The Democratic presidential candidates delivered a barrage of criticism against their party’s emerging front-runner, Senator Bernie Sanders, at a debate on Tuesday night, casting him as a divisive figure with unrealistic ideas, even as they continued to batter the billionaire centrist Michael Bloomberg for his extreme wealth, his record on policing and his alleged behavior toward women. (NYT)
Sanders had to defend his record on guns, his words about authoritarian countries around the world, and how he would pay for his plans, while Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bloomberg and others—even including Elizabeth Warren, his longtime ideological ally—tried to knock the frontrunner down a peg. (Politico)
Warren attacked Bloomberg over an accusation from a former employee who claimed Bloomberg quipped “kill it” when she was discussing being pregnant. Bloomberg flatly denied ever saying any such thing. “I’m sorry if she heard what she thought she heard,” he said. (CNBC)
Meanwhile, the pervading sentiment on Twitter was that CBS News had a rough night. The candidates constantly spoke over each other and complained, while the moderators struggled to keep the peace. The debate ended in an incredibly odd fashion. Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell appeared as though they were trying to end the debate before they realized they had one more segment. (TVNewser)