The three remaining Democratic candidates for president met in New Hampshire tonight for a debate sponsored by ABC News and the New Hampshire Democratic Party. The event was broadcast live from Saint Anselm College in Manchester and moderated by David Muir with Martha Raddatz.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
ABC News Democratic Debate
Candidates: Clinton, Sanders, O’Malley
Transcript: 3rd Democratic Debate Transcript
Here is the full video of the ABC News New Hampshire Democratic Debate. Debate starts at 12 minute mark.
Alternate video link: Link 1
Report from the New York Times:
Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders put aside the hard feelings over his campaign’s breach of her voter data in the third Democratic presidential debate on Saturday night, opting to stick to the civil discourse that has marked the race.
Mr. Sanders explained what he knew about the data breach and offered an apology to Mrs. Clinton and to his supporters for letting them down.
“This is not the type of campaign that we run,” Mr. Sanders said, promising to fire anyone else involved in stealing such information.
Mrs. Clinton said that she accepted the apology and that she also wanted to move forward.
With just six weeks until the Iowa caucuses, Mrs. Clinton’s two rivals are running out of time to blunt her momentum. Since last month’s debate, the former secretary of state has widened her lead in national polls and most state polls, although Mr. Sanders is keeping the race close in New Hampshire, which holds its first-in-the-nation primary eight days after the Iowa caucuses.
While the debate started on a cordial note, the candidates did not hold back on highlighting their differences. Martin O’Malley, the former Maryland governor, who is under pressure to make his mark, repeatedly injected himself into the discussion, scolding Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders on their records on gun control and painting himself as the true progressive on the stage.
Overall, I think Sanders and O’Malley both had a good night, but so did Hillary Clinton. She did take some more incoming fire than prior debates, though she was ready for those attacks and I think handled them in an acceptable way. In this case, the tie goes to the front runner meaning that Hillary will continue with a sizable lead. It may help O’Malley by breathing a little life into his campaign but if his poll number stay in the basement heading in January, I can’t see him in the race much longer.
Hillary did say she believes we are “right where we should be” in the fight against the Islamic State. I think many voters would take issue with that position and I bet it will not be the last we hear of that comment, especially when Republicans begin responding.
This was the last Democratic debate in 2015. The next Democratic debate takes place on Sunday, January 17, 2016.
