In contentious debate, Clinton and Sanders both claim ‘progressive’ mantle

Sparks flew Thursday at the Democratic debate in New Hampshire as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went on the offensive against Bernie Sanders, telling the Vermont senator to end his “smear” campaign against her. They sparred five days before their next nominating clash, in the New Hampshire primary. She has apologized for the vote, but said that Sanders’s vote was not enough. “But you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received”.

Clinton took on the critique aggressively Thursday night, saying she wasn’t sure who could live up to his lofty standard.

The exchange allowed Clinton to make what is a central argument of her campaign: that she’s ideologically aligned, for the most part, with the party’s base, but that she’s “a progressive who gets things done”.

Sanders’ campaign website says he’s for “a progressive economic agenda that creates jobs, raises wages, protects the environment and provides health care for all”.

Normalizing relations immediately would remove one of the biggest levers the United States has to pry concessions from Iran in the future, she said. “By moving forward, rallying the American people, I do believe we should have healthcare for all”. Sanders, a democratic socialist who calls for a political revolution, is the pick for those who go with their heart.

Again and again, he hammered his attack on the power of Wall Street and big banks.

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Front is holding forte in New Hampshire with a double digit lead over his nearest rival Marco Rubio while Democratic presidential aspirant Bernie Sanders has a massive lead over Hillary Clinton, a latest opinion poll has shown.

He was a distant third in the first state to vote, Iowa, where Mrs Clinton narrowly beat Mr Sanders after a prolonged count. He also noted her Super PAC had taken contributions from Wall Street firms and that Clinton received big speaking fees from Goldman Sachs.

“Senator Sanders is the only person who I think would characterize me, a woman running to be the first woman president, as exemplifying the establishment”. She sought to portray herself as a champion of the same progressive ideals Sanders espouses, but with the hard-nosed pragmatism to achieve them. When it comes to his calls for broader government involvement in domestic programs, Clinton said, “The numbers don’t add up”. But tonight, Clinton came armed with talking points to highlight her own progressive chops.

“I’ve got their number”, she said. As president, Clinton would seek to protect the gains of Barack Obama and push on areas where progress or consensus is possible.

The last Quinnipiac poll released December 21 showed Clinton with a whopping 31 point lead over Sanders, 61 to 30. “I will not politicize it”.

While most expect Clinton to ultimately secure her party’s nomination, she faces a much steeper uphill climb than once imagined as the 74-year-old senator from Vermont whips up passionate support among young voters – earning him a double-digit poll lead in neighbouring New Hampshire. “A vote in 2002 is not a plan to defeat ISIS”.

The surprisingly strong performance by Sanders in Iowa is likely to prolong a race that Clinton entered as the prohibitive favorite.

During the 90-minute debate, held at the University of New Hampshire and hosted by MSNBC, the candidates, at times, seemed not just to speak but to shout their answers.

That bolded statement was rated False by Politifact when they fact-checked the debate.