going to take your AR-15, your AK-47."
By Benjy Sarlin

The debate highlights a significant shift on guns within the party since recent mass shootings in
El Paso and Odessa, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

After the El Paso and Dayton shootings, Beto O’Rourke came out for a mandatory buyback of
so-called assault weapons along with a ban, an idea that’s been praised by Kamala Harris since
then as well. "Hell yes, we are going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” O’Rourke said in the
debate.

A similar policy was implemented in Australia after a mass shooting in 1996, but the idea was
had next to no backing among major American gun advocacy groups or politicians until 2018,
when former presidential candidate Congressman Eric Swalwell introduced a mandatory
buyback plan.

Gun experts still have concerns about implementation, however, especially as gun rights
activists warn that owners may refuse to turn in their weapons in protest. Joe Biden and Amy
Klobuchar have suggested voluntary buybacks instead, a much less far-reaching idea
sometimes done at the local level.

Cory Booker also repeated his call for a licensing program for gun owners, an idea that’s been
proposed in the past and already exists at the state level for some firearms, but had fallen out of
favor among national politicians until recently. Commented [136]: done
Commented [137]: got
HED: Klobuchar avoids question on police accountability

Sen. Amy Klobuchar served as the lead prosecutor of Minnesota’s largest county for eight years
beginning in 1999. During that period, Klobuchar declined to prosecute a single police officer in
questionable shootings or uses of force. Klobuchar instead routinely put these case before
grand juries which rarely indict police officers, Minneapolis Public Radio reported in March.

Asked about this pattern on the debate stage Thursday, Klobuchar described the question’s
content as inaccurate then, made reference to cases she prosecuted involving black child
victims injured or killed by private citizens.
Conflating street crime and questions of police conduct as well as challenging calls for police
accountability with claims that insufficient attention is paid to injuries and deaths caused by
criminals is a go-to conservative strategy. Commented [138]: done
Commented [139]: got

It’s Groundhog Day in Houston


Mark Murray
Tonight’s Democratic debate was supposed to stand out because it’s the first featuring 10 candidates on
one night – and it’s the first with Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren on the same stage.

But nearly one hour into it, what is really standing out is how similar it sounds to the previous two
rounds of debates.

An opening clash over health care. The divide between progressives and pragmatists. Pointed questions
on race.

One significant difference between tonight’s debate and the others is that it comes after the shootings
in El Paso and Dayton – something the candidates touched on, including Texans Beto O’Rourke and
Julian Castro.

But many of the other questions could have been asked at the previous debates.

And they were.

NBC/WSJ poll shows split on racially-motivated mass shootings


In August, after the El Paso attack, the NBC/WSJ poll asked Americans how worried they are
that "the United States will experience another mass shooting or attack by white nationalists,
targeting people based on their color or country of origin." Commented [140]: Carrie Dann file, grabbing

Among all Americans, nearly seven-in-ten (68 percent) said they were very or fairly worried.

But there's a huge partisan divide on this question.

Nine-in-ten Democratic primary voters (91 percent) said they're worried, while just 36 percent of
Republican primary voters said the same. Sixty percent of Republican primary voters said they
were just slightly worried or not worried at all.
HED: Biden: Only violent criminals should be in jail
FROM: Allan

Biden opened some eyes when he said “nobody should be in jail for a non-violent crime.” It
was a noteworthy comment from someone who led the 1994 crime bill through the Senate
— a piece of legislation he’s repeatedly come under fire for. Additionally, it would be
surprising if Biden really felt that white collar, non-violent criminals like Bernie Madoff
should not be imprisoned for their wrongdoing. Commented [141]: done
Commented [142]: thank you

On a first-name basis

Biden calls O’Rourke “Beto,” then quickly apologizes. Commented [143]: done

Commented [144]: got. memories of palin!


Commented [145]: hm im seeing people on twitter
saying that beto said "that feels good"
Commented [146]: so maybe just leave out the last
HED: Will Kamala Harris’s record as a prosecutor continue to dog her? quote/
DART Commented [147]: nvm most everyone saying beto
Since launching her campaign, Harris has been dogged by questions about her record as said "Beto's good."
California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney. Young black left-leaning voters
have expressed skepticism of her background, but Harris continues to call herself a
“progressive prosecutor” and that she took on the role to work on criminal justice from the
inside. The lawmaker, however, did get a round of applause inside the debate hall at the
historically black college when she said that she would end for-profit prisons on Day 1. Commented [148]: done
Commented [149]: got
Harris nicely turns tough question

Harris took a tough question on her record on crime and prosecution and pivoted it to push her
newly released reform plan.

It started with a bit of fun. After a question asking why she didn’t do more when she had the
chance in California — a question that drew some applause — Harris paused and said she was
glad that the question was asked.

She then touted her experience as having provided her the experience to implement real
change.

https://twitter.com/JRubinBlogger/status/1172311362074071041 (embed) Commented [150]: done


Commented [151]: got

HED: Yang knows a lot of doctors? What?


By Joy Y. Wang
Andrew Yang’s claim that "I'm Asian so I know a lot of doctors" doesn’t make sense — unless
you’re going to play into Asian American stereotypes. A sick person knows a lot of doctors but,
no particular race gets a claim on knowing more physicians by default. Commented [152]: is this one done?
Commented [153]: done now. -Joy
These math hats also don’t help fight Asian American stereotypes either:
Commented [154]: all set
https://twitter.com/andrewyang/status/1108024089040613377?lang=en
Commented [155]: done

Castro makes auto-enrollment in health care an issue


By Benjy Sarlin
Julian Castro and Joe Biden got into a spat over whether their plans would automatically enroll
people in a public plan. Biden insisted his plan did, and it does include a feature that
automatically enrolls people in a public option who interact with anti-poverty programs like
SNAP, but it’s not as far-reaching as some of the other public option plans in this regard.
Medicare For All, backed by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, would automatically cover
all residents. Commented [156]: done
Commented [157]: got
HED: O’Rourke endorses reparations study bill

The issue of reparations surfaced again the Democratic Primary debate.

After describing the United States as a nation which built its wealth and ongoing economic
dominance through the exploitation of of slaves, former Rep. Beto" O'Rourke (D-Texas) told
debate viewers he would, as president, back a bill introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-
Texas) in January. It calls for a commission to consider reparations proposals. Commented [158]: done
Commented [159]: got

HED: Texans lack health care


Commented [160]: from suzanne
Commented [161]: INE
Commented [162]: got

FROM ERIK ORTIZ

HED: Meghan McCain responds after Harris invokes ‘late great John McCain’

Meghan McCain, who is live-tweeting tonight’s debate, responded after Harris paid homage to Commented [163]: done
Sen. John McCain, who died last year, while she spoke about the Affordable Care Act. Commented [164]: got
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SHOUTOUT TO MY DAD!!!!! <a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DemDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DemDebate</a></p>&mdash;
Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) <a
href="https://twitter.com/MeghanMcCain/status/1172306882586767360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

HED: Castro hits Biden hard: “Are you forgetting what you were saying”
DART
Castro excoriated Biden during a debate over the former vice president’s health care plan,
telling him that he is not carrying the legacy of President Obama by not expanding access to
more Americans, basically building off of Obamacare. This was a standout moment because
Castro has been stagnant in the polls and he was particularly strong hitting Biden, even
reminding people of Biden’s gaffes by saying “Are you forgetting what you were saying?” Commented [165]: done
Commented [166]: got
HED: Debate divulges into a fight about fighting
FROM: Allan

After Castro took some seriously strong shots at Biden, Buttigieg jumped in to say moments like
that were why the debates were becoming unwatchable. Castro hit back, saying that’s what
elections are about. Then Klobuchar jumped in to side with Buttigieg. Anyways, at the end of
this, Yang had a chance to speak. He said everyone on stage has a better plan than Trump
and, pointing to his own healthcare knowledge, said, “I’m Asian, so I know a lot of doctors,” as
part of his answer. Commented [167]: done
Commented [168]: got

Bill Weld uses Houston face-off to renew call for GOP debate
Ben Kamisar

As Democrats tangle tonight on the debate stage, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld,
who is running against President Trump in the Republican primary, is piggybacking off the
event to call for primary debates in his own party. Commented [169]: grabbing Weld Tweet

So far, Trump has shown no indication that he'd debate the three Republicans running
against him. And a handful of state Republican parties are shuttering their primaries,
arguing that none of Trump's challengers are legitimate enough to necessitate a primary.

https://twitter.com/GovBillWeld/status/1172304701901037568
Disunity over unity

After Castro goes after Biden, Buttigieg calls for unity. Castro hits back, saying this is how
debates go. Klobuchar says a house divided cannot stand.

Game on. Commented [170]: done


Commented [171]: got

HED: No mention of HBCUs


By Dartunorro
The ABC debate is hosted at Texas Southern University, a historically black college, but no
candidate has mentioned it despite the fact that both Harris and Warren released plans to pour
billions into black colleges, which have been struggling financially. The other candidates have
also made supportive statements about protecting historically black colleges and universities.

HED: Harris turning focus onto Trump


FROM: Allan

Harris, who made her name in the first debate (and got a significant bump) for going after Biden,
has stayed away from attacking Biden and other Dems in her opening statement and initial
answer in this ongoing healthcare debate, hitting Trump both times. Among the other
candidates on the stage, Trump’s name has barely been whispered. Commented [172]: done
Commented [173]: got

Hed: Biden, Warren, Sanders spar on Medicare For All versus public option
By Benjy Sarlin
The candidates are going at it on heath care again, with Vice President Joe Biden talking up his
$750 billion plan to add a public option for insurance and boost subsidies, versus a single-payer
Medicare For All plan backed by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren that replaces
all existing private plans and eliminates premiums, deductibles, and almost all out-of-pocket
expenses.

Biden challenged his rivals on cost: Sanders and Warren haven’t fully said how they’ll pay for
their version, but Sanders puts the price tag at between $30 and $40 trillion over ten years. But
they argued the overall savings for most families, factoring in their current expenses on health
care, will go down even if taxes go up elsewhere.

Senator Amy Klobuchar, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Beto O’Rourke challenged them on
disruption, saying it would force people out of their employer insurance. Sanders and Warren
argue it will provide better access to their doctors by consolidating the current system into one
comprehensive plan.
Want to learn more about Medicare For All? We have an issue page with an explainer and all
the candidates positions here.

And if you want to learn a little more about where Biden’s plan and other candidates’ fit within
the various public option proposals in the race, check our coverage here. Commented [174]: done
Commented [175]: got

HED: Klobuchar slams Bernie: “I read the bill”


By Dart
Klobuchar got a round of applause after she went after Bernie Sanders over his health care
plan. She slammed Bernie for saying he “wrote the damn bill” by saying she actually “read the
bill,” noting that under his bill a lot of Americans could lose coverage. Commented [176]: done
Commented [177]: got

HED: Turn Texas Blue?


The possibility of turning Texas blue was a key point in former Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development Julian Castro’s opening statement. Commented [178]: done
Commented [179]: got
Texas, a state dominated by Democrats until the 1990s, has not always been a Republican
strong hold. But a wave of conservative victories transformed the state into one where
Republicans have long held almost all state-wide offices and the majority in the state’s
legislature.

However, the state’s demographic make up – about 57 percent of the state’s population is
Latino, black or Asian – and the Republican party’s swing toward a more extreme right has
renewed hope that Texas could become a swing state or a reliably Democratic state in the near
future.

