Luke Skywalker
Super Moderator
{vb:raw ozzmodz_postquote}:
The Democratic presidential field faced off for the second time of the 2016 campaign Saturday. Here are six takeaways from<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the Des Moines debate:
[h=5]Foreign policy probably favors Hillary Clinton[/h]The former secretary of State showed a command of the world scene, and she reminded the crowd that she pushed for the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Bernie Sanders, a senator, and Martin O’Malley, an ex-governor, don’t have as much experience with these issues, and Clinton probably benefits in the Democratic race if national security becomes a major focus in the wake of the Paris attacks.
[h=5]Bernie Sanders is going on offense[/h]The independent senator from Vermont showed he is more willing to attack the front-running Clinton, criticizing her for campaign donations from Wall Street and her Senate vote on behalf of the Iraq invasion of 2003. One issue on which he did not go after her, though: her private emails as secretary of State. Sanders said he’s still tired of the issue.
[h=5]Martin O’Malley is on offense against two opponents[/h]The former governor of Maryland, mired in a distant third place in Democratic polls, showed he is willing to attack both Clinton and Sanders. While criticizing Clinton as “the candidate of Wall Street,” O’Malley also hit Sanders for his opposition to certain gun control measures and questioned whether his economic problems are realistic.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>O’Malley needs to get some traction in the race soon.
[h=5]It’s still the economy[/h]While the Paris terrorist attacks generated more foreign policy questions than originally expected, the candidates made clear they preferred to discuss economic issues. Those include traditional Democratic items like improvements to the health care system, cracking down on misbehaving big banks, and reducing income inequality. Look for the economy to continue to dominate<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the Democratic campaign.
[h=5]Wall Street: Clinton’s biggest liability?[/h]Sanders and O’Malley repeatedly criticized Clinton for donations from Wall Street interests, seeking to stoke Democratic voters’ suspicions of big business. Clinton noted that she represented Wall Street as a senator from New York, but she said she is not beholden to it and will crack down on financial malfeasance when warranted.
[h=5]How many people actually watched this debate?[/h]Not only was the event held on a Saturday night, it took place opposite a University of Iowa home football game. The undefeated Hawkeyes defeated Minnesota 40-35. Any bets on whether the game drew more Iowa viewers than the debate?
Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley take the stage during the Democratic debate on Nov. 14, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa. (Nati Harnik, AP)
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed