Sanders Backs Clinton Over Email Scandal

Sanders said if he could, he would vote to legalize marijuana in the state of Nevada – which will see the question on its ballot in 2016.

So when Anderson Cooper asked Hillary, “How would you not be a third term of President Obama?” the question couldn’t have been unanticipated. Clinton was smooth and polished, Sanders brash and passionate, and O’Malley earnest, if a bit preachy. He had to come out the clear victor. “So I think while you’re talking about the tough decision that President Obama had to make about Osama bin Laden, where I was one of his few advisers, or putting together that coalition to impose sanctions on Iran – I think I have a lot of evidence…”, Clinton said. On these, Sanders failed to deliver.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley may have increased his national name recognition by holding his own against Sanders and Clinton, but mostly he was “treading water”, Nagle said. Jim Webb – sounded similar themes of boosting government programs with tax increases on the wealthy picking up the tab. Jabs at Clinton for her vote for the Iraq war – still inadequately explained about why this isn’t a reflection on her judgment – and her alleged flip flops on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade treaty and the Keystone Pipeline.

The only candidate on stage who challenged Clinton on her email practices was Chafee, who said “credibility is an issue”.

What was interesting about that moment was that, although they were all clapping together, the Sanders and Clinton supporters were clapping for different reasons.

Tuesday’s debate was the first in a series of high-stakes events for Clinton’s campaign as she seeks to solidify her status as frontrunner.

Clinton was clearly hoping to convince skeptical Democratic voters that she is no more hawkish than the current occupant of the White House. “It is a partisan vehicle as admitted by the House Republican Majority Leader, Mr. McCarthy, to drive down my poll numbers”, Clinton said.

“Sen. Sanders did vote five times against the Brady Bill”, she said.

“As a Senator from a rural state, what I can tell Secretary Clinton is that all the shouting in the world is not going to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have guns”.

She went on to say she knows how to find common ground and knows how to stand her ground, “even dealing with Republicans who never had a good word to say about me, honestly”.

O’Malley said he was able to make progress passing gun controls laws as governor that Bernie Sanders has not been able to in the Senate.

Both stuck to the same arguments on Tuesday night. As a candidate, he has made populist economic themes central to his campaign, nearly to the exclusion of other issues.

Clinton produced a more convincing rationale for why she should be President than she has done so far, dismissing the idea she was motivated mainly by restoring the Clinton political machine.

The debate allowed Americans to learn that there are more candidates than Clinton and Sanders, O’Malley said.

“The American people are sick and exhausted are hearing about your damn emails”, Sanders exclaimed as the crowd in Las Vegas roared with applause.

She repeated a defense she’s used before – “It wasn’t the best choice”, – and said Americans are more interested in health care and college affordability issues than her email. “Now, last week, you’re against it. Will you say anything to get elected?”