Your bathroom break schedule

If you’re planning to be with us for the long haul, here’s a few hints on when you can take a
break, courtesy of New York Times media reporter Michael Grynbaum.

https://twitter.com/grynbaum/status/1172300314285789185 (embed) Commented [180]: could be a fun one?


Commented [181]: got
Unity among the candidates... for now
Opening statements have stressed the need to defeat Trump and touched on the themes the
candidates share.

But with all the frontrunners on the stage together for the first time, we’ll see if that feeling of
unity can last for three full hours. Commented [182]: done, eh?
Commented [183]: got

HED: Candidates take aim at Trump in opening remarks


Castro, Klobuchar, Harris and Sanders all used the first moments of their opening remarks to
talk directly to the camera about President Donald Trump. Castro and Sanders called him
dangerous, Klobuchar said he’s “running our country like a game show" and Harris made the
case for prosecuting Trump and quipped “Now you can go back to watching Fox News,” aiming
her remarks at Trump who has weighed in on the past debates. Commented [184]: done
Commented [185]: got
HED: Pete jokes about Yang’s cash giveaway

FROM: Allan

Buttigieg took a brief pause after Yang announced his contest to give $12,000 to 10
Americans, before joking “it’s original, I’ll give you that.” Just beforehand, Klobuchar was
seen giggling after Yang’s announcement. Commented [186]: done
Commented [187]: got
Yang has repeatedly cited Alaska as his model for UBI

From: Allan (set live after he says it)

Yang announced a contest on stage for 10 people to win $12,000. In campaigning, he's
repeatedly cited Alaska's model for UBI as evidence that his "Freedom Dividend" would
work. Here's more on that. Commented [188]: done
Commented [189]: got

HED: Beto centers opening statement on El Paso shooting

FROM: Allan

O’Rourke made August’s El Paso shooting central to his opening statement. Taking place in
his hometown, the tragedy has played a central role in his campaign over the past month. Commented [190]: done
Commented [191]: got

Klobuchar takes the ‘Apollo 13’ line


Commented [192]: done
Someone was going to do it, and Klobuchar went ahead and grabbed the early initiative.
Commented [193]: got
When referencing the president, she offered the classic line: “Houston, we have a problem.”
Commented [194]: sorry just added hixenbaugh there
NBC News Digital correspondent and Houston resident Mike Hixenbaugh was... not impressed.

https://twitter.com/Mike_Hixenbaugh/status/1172300414064189440 (embed)

SECOND DEMOCRATIC DEBATE (COMPLETED)

FROM: ALLAN

HED: Biden sets internet ablaze with closing call to arms

Biden told his followers to “go to Joe 30330 and help me in this fight.” A quick peak at his Twitter
account makes clear that supporters need to “text Joe to 30330,” but the internet had a good
time with this one. Many laughs were had on Twitter where users contemplated if Biden knew
what he was talking about, thought he was running in an election thousands of years in the
future and so on. Commented [195]: done
Commented [196]: got
FROM: ALLAN

HED: Closing statements

DE BLASIO: Let’s tax the rich. Says Trump is the real “socialist,” providing “socialism for the rich.”
BENNET: The U.S. needs to come together and make Donald Trump a one term president and govern for
our kids and grandkids.

INSLEE: We’ve kicked the can down the road on climate change for too long. Now is our last chance to
defeat it. We can do it.

GILLIBRAND: I know how to beat Donald Trump I’ve won in a Republican district. I get things done and
I’m not afraid of the big challenges.

GABBARD: I am not a warmonger and I will end this insanity, end wasteful regime-change wars and take
trillions of dollars we’re wasting on wars and weapons and use it to serve Americans here at home.

CASTRO: Election is all about what kind of nation we will become. We will say adios to Donald Trump.

YANG: Pundits couldn’t stop talking about me not wearing a tie last time. Everyone’s trying to get us to
fight on stage. Turning this into a reality TV show. It’s no mystery why a reality TV star got elected last
time. We need to be laser focused on solving the major problems of today.

BOOKER: Thanks Detroit. Dream of this country is under threat now. Way we beat Donald Trump is not
just by focusing on him, but by focusing on each other.

HARRIS: As AG I took on big banks, for-profit colleges, trans-national criminal organizations. We have a
president who has predatory nature and predatory instincts. They prey on people they perceive to be
weak and vulnerable. They prey on people in need of help.

BIDEN: We’re in a battle for the soul of America. This is the most consequential election of our lives. We
can overcome the damage Trump has done. But another four years will change America forever. We
choose hope over fear. We choose the idea that, together, we can do anything. Commented [197]: got

FROM: Daniel
HED: Castro invokes ‘Moscow Mitch’ nickname

Mitch McConnell has been sharply criticized in recent days after the Senate blocked election security
bills in the wake of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony. The move earned McConnell the
nickname ‘Moscow Mitch,’ suggesting he is giving cover to Vladimir Putin.

In talking about the Mueller investigation into Russian election meddling, Castro invoked the nickname.
The Senate Majority Leader, who has expressed anger about the nickname (and its corresponding
Twitter hashtag), surely won’t be pleased. Commented [198]: Done.
Commented [199]: adding
FROM: ALLAN
HED: Impeachment comes up near the end of the debate
After not being discussed Tuesday, candidates were asked for their opinions on what to do
about Trump in light of the Mueller report. Booker, Castro and de Blasio all expressed support
for impeachment. Bennet expressed concern over McConnell acquitting Trump on impeachment
and then the president claiming exoneration. Castro shot back, saying the president would claim Commented [200]: got
if he wasn’t impeached that nothing was wrong in the first place. Commented [201]: done

FROM CARRIE DANN Commented [202]: Posting

Biden briefly came under fire for his past support of the Hyde Amendment, a long-standing
government policy which prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for most abortions.

A Politico-Harvard poll in October 2016 found that a slight majority of Democrats – 55 percent –
said that the policy should be overturned, while 37 percent said it should stay in place.

