Clinton, Sanders vigorously agree _ except when they don’t

Except when they didn’t.

Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clashed over support for the president in their first debate since the New Hampshire primary.

“The kind of criticism I hear from Senator Sanders, I expect from Republicans”, Mrs Clinton said.

CLINTON: Senator Obama, when he ran against me, was against the war in Iraq.

Sanders responded: “Madam Secretary, that is a low blow”. Mr Sanders named Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, while Mrs Clinton named Nelson Mandela – and then used the question to berate her opponent for his complaints about President Barack Obama over the years. “Why in God’s name does Wall St make huge campaign contributions?”

Bernie Sanders has cut former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s lead in the Democratic primary race to single digits in a new national poll in the wake of his big victory in New Hampshire Tuesday.

For Sanders, this was a vital opportunity to try to introduce himself to black voters, who are likely to make up half or more of the Democratic vote in SC.

“At the end of my first term, we will not have more people in jail than any other country”, he said.

She has tried to distance herself from Sanders by presenting herself as the pragmatist who can get things done in Washington, including addressing income inequality and campaign finance reform – the core of his message.

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. On that front, Clinton turned to a familiar talking point, saying a Sanders presidency would force the country to “start all over again” in making health care affordable for Americans, and claiming ownership of the Affordable Care Act. Hardwo-rking immigrant families living in fear who should be brought out of the shadows so they and their children can have a better future.

Mr. Sanders was expected to talk at length about the civil rights activism of his youth, his recent outreach to prominent black figures and parts of his agenda that might most resonate with black and Hispanic communities. The GOP race has been a fiery contest, with Trump levying sharply personal attacks on his rivals and other candidates, including Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, releasing no-holds-barred negative advertisements.

“Based on every analysis I can find by people who are sympathetic to the goal, the numbers don’t add up”, Mrs Clinton told Mr Sanders.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Republican voters in SC will have their say on February 20.

JUDY WOODRUFF: But Clinton was quick to charge that Sanders’ proposals are, in effect, grandiose and unworkable.

Clinton sought to put Sanders on the defensive early in the debate when he was asked how much more government would cost under a Sanders administration.

The former Secretary of State will likely argue at the debate that the senator is not ready to serve as commander in chief and has not plausible proposals on foreign policy. “I am proud to say that Henry Kissinger is not my friend”, he said.