Sanders, Bloomberg take heat from rivals in crucial debate
CHARLESTON, S.C. — After seizing the lead in the crowded Democratic primary field heading into a crucial week, Sen. Bernie Sanders took shots in Tuesday’s debate from his opponents seeking to jostle for position as the alternative to the Vermont senator’s progressive agenda and heated rhetoric.
Mr. Sanders — whose podium was set at center stage, flanked by his six Democratic rivals — was also the center of attention. He faced criticism for how he intends to pay for “Medicare for All” and other government-run social programs, his past positions on gun control and his recent remarks praising some aspects of Fidel Castro’s leadership in Cuba.
The ideological divides were clear on a stage that featured Mr. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, up against a smalltown mayor, a former vice president, two female senators and two billionaires who are largely selffunding their campaigns.
The candidates frequently talked over each other, elbowing one another for precious time to present competing visions of how to effectively take on President Donald Trump in November’s general election.
“If you think the last four years have been chaotic, divisive, toxic, exhausting — imagine spending the better part of 2020 with Bernie Sanders versus Donald Trump,” said former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
Mr. Buttigieg told Mr. Sanders that Democratic voters are “running away from your platform as fast as they possibly can.”
The majority of Democrats “just want to be able to turn on their TV, see their president and have their blood pressure go down a little bit instead of up
through the roof.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden — who has been leading in South Carolina but has seen his lead shrink with Mr. Sanders’ rise — called out Mr. Sanders’ past votes against legislation that would have lengthened the waiting period on firearm background checks.
Mr. Biden said such a law would have prevented the 2015 shooting that killed nine black parishioners in Charleston.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, DMinn., said Mr. Sanders’ plan to create a government-run health care system “doesn’t add up,” claiming his plan will kick off millions of American off their existing health care insurance.
Mr. Sanders is peddling “a bunch of broken promises that sound good on bumper sticker,” Ms. Klobuchar said.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she agreed with many of Mr. Sanders’ ideas — reining in Wall Street banks and expanding health care — but believed he lacked the ability to execute them as president.
On universal health care, “Bernie’s plan doesn’t explain how to get there, doesn’t show how we’re going to get enough allies into it, and doesn’t show enough about how to pay for it,” Ms. Warren said.
“Getting a progressive agenda enacted will be very hard, and it will take someone to dig into the details to make it happen,” Ms. Warren said.
For his part, Mr. Sanders continued to defend his platform. He argued that it was a “misconception” to label his platform as radical, pointing out that many other countries have expanded social programs.
While he emphasized Cuban leader Fidel Castro ran a dictatorship, he reiterated his belief that government can accomplish wide social programs.
“Do we think raising taxes on billionaires is a radical idea?” Mr. Sanders said. “Do we think health care for all is some kind of radical, communist idea?”
“We need a campaign of energy and excitement,” he argued. “We need to bring working people back into the Democratic Party.”
And he alluded to his front-runner status, having arrived in South Carolina after a 26-point victory in Nevada last weekend: “I’m hearing my name mentioned tonight — I wonder why,” he said.
The debate, hosted by CBS News in this coastal South Carolina city, played out as the Democratic presidential hopefuls begin an aggressive sweep across the Palmetto State’s ahead of its “First in the South” primary election this Saturday.
It was also the last time for the candidates to spar on stage before Super Tuesday next week — the biggest primary election night of the year. Voters in 14 states will go to the polls, and nearly a third of the total delegates will be doled out.
After elections this month in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, South
Carolina is the most diverse electorate, with African American voters making up roughly 60% of the state’s Democratic electorate.
The state, with more than 5 million people, is also the most populous so far to vote.
The stakes in South Carolina are high for Mr. Biden, whose lead in the state is boosted by support from the black voters.
Asked during the debate if he would drop out if he does not win the state, Mr. Biden replied he is confident he will win.
“I’ve worked like the devil to earn the vote of the African American community,” Mr. Biden said. “The people know me. My entire career has been wrapped up in fighting for civil rights and civil liberties.”
Candidates continued to throw punches at Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor who will not be on Saturday’s ballot but will compete in Super Tuesday states. Mr. Bloomberg has spent millions of his own business fortune on his campaign.
Mr. Bloomberg traded barbs with Ms. Warren, whose campaign reported raising $14 million in a 10day period, buoyed by her performance pressing Mr. Bloomberg on allegations he harassed women in last week’s debate.
Ms. Warren portrayed Mr. Bloomberg as untrustworthy, bringing up allegations that Mr. Bloomberg encouraged a woman to have an abortion. (Mr. Bloomberg denied ever telling anyone that.)
“I don’t care how much money Mayor Bloomberg has — the core of the Democratic Party will never trust him,” Ms. Warren said. “He is the riskiest candidate standing on his stage.”
Mr. Bloomberg, in the opening minutes of the debate, said Mr. Sanders was pushing an extreme agenda and “that’s why Russia is helping you get elected.” Last Friday, intelligence officials briefed the Sanders campaign that Russians were attempting to help his campaign.
Mr. Sanders responded: “President Putin: If I’m president of the United States, trust me, you’re not going to interfere in any more elections.”
The debate marked the debut of billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, who has focused spending in South Carolina for months, lifting him to top three in the polls behind Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders.
Mr. Steyer said he believes in a “vibrant private sector” and criticized Mr. Sanders’ plans for a “government takeover.”
“Unchecked capitalism has failed,” he said. “But the answer is not for the government to take over the private sector. The answer is to break the corporate stranglehold on government.”
After the two-hour debate, the candidates will have short rest before hitting the trail. All the candidates except Mr. Bloomberg are scheduled to speak to ministers a Baptist church in North Charleston at 8:30 a.m.