But the same poll found that a majority of the electorate at large – 58 percent – supports
keeping the ban on federal funding for abortions in place.

Biden reversed his support for the Hyde Amendment in June after facing intense pressure from
within his own party.

From: Daniel
HED: Booker, more than most candidates on stage, keeps focus on Trump

In his answers to questions about health care and foreign policy, Booker largely shied away
from intra-party debates and ideological mission statements. Instead, he used his airtime to
attack President Trump.

In responding to a question about Afghanistan, for example, Booker began by enthusiastically


declaring: “I will never conduct foreign policy by tweet.” He later blasted Trump as an Commented [203]: Done.
“authoritarian” and called for impeachment proceedings against the president. Commented [204]: got

FROM DART

HED: Gillibrand and Biden spar over gender pay gap


Gillibrand sparred with Biden over an op-ed he wrote decades ago in which he said — and
Gillibrand read aloud — women working outside the home would "create the deterioration of
family." Biden shot back, "I'm passionate about the concern making sure women are treated
equally.” He also slammed Gillibrand supporting his positions on women in the past, saying, “I
don't know what happened except you're running for president." Commented [205]: done
Commented [206]: got
FROM: Jon Allen

Biden backs away from key trade deal

Former Vice President Joe Biden distanced himself from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade
deal that he backed when he served under President Barack Obama — a concession to labor
and environmental groups.

Asked whether he’d rejoin the multilateral pact, which President Donald Trump backed out of,
Biden said, “I’d renegotiate it.”
He further said he would do so with an eye toward labor and environmental concerns.

For a candidate who has tightly tied himself to the president he served on the campaign trail, the
move amounted to a significant repositioning to the left.

The issue has been among the most important to labor groups, in particular, and 2016
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton also abandoned her onetime support for it during that year’s
campaign for the party’s nomination.

“Would I insist that labor be engaged?” Biden said. “The answer is yes.”

New York Mayor Bill De Blasio applauded the change.

“I consider that a victory,” the liberal mayor said.

ndrew Yang gets a moment to make his big pitch on redefining economic progress
By Tim

Andrew Yang turned a question about how he was better than Biden to beat Trump into an
opportunity to lay out his vision of overhauling the idea of economic progress.

Touting his coalition of “disaffected Trump voters, Libertarians and conservatives, as well as
Democrats and progressives,” Yang said said the key to winning Rust Belt states is to point out
that in a record-breaking economy, “suicides, depression, anxiety — it’s gotten so bad that
Amercan life expectancy has declined for the past 3 years.”

He raised the case of his wife, who provides at home care for his autistic son.
“What does her work count at in today’s econmy?” Yang asked? “Zero, and we know that’s the
opposite of the truth. We know that her work is among the most challenging and vital.”

Yang said in order to win, “We redefine economic progress to include all the things that matter
to the people in Michigan and all of us, like our own health, our well being, our mental health,
our clean air and clean water, how our kids are doing — if we change the measurements of the
21st century economy to revolve around our own well being, then we will win this election.” Commented [207]: Done
Commented [208]: got

FROM DART
HED: Booker calls out voter suppression
Booker got a huge applause line when he interjected in the discussion about how Democrats
can win back Rust-belt states that they lost to Trump in 2016. This was the first time it was
mentioned at the debate — and an important point. Experts have noted that in Wisconsin’s
Milwaukee County, for instance, which has a sizable black population, 60,000 fewer votes were
cast in 2016 for Hillary Clinton than in 2012 for Barack Obama. Experts have attributed that to
onerous voter ID laws designed to depress African American turnout. Democrats will need to
know how to not only turn out black voters in 2020 but also how to get them to actually cast a
ballot. Civil liberties groups have raised alarm about access to polls, voter ID laws and other
suppression tactics that could continue to depress turnout among minority voters. Commented [209]: done
Commented [210]: got
FROM JASON
HED: Obama’s legacy taking a beating from his own parties

The Democratic candidates aren’t pulling any punches when talking about the Obama administration,
using it to go after Biden on a variety of topics — particularly immigration.

Whether that’s a smart strategy will remain to be seen. Obama remains very popular with most
Democrats.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">These candidates are attacking Barack


Obama’s policy positions more than Donald Trump. That is politically stupid and crazy.</p>&mdash; Joe
Scarborough (@JoeNBC) <a
href="https://twitter.com/JoeNBC/status/1156737087057649665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Commented [211]: ready unless you want me to
expand
Trump seized on some of the debate to take his own shot at the Obama administration’s immigration Commented [212]: will get shortly
policies, falsely claiming that he separated families.
Commented [213]: ok see what you think

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The cages for kids were built by the Obama Commented [214]: thanks got
Administration in 2014. He had the policy of child separation. I ended it even as I realized that more families would
then come to the Border! <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNN</a></p>&mdash; Donald
J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a
href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1156742970105892864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
FROM: Daniel
HED: MSNBC’s Chris Hayes with some advice for Biden

Hayes thinks Biden, who many pundits believe has the best shot of attracting working-class voters in
the industrial Midwest should more regularly tout the Obama administration’s bailout of the automotive
industry in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

https://twitter.com/chrislhayes/status/1156744059144331265 Commented [215]: Done.


Commented [216]: can add

FROM JASON

HED: Climate cools debate

After some contentious exchanges over the topics of immigration, criminal justice and race, the
debate shifts to global warming — and cools a bit. Inslee goes after Biden, exclaiming "Our Commented [217]: got
house is on fire..” Commented [218]: hold on to it for a sec, im kind of
anticipating
But compared to just a few minutes ago, the debate feels like a bit more of a united front from Commented [219]: eh yea maybe not
the Democrats.
Commented [220]: cancel
Commented [221]: eh?
Eric Garner and NYC public housing issue put heat on de Blasio
As a mayor, Bill de Blasio might be more easily yoked to specific issues than big-picture national figures
like Biden.

