Democratic debates: Ten candidates clash in second presidential TV debate

Debate stage in Detroit — Image caption The national anthem was played before the debate

Ten Democratic presidential hopefuls have taken the stage again for the second TV debate of the race to win the White House in 2020.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, the most liberal candidates in the crowded field, will debate each other for the first time in Michigan.

The group of candidates will field questions on race, immigration, healthcare and more.

Ten more Democrats, including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, will spar tomorrow.

Millions of voters are expected to tune in for America’s biggest political debates in years.

As of a Tuesday poll by Politico/Morning Consult, a third of Americans planning to vote in the Democratic primaries said they were “very motivated” to watch the second round of debates; nearly 40% said they were “somewhat motivated”.

The winner of the Democratic presidential nomination will be crowned next July at the party convention. The presidential election will take place months later, in November.

Several candidates began their opening statements by criticising progressive policies as being impossible and not the way for the party to defeat President Trump.

John Delaney, a former Maryland congressman, said: “We cannot go down the road that Senator Sanders and Senator Warren want to take us with bad policies like Medicare for All, free everything and impossible promises that will turn off independent voters.”

During her opening statement, Ms Warren said “anyone on this stage tonight or tomorrow night would be a far better president” and promised to work to “beat Donald Trump and elect a Democratic Congress” regardless of who wins the nomination.

But she added, “small ideas and spinelessness” would not solve America’s problems.

Mr Sanders focused much of his opening statement on his big issue of healthcare, saying “healthcare is a human right, not a privilege, and I will fight for that”.

Who’s on stage?

The line-up for both debates was chosen at random by CNN.

Here’s Tuesday’s line-up:

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders
South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar
Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan
Former Maryland Congressman John Delaney
Montana Governor Steve Bullock
Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
Author Marianne Williamson

On Wednesday night, Former Vice-President Joe Biden, California Senator Kamala Harris, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Former tech executive Andrew Yang will have their chance.

How did they clash over healthcare?

The first question posed to the candidates was: Do you believe Medicare for All, Mr Sanders’ plan for a single-payer health system, is “political suicide”?

Mr Delaney said many Americans are happy with their private insurance through employers and should be allowed to keep that coverage, saying that giving people the choice is “the American way”.

Mr Sanders responded by saying millions are uninsured and underinsured while the industry makes billions in profits.

Can Bernie Sanders overhaul US healthcare?

Ms Warren sought to refocus the matter slightly, saying that no Democrat is “trying to take away healthcare from anyone”.

“That’s what the Republicans are trying to do. And we should stop using Republican talking points in order to talk with each other.”

The candidates sparred over Medicare for All versus expanding on President Barack Obama’s signature policy, the Affordable Care Act, which extended health insurance coverage.

Mr Ryan and Mr Delaney were among those who attacked Mr Sanders’ plan, saying it would negatively impact working-class Americans by taking away their employer-sponsored benefits.

And what did they say about immigration?

The candidates were then asked for their views on decriminalising illegal border crossings.

Mr Buttigieg said these crossings would still be illegal if he won the presidency, but that most cases would be handled under civil law.

Mr O’Rourke, who is from the Texas border region, said he would waive citizenship fees, fix deportation laws, and assist countries in Central America so that no family has to trek to the US border, but that when people do arrive, they should follow US laws.

Ms Warren and Mr Sanders both emphasised that families arriving at the border should not be criminalised.

“I’ve seen the mothers, I’ve seen the cages of babies,” Ms Warren said. “We must be a country that every day lives our values and that means we cannot make it a crime when someone comes in.”

Mr Ryan said Mr Sanders’ proposals would only incentivise people to enter the country illegally.