Hillary Clinton sharpened her attacks on insurgent rival Bernie Sanders at their final debate before the Iowa caucuses, accusing him of trying to “tear” up ObamaCare and siding with the gun lobby – as Sanders denied the claims and said he’s the candidate with the “momentum” in the race.
Reflecting the tougher tone on the campaign trail in recent days, the debate Sunday in Charleston, S.C., saw Clinton aggressively challenging the Vermont senator’s record in a bid to arrest his rise in the polls. In a throwback to the 2008 race, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state also stressed her experience and readiness for the job, as Sanders bluntly called – repeatedly – for “political revolution.”
Highlighting that divide, Clinton slammed Sanders for his universal health plan to offer “Medicare for all,” the details of which were released just hours before the debate. Clinton said she wants to improve on ObamaCare, but accused Sanders of moving to unravel the Obama administration’s signature domestic policy.
“I do not want to see the Republicans repeal it, and I don’t want to see us start over again with a contentious debate,” Clinton said. “To tear it up and start over again … I think is the wrong direction.”
Sanders fired back, calling some of Clinton’s criticism “nonsense.”
He said he wants to move to “Medicare for all” in order to provide health care “as a right” and extend insurance to the millions who still don’t have it. His plan calls for an array of tax hikes to pay for it.
As for the existing law, he said, “We’re not going to tear up the Affordable Care Act — I helped write it.”
The two top-polling rivals, as well as former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, took the stage in Charleston, S.C., for just their fourth debate of the season. The debate was hosted by NBC News.
Clinton is stepping up her attacks as she tries to ensure she starts off the 2016 primary calendar better than she did in 2008. But Sanders jabbed at Clinton early on by reminding her Sunday that he’s tightened the race in the first two contests.
“In Iowa, New Hampshire, the race is very, very close,” he said. “… We have the momentum.”
Clinton and Sanders also clashed over gun control, with Clinton accusing him of siding with the gun lobby and only recently reversing his stance on a key piece of gun legislation.
“He has voted with the NRA, with the gun lobby numerous times,” Clinton said Sunday.
Sanders over the weekend changed his position and backed legislation to reverse a law he once supported giving gun manufacturers legal immunity. Clinton said she was pleased Sanders had “reversed his position on immunity,” but said the industry has been given a “total pass” so far.
Sanders, though, accused Clinton of being “very disingenuous” on guns. The Vermont senator said he “stood up to the gun lobby” on several fronts.
Clinton, meanwhile, stressed her experience and readiness for the job of commander-in-chief at points throughout the debate.
“We need a president who can do all aspects of the job,” Clinton said. “I’m prepared and ready to take it on.”
Sanders, though, called for a “political revolution” that would “transform this country.”
The race in recent days has seen the Clinton and Sanders campaigns clashing over health care, Wall Street ties and guns, but another twist was a pre-debate spat over Sanders’ medical fitness for office.
After a recent report claimed a Clinton ally was preparing to seek the 74-year-old Vermont senator’s medical records, the Sanders campaign called the move a “personal” and unfounded attack. The Clinton camp quickly distanced itself from the reported plan – though Sanders on Sunday declared he would, pre-emptively, release his medical records anyway.
Sanders had one seemingly awkward moment at Sunday’s debate, when he didn’t properly hear a YouTube question on police shootings and asked a moderator to repeat it. He then drew applause from the audience by calling for an automatic U.S. attorney general investigation whenever someone is killed in police custody.
The candidates again clashed Sunday over Wall Street ties.
O’Malley accused Clinton of having a “cozy relationship” with Wall Street, while Sanders criticized her for getting hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees from Goldman Sachs.
Clinton, though, noted that O’Malley raised money from Wall Street as head of the Democratic Governors Association. O’Malley countered that he’s not taking that money in his current campaign.
O’Malley is only is polling at about 2 percent nationally and once again was sidelined throughout much of the debate Sunday night.
Sanders, though, has steadily risen since the start of the race, emerging as an insurgent candidate with grassroots support and challenging the front-runner’s once-presumed lock on the nomination – a situation all too familiar for the former first lady, senator and secretary of state who ran in 2008 under similar conditions.
Sanders arguably faces more questions about his electability in a general election than did Barack Obama in 2008 – and the Clinton campaign has turned up the attacks in recent weeks to challenge some of his policies, particularly on health care.
While Clinton maintains a lead nationally and in vital early-voting southern states, Sanders has been closing the gap in Iowa and currently leads in most polls in New Hampshire – which votes Feb. 9.
The Iowa caucuses are Feb. 1.
Sunday’s debate also comes as foreign policy takes center stage once again, after the Obama administration secured the release over the weekend of four Americans held in Iran in exchange for seven Iranians. A fifth American also was freed, though officials said that was unrelated to the swap – which coincides with the implementation of key terms of the Iran nuclear deal.(Fox News)
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/01/17/clinton-sharpens-tone-at-last-debate-before-iowa-sanders-claims-momentum.html?intcmp=hpbt1
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