Tonight, de Blasio has repeatedly come under fire for his administration’s handling of the death of Eric
Garner at the hands of NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo and, as of the last question, the elevated lead
levels found in his city’s public housing complexes.

FROM MARK MURRAY Commented [222]: Will post

Bennet gets a moment

The normally mild-mannered Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., stole a moment midway through the debate
when he expressed exasperation why candidates like Kamala Harris talk about desegregation busing
policies of the 1970s – when segregation is worse today than it was back then.
“Equal is not equal,” Bennet said.

The senator also tied prison incarceration to education, noting that the overwhelming majority of
inmates don’t have a high-school degree.

“Let's fix our school system,” Bennet said to loud applause.

FROM DART

Gillibrand calls out white privilege

Gillibrand gave a smart answer on race here that was not the usual canned answers you hear from
politicians. She acknowledged the privilege she has wealthy white women and how she has used that
privledge to explain racial injustice to white voters so that the onus is not on candidates of color, like
Booker and Harris. Commented [223]: done
Commented [224]: got

FROM CARRIE DANN Commented [225]: Posting


As expected, issues of race have become a flashpoint in the debate.

But despite a series of negative stories about Joe Biden's record on race – and a dramatic attack
from Kamala Harris in the first Democratic debate in June – Biden remains the overwhelming
frontrunner among African American voters.

In a recent Quinnipiac poll, 53 percent of black Democratic primary voters backed Biden. Eight
percent backed Sanders, 7 percent backed Harris, and no other candidate received over five
percent.

And an earlier NBC/WSJ poll in early July found Biden with the support of 46 percent of black
voters, with Harris running in a distant second at 17 percent.

By Tim
HED: De Blasio, NYC Mayor, calls out Biden — for Eric Garner killing

New York Mayor Bill De Blasio challenged former Vice President Joe Biden over what the U.S.
Department of Justice did to punish the NYPD officer who killed New Yorker Eric Garner by
placing him in a choke hold. The officer, Daniel Pantaleo, is still a member of NYPD staff.
Josh Barro, MSNBC contributor (ACCURATE?), found irony in the Mayor of New York City
taking a former Vice President for the actions of one of his own cops.

https://twitter.com/jbarro/status/1156736816193687552?s=20

But even as the Detroit debate continued, De Blasio’s Twitter account was still firing off tweets
blaming the Justice Department for the declination to prosecute Pantaleo.

https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/1156737724268908545

Earlier this evening, protesters interrupted shouting “Fire Pantaleo!” Commented [226]: Done — needs fact check on
Barro status and embedded tweets
New York City Council Speaker Cory Johnson, who is running for mayor to replace Bill De Commented [227]: will look in a sec
Blasio, tweeted that Pantaleo should have been fired “years ago.” Commented [228]: added CJ comment

https://twitter.com/CoreyinNYC/status/1156736776297492480

FROM BEN KAMISAR Commented [229]: Will post


As former Vice President Joe Biden defends himself from attacks on the number of
deportations during the Obama administration, it's worth taking a look at the numbers.

Department of Homeland Security data shows that the agency removed more than 3
million aliens between 2009-2016. That's an average of 383,307 per year.

For comparison, DHS removed 295,364 aliens in 2017. The statistics aren't yet
available for 2018.

JASON

HED: How’s Biden doing? It depends.

FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver notes that Twitterati on the left see Biden taking damage tonight.

Certainly he’s been taking fire, but it’s far from clear that any of the critiques are resonating with
his supporters.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The people <a


href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/onhere?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#onhere</a> who are like
&quot;OMG all these candidates are KILLING Biden&quot; are the people who don&#39;t get why he&#39;s still 16
points ahead of everyone else in the polls.</p>&mdash; Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) <a
href="https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/1156737360190693381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
FROM JASON

HED: Again, Yang is seldom heard from

Yang didn’t get to speak much at the first debate. Tonight, it’s a similar situation.

According to NPR’s time tracker, Yang had the least speaking time halfway through the
debate with 2:09. Biden had the most at 9:18.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NEW: At the halfway point of the debate, Joe
Biden, Kamala Harris and Michael Bennet have racked up the most speaking time. <a
href="https://t.co/TNHAtL1Aki">https://t.co/TNHAtL1Aki</a> <a
href="https://t.co/KAJtrfCJtB">pic.twitter.com/KAJtrfCJtB</a></p>&mdash; NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) <a
href="https://twitter.com/nprpolitics/status/1156734357001949184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Commented [230]: ready

Commented [231]: got

FROM: Daniel
HED: Biden praised for improved performance, but some notice stumbles

Biden received pans for what critics saw as a lackluster performance at last month’s debate. But
this time around, some viewers are giving him credit for a more impassioned delivery. At the
same time, though, others have pointed out that he has repeatedly appeared to stumble over
his words.

https://twitter.com/SeanTrende/status/1156729525738319872 Commented [232]: Done.


Commented [233]: got
FROM: Daniel
HED: De Blasio acknowledges protesters in the crowd

De Blasio’s team used Twitter to reach out to the protesters who shouted ‘Fire Pantaleo!’ – a
reference to Daniel Pantaleo, the NYPD officer who put Eric Garner in a chokehold that caused
a fatal asthma attack.

https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/1156729665291268098

https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/1156730036885557250 Commented [234]: Done.


Commented [235]: will add during next break
FROM JASON

HED: It was left vs. center. Now, it’s everyone vs. Biden.

Last night’s debate featured the more progressive candidates (Warren and Sanders) fending off
centrists who sought to poke holes in their plans.

