We have arrived at a pivotal debate during the Democratic primary process. Up to this point, the race has been fairly predictable with former vice president Joe Biden holding a steady lead across most national and state-level polls while Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren continues to make headway, sometimes eclipsing his lead. In recent days, however, the race has taken a swift turn once again with a new candidate banking some noteworthy poll numbers and sporting a solid ground game to back it up.
With an extremely tight race in the balance, here are all the important details for the November Democratic debate including start time, candidate list, moderators, and live stream information.
November Debate Details
MSNBC/Washington Post Democratic Debate (5th Debate)
Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Start Time: 9 pm ET (8 pm CT, 7 pm MT, 6 pm PT)
Live Stream: MSNBC.com
Location: Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia
Sponsors: MSNBC, The Washington Post
Moderators: Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell, Kristen Welker, and Ashley Parker
The debate will be live-streamed across many NBC platforms including NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, Washington Post, and embedded here on Election Central.
November Debate Candidates
The final candidate list for the November debate in podium order, from left to right, includes:
- New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker
- Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
- Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
- South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg
- Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
- Former Vice President Joe Biden
- Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
- California Sen. Kamala Harris
- Entrepreneur Andrew Yang
- Businessman Tom Steyer
Of the major candidates still running, only former HUD Secretary Julian Castro failed to make the debate stage. Former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke dropped out since the October debate so he’s also missing.
Debate Start Time
The debate is slated to air from 9 pm to 11 pm ET (6 pm to 8 pm PT). MSNBC has decided to skip opening statements which means the debate should start quickly into questions right from the beginning.
Candidates will, however, reportedly be allotted time to make a closing argument to voters.
Where to Watch
The debate will air exclusively on MSNBC on television. Since the debate is not being hosted by NBC, the debate will be relegated only to the MSNBC cable channel meaning that without a cable or satellite subscription, viewers will have to watch the live stream.
The debate will stream on MSNBC.com and washingtonpost.com as well as across mobile devices via NBC News and The Washington Post’s mobile apps. In addition, the debate will also be available in audio through SiriusXM Channel 118, and TuneIn.
Election Central will also provide a live embed stream and a live stream in the Election Central App.
What to Watch For
There are many threads being woven into the Democratic primary as we enter the debate on Wednesday. Here are some of the major topics to watch for.
Impeachment – Since the impeachment inquiry hearings have gone public, and have now become a daily news staple, it’s likely that this topic receives a high degree of attention. All of the candidates have expressed support for impeachment going forward, but there has been some disagreement over whether the current proceedings serve as a distraction or somehow help the President by creating a backlash against Democrats.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg Surging – We’ve chronicled the meteoric rise of Mayor Pete in recent Iowa polls. He’s currently the top of the list in the Hawkeye State and will undoubtedly receive a lot more attention during this debate compared to previous outings. The rift between Buttigieg and candidates like Warren and Sanders will be fleshed out on full display and become a major topic.
Where is Joe Biden? – Joe Biden seems to have fallen off the face of the planet in recent weeks as far as the primary is concerned. He’s been trying to stay away from the impeachment topic given that he’s still trying to avoid being swept up somehow in it via his son’s business arrangements with a Ukrainian energy company. It’s possible that Biden does receive some questioning over his son’s recent interview on the topic and some of his own comments about whether his family members would take similar positions should he win the presidency.
Medicare For All – Healthcare has become a go-to topic for every Democratic debate. It’s been a point of contention between several candidates. Warren and Sanders are pushing a “Medicare for all” plan which would eliminate private health insurance. Other candidates, like Biden, Buttigieg, and Harris, have said they ultimately support the goal, but they don’t believe it’s realistic to outlaw private insurance. Elizabeth Warren has been wrestling with questions about the price tag for months now and this will be a heavily discussed topic.
Racial Issues, Immigration, Gun Control – All are topics that have come up at prior debates, and depending on where the moderators want to lead the discussion, they could also be on the table.
The debate airs from 9 pm to 11 pm ET on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Check our debate schedule page for the latest details including live stream links.
