Democrats kiddie debate
The first lie of the debate came when Hillary said she’s glad to be here.
When she said she had a strategy to deal with ISIS, my friend’s 8 year old child yelled, “What’s your strategy? Come on, be more specific!”
The debate started with the controversy over a Bernie Sanders staffer stealing information about Hillary Clinton’s voter rolls.
Sanders talked about it and apologized to Hillary Clinton and his own supporters.
Hillary said we should move on but did not accept the apology.
O’Malley said we should talk about the issues.
How do we know there are not more homegrown terrorists in America?
Hillary offered a 3-pronged plan that was light on specifics.
Sanders was against the unilateral Iraq war that was not unilateral.
The candidates were shown polls saying the public does not want gun control.
Hillary insisted that guns do not make Americans safer. We should create much deeper and closer relations.
O’Malley would ban assault weapons even though they are already illegal. O’Malley called the other two candidates flip-floppers on guns.
Sanders passionately defended his record. Hillary wants to go after the gun manufacturers.
The candidates were asked if Trump supporters are wrong on wanting restrictions on Muslim immigrants. She is willing to bash Trump but not his supporters.
Hillary: Trump is becoming “ISIS’s best recruiter.”
Is profiling ever acceptable?
Sanders believes if we see something, we should say something. He refused to answer the question and rambled about income inequality.
Hillary claimed she would not force tech CEOs to give the government their encryption keys. O’Malley said we should never give up our privacy. We should have a collaborative approach.
The candidates were asked why they would take in Syrian refugees when the public does not want that since we can’t vette them.
Hillary does not think a halt is necessary. We need a vetting process, which takes 18-24 months.
The discussion turned to ISIS.
Sanders was asked why he supported Afghanistan intervention but not fighting ISIS. He imitated Ron Paul.
What is his plan B if his plan does not work? He will make it work. They should spend money on ISIS rather than the World Cup.
Is saying we are not putting ground troops against ISIS a way of trying to fool Americans?
Hillary said it was not. She said ISIS wants US ground troops. Hillary is an expert at building coalitions.
Is Hillary prepared for a bigger war?
Hillary says that is a false choice. An air war is good enough. Coalitions. Diplomacy.
O’Malley: Invest in intelligence and sustainable development.
Would you shoot down a Syrian or Russian plane?
Hillary: It would not come down to that.
Sanders: Hillary too into regime change without understanding consequences.
Hillary: Sanders voted for regime change in Libya.
Should we deal with ISIS or Assad first?
Hillary says both at the same time, Sanders says ISIS first. Hillary stole a line about arson from Ted Cruz.
Sanders says we get through Assad, hopefully through Democratic elections.
O’Malley: Leave Cold War behind us. We should not say “Assad must go.”
Hillary: ISIS is because of Assad. USA must lead.
Sanders: USA cannot successfully fight ISIS and Assad. ISIS first.
Economic plan: Raise min wage.
Should corporate America love Hillary? “Everybody should.”
Sanders said corporate America will not like him.
O’Malley attacked Hillary for invoking 9/11 to justify her cozy relationship with Wall Street.
Hillary said that O’Malley went to Wall St when he headed DGA.
Sanders fought Alan Greenspan and Bill Clinton and invoked Teddy Roosevelt. “Wall Street is a threat to the economy.”
What’s broken in Obamacare that needs to be fixed?
Hillary: Build on successes, fix glitches. Tax credits. Medicare should negotiate for lower prices. More regulation of insurance companies. Start-up challenges.
Sanders: Step forward. Be like France. Drug companies bribing US Congress. Single Payer.
Isn’t free college just shifting costs to taxpayers?
Sanders: Too much spent on expensive dorms and fancy football stadiums. VPs earning big salaries. Radical changes needed.
O’Malley: Block grants to states.
Hillary: New College Compact: No new middle class tax raises. No new taxes on anyone making under 250k.
O’Malley will not promise not to raise taxes. He balanced budgets, but his state requires that. He said that he asked the rich to may more. He did not ask.
BLM came next.
Hillary: “Systemic racism.”
O’Malley: He brought people together. He freed criminals.
Sanders: “Institutional racism.”
How do we reduce heroin deaths?
Hillary and Sanders: Crack down on pharmaceutical companies prescribing opiates.
Hillary was asked about 2011 Libya intervention. How much responsibility does she bear?
She did due diligence. “Libya had a full free election that elected moderates.” The Muslim Brotherhood are not moderates. She cited a non-existent fragile agreement as Libyans work together.
“This is not easy work. We did a lot to help.”
She was again asked what responsibility she beared. She said she got Libya to turn in their chemical weapons. Wrong. W did that.
We’re mistakes made?
She could not say she made them.
O’Malley: “We let our lust for regime toppling get ahead of the practical considerations of stability in the region.”
Is it time to change the role of a president’s spouse?
Sanders praised Hillary’s time as Secretary of State.
Closing Statements:
Sanders: Political revolution.
O’Malley: GOP offers anger and fear. we built our country with wages and labor and immigration reform. Invest in everything.
Hillary: “If Heaven forbid, that next president is a Republican…” Social Security, which Republicans call a Ponzi scheme, may be privatized. May the force be with you.
This concludes the ABC Children’s Debate that was deliberately held on a Saturday night so nobody would watch. The Jets beat the Cowboys, the Maple Leafs beat the Kings, and everyone else went out to watch Star Wars rather than this political nonsense. For those wanting an adult discussion, the Republicans will have another debate in January.
eric