There’s been some of that tonight on health care, but Biden has been on the defensive on
immigration — including tough questions on the Obama administration’s record on the issue. Commented [236]: ready
Commented [237]: got
FROM BEN KAMISAR
Julián Castro led off the immigration section with a defense of his idea that illegal border crossings should Commented [238]: I will post
be decriminalized.
It's a debate that helped Castro get a nice bump after last debate, when he mixed it up with Beto O'Rourke on
the issue.But that's not a very popular stance among Americans at large. A recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll found
that only 27 percent of Americans thought decriminalizing border crossings was a good idea, compared to
66 percent who said it was a bad idea.Democrats were split on the issue, with 45 percent calling it a good
idea, and 47 percent calling it a bad idea.

FROM DART

HED: Castro and Biden square off on immigration

Castro and Biden — both former Obama administration officials — jousted off over immigration
in the debate. Biden questioned why someone who crosses the border illegally should not be
prosecuted criminally. Castro believes that federal law needs to be streamlined to make it a civil
infraction. Biden was questioned about Obama’s deportation record, which the former vice
president said he would not follow if elected but still make it a criminal offense to cross the
border illegally. Castro slammed Biden, saying he hasn’t learned the lessons of the past.

“What we need is politicians who actually have some guts on this issue,” Castro said.

“I have guts enough to say his plan doesn't make sense,” Biden shot back.

Castro in the last debate carved out a lane in being the candidate who aggressively debated
immigration reform. This moment was no different. Commented [239]: done
Commented [240]: got
JASON
HED: Yang pivots immigration conversation away from border and toward economy

Yang hasn’t gotten much time, but he’s differentiated himself with some unique points.

On immigration, he talks about the contributions of his parents to U.S. innovation, and then uses
it to turn to one of his favorite talking points — the economic impact of automation. Commented [241]: ready
Commented [242]: got
FROM MARK MURRAY
Commented [243]: tweaked slightly
Harris takes a turn playing defense
Commented [244]: I can post
In last month’s debate, there was no one who performed better than Kamala Harris – she took
the fight to frontrunner Joe Biden and to President Trump.

But at tonight’s debate, the fight came to her when the conversation started with health care.

The California senator has evolved on the issue: She first said that she favored eliminating
private insurance (“Let’s eliminate all of that. Let’s move on”). Then on Monday, she released a
plan that would move all Americans into a Medicare-for-All system within 10 years, but it would
also allow private insurers to offer competing plans – as long as they meet the standards of the
government plan.

“I needed to create a plan that was responsive to the needs of people,” Harris said at tonight’s
debate, explaining that she listened to voters in changing her position on health care.

But Biden pounced on the change “(you can’t beat President Trump with double-talk”), and he
argued it would cost trillions.

And Michael Bennet piled on Harris: “We need to be honest about what’s in the plan.”

JASON

HED: Dems push back against ‘Republican talking points’

A bit of a tic has been forming over the last couple nights — claiming that questions about
liberal plans are taken from Republican talking points.

In some cases, it’s a fair critique, but as Politico’s Jack Schafer points out, it’s also becoming a
crutch.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Every difficult question is a Republican


talking point.</p>&mdash; Jack Shafer (@jackshafer) <a
href="https://twitter.com/jackshafer/status/1156729275778818049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

FROM DART

HED: Harris doesn’t have a helper in this health care debate


As Daniel pointed out, Harris is being used as a proxy in this health care debate since Warren
and Sanders are not on stage. However, yesterday, Warren and Sanders helped each other to
defend their proposals. Tonight, Harris is sort of alone here. De Blasio is pushing back as well
but does not have quite the alliance that Warren and Sanders had. Commented [245]: done
Commented [246]: adding to that post

JASON
HED: “Malarkey!”

Biden just dropped a slightly obscure word that he likes to use: Malarkey.

According to Urban Dictionary, malarkey an Irish-American word for... uh... things that are less
than true.

FROM: Jon Allen

Biden comes out swinging at Harris

In the first of their highly anticipated exchanges, Biden came out firing with a clear intention to
cast Harris as dishonest. And his knocks led to more criticism from other candidates.

“The senator’s had several plans so far,” Biden said of Harris’ latest proposal to refashion the
nation’s health care system. “You can’t beat President Trump with double talk on this plan.”

Biden’s basic critique is that the Harris variation on “Medicare for All,” which would allow all
Americans to enroll in public insurance but also preserve private insurance options, would cost
too much, raise taxes on middle class families and take too long to phase in. But the more
damaging attack is less about health care and more on the idea that Harris has been deceitful.

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said as much by accusing Harris of hiding a plan to outlaw
private insurance. Her plan doesn’t do that, but the moderators didn’t stop to check him.

“He just suggested you are not being honest,” CNN’s Jake Tapper said in giving Harris a
chance to respond to Bennet.

She didn’t correct Bennet, either, choosing to tell him to stop repeating “Republican talking
points.”

Harris got in a couple of shots at Biden’s plan to augment Obamacare, but they fell flatter.

“Your plan does not cover everyone in America,” she said. “For a Democrat to be running for
president with a plan that does not cover everyone is without excuse.” Commented [247]: got
Commented [248]: Maybe hed change Biden
HED: Sanders and Warren aren’t here, so Harris takes heat on Medicare for All questions Harris' honesty
Commented [249]: yea that's good
Harris, who has backed a Medicare for All plan but without the stridently populist style of Bernie
Sanders or Elizabeth Warren, seems to be tonight’s proxy for “the left” without the leading
progressives on the stage.

FROM DART

HED: Harris pushes back against rivals

Harris slammed Bennett and other candidates questioning her health care plan as “Republican
talking points.” This was a remark Sanders and Warren also made as they fought back against
the more moderate candidates questioning the implementation of their health care plans in last
night’s debate. Commented [250]: done
Commented [251]: got

JASON
HED: Health care redux

Health care was the opener last night, and it’s the opener tonight. And the themes are similar as
well: left vs. center.

