Clinton, Sanders clash over minorities, money and Obama

“It is the kind of criticism…that I expect to hear from Republicans, not from someone running for the Democratic nomination to succeed President Obama”, she added. In their opening statements, both Clinton and Sanders nodded to issues that concern African-American voters. Sanders praised Obama from saving the economy from the brink of collapse in 2008 (a “rigged” economy is, apparently, still better than depressed one.) But then, the democratic socialist defended his right to dissent.

After splitting this year’s first two states with Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Clinton also renewed her assertion that her unexpectedly strong rival was energizing voters with promises “that can not be kept”.

With an eye to on the minority vote, both candidates decried the high incarceration rate of African-Americans and called for broad reforms of the criminal justice system.

Senator Sanders said he would not dismantle the healthcare plan known as Obamacare, and was simply moving to provide what most industrialised countries have: healthcare coverage for all. She said there aren’t enough well-paying jobs for young poeple and she says she will fight for equal pay for women.

“I think one of the reasons the president has been able to move so far to the right is that there is no primary opposition to him and I think it would do this country a good deal of service if people started thinking about candidates out there to begin contrasting what is a progressive agenda as opposed to what Obama is doing”, Sanders said in 2011.

Sanders’ strength has startled Clinton’s campaign.

“Super PAC’s have raised more money than individual candidates”, Sanders said.

For the past year, the presidential campaign has been nearly completely focused on New Hampshire and Iowa, two states with white populations of roughly 95%. There are more than 1,400 delegates at stake in states such as South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Louisiana. “We need to end over-policing”, Sanders said. Sanders said he had been an Obama ally in the Senate even if he did not always agree with him. Immigration advocates and some Democratic lawmakers have condemned the raids, calling them inhumane. When the issue of the border-crossing children was brought up, Clinton maintained that a message should be sent to the parents of those children to not send them on the unsafe journey, while Sanders argued the children must be cared for, and no message needed to be sent.

The head-to-head contest between Clinton and Sanders was pointed, yet polite – a contrast to what has become an increasingly heated contest on the campaign trail.

People show support outside the Democratic presidential debate Thursday, the final debate before the Nevada caucuses scheduled for February 20.

Mr Sanders did not put a price on his policies, but neither did he shy away from the notion that he wants to expand the size of government.

“In my view, the government of a democratic society has a moral responsibility to play a vital role in making sure all our people have a decent standard of living”, Sanders said.

Mrs. Clinton was more animated when discussing foreign policy, an area where her campaign believes Sanders is weak.