Clinton, Sanders on health care, donors

In what was easily her strongest debate performance in recent memory – and arguably her strongest since the campaign began – Hillary Clinton was calm, cool and collected at Thursday night’s debate. Sanders, clearly rattled, called that a “low blow”, but it registered with Democratic voters, particularly African-Americans, who regard President Barack Obama highly.

These moments were hardly comprehensive, but we looked at them in light of a criticism we’d been hearing about Clinton from Democrats. “I do not expect from someone running for the Democratic nomination to succeed President Obama”.

She has the gall to accuse Bernie Sanders of not being transparent. He says the income and payroll tax increases required to pay fully for the proposal would mean 71 percent of those who now have private insurance would pay more. “My overall assessment is that this was a serious and informative debate…but not the kind that is likely to change the trajectory of this race going forward”, she says. But throughout, Sanders tried to stick to his message about taking on Wall Street, while Clinton pointed to her broad agenda as the more fiscally responsible one.

Jeb Bush and his allies also are aiming attacks on the bomb-throwing front-runner – hoping his coarse style and record on social issues will turn voters off. He said that Obamacare’s reliance on private insurers gives that industry enormous influence in politics.

Come on, said Sanders. The debate was the first since Sanders’ victory in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday and the final before the Democratic caucus in Nevada on February 20.

For Clinton, it was about hitting point-by-point challenges confronting minorities.

To counter that perception, Sanders touted his college civil rights activism, did publicity events with rapper Killer Mike, and on Wednesday met black civil rights leader Al Sharpton in Harlem.

HILLARY CLINTON: “The numbers don’t add up”. Whereas, when I listen to Hillary, even though I respect so much of what she has done and the person that she is, I hear the word “I, ‘ “I, ‘ ‘I” a lot”. “That is why I need you, my friends, more than ever”. “When we talk about criminal justice reform … we also have to talk about jobs, education, housing and other ways of helping communities of color”, she said. At least a dozen Black Caucus members are expected to fan out across the state to boost Clinton’s campaign in the state. She needs African-American voters to get behind her now.

Clinton can win every argument, or blur their lines, saying “we agree”, but lose a debate.

Her statement prompted New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, who is gay, to ask whether there would be a “place in hell” for him if he does not support a gay candidate. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said Clinton’s campaign was “getting very nervous and is becoming increasingly negative and desperate”. Coates has said he will vote for Sanders.

“Let’s not insult the intelligence of the American people”, he said. “I guess just for the fun of it; they want to throw money around”, he said.

Former President Bill Clinton is being dispatched to Memphis, Atlanta and Florence, South Carolina, in the coming days, and the Clintons’ daughter, Chelsea, is heading to majority-black Flint, where the crisis over water has become a symbol of racial and economic inequality.

“When it mattered, he stood up and took on Wall Street”, she said.

Passive-aggressive as it was, it showed Sanders’ increasing willingness to mix it up with Clinton. Still, until now, Sanders has kept fairly quiet on the foreign policy front, and he has not named an adviser. So over and over, he’s leaned on a single comeback: She voted to go to war in Iraq in 2002 and he voted against it. “I think the only chance a superdelegate will make a difference is if there isn’t really an obvious preference coming out of the electorate part of the process”. Sanders called Kissinger “one of the most destructive secretaries of state”.

Long viewed as the overwhelming front-runner in the Democratic race, Clinton has been caught off-guard by Sanders’ connection with Americans frustrated by the current political and economic systems. “I will not make promises I know I can not keep”.

More troublingly, young women seem to be flocking to her rival: the 74-year-old senator from Vermont won 82 percent of the vote among women younger than 30, and 69 percent of votes from women under 45 in the state.

“You know, I listen to a wide variety of voices that have expertise in various areas”.