We’re about 20-ish minutes into the actual debate portion of the night, with a commercial break
on the way. Commented [252]: done
Commented [253]: got

FROM CARRIE DANN: Commented [254]: I'll post


While Joe Biden's top rivals have been pushing for a move to Medicare-for-All system
over the last two nights, the former vice president is explicitly arguing for the shoring up
of the existing Obamacare system, which preserves private employer-based health
plans. (He says he'd also add a public option.)

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll found a slight majority of Democrats
and Democratic-leaning independents favor Biden's approach.

Asked if they prefer the approach of building on the ACA or or replacing it with
Medicare-for-All, 55 percent chose keeping the ACA, while 39 percent chose the
overhaul.
FROM: Daniel

HED: Booker puts the scrutiny on Trump in health care squabble

Amy Walter, a prominent political pundit, faulted last night’s candidates for failing to bring up the
Trump administration’s war on the Affordable Care Act, especially Republican-led attempts to
undo protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

In his answer to a question about Medicare for All just now, Booker did just that. He called on
viewers to pay more attention to Trump’s ongoing campaign against Obamacare. Commented [255]: Done.
Commented [256]: got

By Tim
HED: Gillibrand first candidate to mention LGBTQ rights

After a near total absence of mention of the LGBTQ community during the Tuesday debate —
despite the historic presence of openly gay Pete Buttigieg on stage — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
became the first 2020 candidate on the Detroit stage to mention the struggle for LGBTQ civil
rights.

In her opening statement Gillibrand said her mother, who one of just 3 women in her law school,
“worked with gay couples for basic rights.”

“As a freshman senator, I was told you couldn't repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell — even members of
my own party told me it wasn't convenient,” Gillibrand continued. “When are civil rights ever
convenient? We stood up to the Pentagon and got it done — not impossible.” Commented [257]: Done
Commented [258]: got

FROM DART
HED: Gillibrand dodges chance to attack Harris’ health care plan
Gillibrand ducked a chance to attack Harris after Dana Bash asked her about Harris’ health care
plan by giving an impassioned defense of creating a health care system for everyone under a
Medicare for All proposal. Commented [259]: done
Commented [260]: I can grab this
FROM: Daniel
HED: Booker applauds protesters after ‘Fire Pantaleo!’ interruption
Booker’s media team has a message for the group of protesters who interrupted his opening
statement: ‘Good for you.’

https://twitter.com/CoryBooker/status/1156724012749377537 Commented [261]: Done.

FROM: Allan
HED: Biden much sharper early than his past performance

It’s just a few minutes in, but Biden’s first exchanges on healthcare were noticeably smoother
than anything from his June performance. Commented [262]: will get this
Commented [263]: done
FROM DART
HED: Biden slams Harris’ health care plan
Biden slammed Harris’ health care plan, saying “you can’t beat Donald Trump with double talk”
after the California senator was pressed to explain how she would implement and pay for her
plan. Biden is taking a more direct approach in this debate following their skirmish in the last
debate. Commented [264]: done
Commented [265]: got
FROM: Daniel
HED: Harris gets first question on health care

The first question of the night went to Kamala Harris.

CNN’s Dana Bash asked the California senator to respond to former Vice President Joe Biden’s
claim that her Medicare for All plan was “confusing.”

Harris forcefully defended her proposal. Commented [266]: Done -- but I missed the first few
secs of her answer b/c I was writing Pantaleo
JASON Commented [267]: got
HED: Reminder: These debates run long.

CNN’s plan is to have two full hours of debate in addition to the opening and closing statements.
The first debate question was asked at about 8:26 p.m. ET, so get comfy.

FROM: Daniel
HED: Booker’s opening remarks interrupted by hecklers

Sen. Cory Booker’s opening remarks were briefly interrupted by a group of hecklers shouting
“Fire Pantaleo!” They were referring to Daniel Pantaleo, the New York City police officer who put
Eric Garner in a chokehold that caused a fatal asthma attack in 2014.

Garner’s family has called on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to fire Pantaleo. The hecklers
in the Fox Theatre tonight could be heard shouting during de Blasio’s opening remarks, too. Commented [268]: Done.
Commented [269]: got
FROM: ALLAN
HED: Opening statements

DE BLASIO: We can make change in this country — just like I did as New York City mayor.
Tonight is about getting to the heart and soul of who we are as Democrats. Then hits Biden and
Harris for past statements. We will tax the hell out of the wealthy.
BENNET: Talks about career running Denver’s public schools, says Trump doesn’t “give a
damn about your kids or mine.” Adds that “kids belong in classrooms, not cages, and deserve”
someone better than “a bully.” Election about reclaiming democracy.
INSLEE: Says Democrats are the last best hope for the planet in defeating the climate crisis
facing the world. Says it will be his top priority.
GILLIBRAND: Says her mom taught her nothing is impossible. Mentions her role in repealing
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” and in funding victims compensation for 9/11 first responders.
GABBARD: “I love our country,” mentions her career as a soldier overseas. Says she knows
patriotism and Trump is not behaving like a patriot.
CASTRO: Public service is not about any of us, it’s about you. I know what it’s like to struggle.
I’m not trying to make America great again, I’m trying to move the country forward and make it
better in the years to come.
YANG: Mentions that he wants to give every American $1,000 a month. Explains why Universal
Basic Income is necessary and how he plans to pay for it.
BOOOKER: Mentions Trump’s attacks on Baltimore, says Trump is trying to target racists and
bigots. Says we desperately need to “heal as a nation and move forward.”
HARRIS: “We are better than this,” this becomes a moment we need to “fight for” who we are. I
will fight with you for “the best of who we are and successfully prosecute the case against four
more years of Donald Trump.
BIDEN: “I’m running for president to restore” the soul of this country. Mentions Trump tearing at
the country’s social fabric. “We are strong and great because of this diversity, not in spite of it.”
Adds, we are loving it, not leaving it, and we won’t leave it too Trump. Commented [270]: done

FROM: ALLAN
HED: Hot mic catches Biden asking Harris to go easy on him

During candidate intros, a hot mic caught former Vice President Joe Biden joking with Sen.
Kamala Harris, telling her “go easy on me, kid.”

