Sanders feels the Democratic burn
CHARLESTON: Democrats last night unleashed a roaring assault against Bernie Sanders’ electability and seized on Mike Bloomberg’s past with women in a raucous debate that tested the strength of the two men leading their party’s presidential nomination fight.
Mr Sanders, his status as the Democratic frontrunner undeniable, faced the brunt of the attacks in the debate in South Carolina.
Even Mr Sanders’ ideological ally, Elizabeth Warren, questioned his ability to lead the nation.
“Bernie and I agree on a lot of things but I think I would make a better president than Bernie,” Ms Warren charged.
Mr Sanders, under attack for much of f the night, noted the additional attention exclaiming: “I’m hearing my name e mentioned a little bit to- night. I won- der why?”
The new wave of infighting came as Democrats met for the party’s 10th — and perhaps most consequential — debate of the 2020 primary season. It came just four days before South Carolina’s first-in-the-South primary and a week before more than a dozen states vote on what is known as Super Tuesday. The intensity of last night’s clash — with candidates repeatedly yelling over each other — reflected the reality that the Democrats’ establishment wing was quickly running out of time to stop the polarising progressive.
Even some of his critics, including Mr Bloomb berg, conc ceded that the Vermont senator could build an i insurmount able delegate lead as soon as next week.
The Democrats’ 2020 class will not stand side-by-side on the debate stage again until the middle of next month, making last night’s debate the best, and perhaps last, chance for some candidates to save themselves and alter the trajectory of the high-stakes nomination fight.
Mr Bloomberg was the focus last week for his highly anticipated debut but after a bad performance that froze his momentum, the knives were out for Vermont’s Mr Sanders, 78.
And while Mr Sanders took fire, Ms Warren saved her fiercest attacks for Mr Bloomberg.
She cut hard at his record as a businessman, bringing up reports of one particular allegation that he told a pregnant employee “to kill it”.
Mr Bloomberg fiercely denied the allegation but acknowledged he sometimes made comments that were inappropriate.