During the last debate, the standout moment was when Harris hit Biden over his history with
busing. Commented [271]: done
Commented [272]: got
JASON
HED: Yang tieless, again
Yang didn’t wear a tie at the first debate, cause a very minor wave among political fashion
aficionados.

He’s doubling down tonight. Collar’s open.

HED: Gabbard’s sister takes aim at CNN for ‘biased/unfair’ format

Thirty minutes before tonight’s debate was scheduled to begin, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s
sister, Vrindavan, leveled tough words at CNN on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1156707888385146880

https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1156707975379259392

The tweets, signed “Vrindavan (Tulsi’s sister),” mirror those Gabbard’s sibling sent after the first
night of last month’s Democratic debates on MSNBC:

https://twitter.com/tulsigabbard/status/1144058895863832577 Commented [273]: Done.


Commented [274]: got
FROM: Allan
HED: Cringe-worthy Tom Perez line.

DNC chairman Tom Perez gave a warm up speech ahead of tonight’s debate. He said this:
https://twitter.com/aseitzwald/status/1156711607176708103 Commented [275]: done
Commented [276]: got

FROM: ALLAN
HED: Delaney fires back at Warren…….24 hours later

Former Rep. John Delaney finally fired back at Elizabeth Warren for the punch she landed
during last night’s debate in which she questioned why he’s running for president if all he
wanted to do was say what wasn’t possible for the Democratic nominee to accomplish.

"I don't understand why anyone goes through the trouble of running for President if they either
can't explain how their plans work or can't honestly debate their ideas without reverting to
accusing people who disagree with them of reciting Republican talking points,” Delaney said.
“The media should ask Senator Sanders and Senator Warren why they’re so scared to debate
the merits of their plans.” Commented [277]: done
Commented [278]: got

FROM JASON
HED: Biden has recovered from first debate dip
Joe Biden suffered a sharp dip in the polls after his first debate performance in June, particularly
after Kamala Harris confronted him over his past opposition to busing.

But some recent polls put the former vice president just about back to where he was before the
first debate. The Real Clear Politics Poll Average, which aggregates a variety of polls, puts
Biden at 32.2, compared to 16.2 for Sanders, 14.3 for Warren and 10.8 for Harris.

That’s very close to what the RCP average had on June 26, the day before Biden and Harris
would face off: Biden at 32, Sanders at 16.9, Warren at 12.8 and Harris at 7.

FROM JASON
HED: After tonight, the debate requirements get a lot tougher

For some candidates, this will be their last appearance on a debate stage in pursuit of the
Democratic nomination.

The next debate, scheduled for September, requires candidates to reach at last 2 percent in
four qualifying polls and have 130,000 donors.

That could mean candidates such as Gabbard and Castro, both of whom will be at tonight’s
debate, won’t have a podium in Houston, where the next debate will be held.

FROM: ALLAN
HED: Trump mocks debate ratings

Trump voiced his opinion on the ratings for the first night of CNN’s Democratic debate, which
were significantly lower than the ratings for the initial debates last month.

“Very low ratings for the Democratic Debate last night — they’re desperate for Trump!” he
wrote.

The Tuesday debate didn’t feature Democratic frontrunner, former Vice President Joe Biden,
and also happened to fall on the same date as the season finale of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.”

FROM JASON and ALLAN SMITH


HED: Giants fan Harris caught wearing rival Dodgers cap at debate walkthrough

Today is a turning point in politics — and in baseball.

Kamala Harris repped her home state of California at the walkthrough for tonight’s debate with a
Los Angeles Dodgers hat. It just so happens that today was the trade deadline for Major League
Baseball, an important cutoff as teams jockey for position ahead of the playoffs.
The Dodgers currently have the best record in baseball, but a blockbuster trade by the Astros
mean that Harris’ team might need to start looking over its shoulder.

The Dodgers spent the days leading up to baseball's trade deadline searching for a top flight
relief pitcher to add to their bullpen — but no trade came to fruition. Meanwhile, the Giants
made a flurry of moves, both adding and subtracting pieces from its club as it hopes to push
forward into a Wild Card spot.

Harris is an avowed Giants fan and apparently wore the hat because it was all that was
available. Her husband, Douglas Emhoff, is a huge Dodgers fan. Commented [279]: ready
Commented [280]: got

FROM JASON
HED: CNN ratings slip compared to previous debate

CNN drew 8.7 million TV viewers for Tuesday night’s debate, a significant decline compared to
the first night of June’s Democratic presidential debates.

The first night of the June debates, which were broadcast on NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo,
drew about 15.3 million viewers.

CNN’s broadcast still drew more interest than usual — the company said it was the second-
most-viewed Democratic debate in its history. Commented [281]: ready

FROM JASON
HED: Snap the vote

Get ready, kids! Joe Biden is coming to Snapchat.

Biden announced through his Twitter account on Wednesday that he has joined the messaging
app, which remains wildly popular with young people — many of whom are not of legal voting
age.

Biden teased “a behind-the-scenes look at tonight’s #DemDebate and what’s happening ont he
campaign.”

Campaigns continue to explore new ways to reach young voters. Sanders has embraced
Twitch, the video game streaming platform, while Gillibrand’s staff has looked to short-form
video app TikTok.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I’ve got some exciting news: I am now on
Snapchat! Subscribe to get a behind-the-scenes look at tonight’s <a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DemDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DemDebate</a> and what’s
happening on the campaign trail: <a href="https://t.co/AFamrxf91F">https://t.co/AFamrxf91F</a> <a
href="https://t.co/LdYpSDWh9n">pic.twitter.com/LdYpSDWh9n</a></p>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a
href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1156677917469896704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31,
2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Commented [282]: ready
Commented [283]: got

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