New Yorkers still haven’t quite adjusted to the concept of a New York primary race that actually matters, but here we are. 2016 is an unusual and highly memorable election year. And tonight, we’re in New York–Brooklyn, New York–for the CNN Democratic presidential debate.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer will moderate tonight’s matchup between Hillary Clinton (who represented New York in the U.S. Senate, and has her campaign headquarters in Brooklyn) and Bernie Sanders (who’s originally from Brooklyn).
Clinton, by the way, has apparently decided not to attend an announced town hall Friday morning on Good Morning America, citing a scheduling issue.
Across the river, The New York Times reports hundreds of people gathered outside the Grand Hyatt New York, to protest an appearance tonight by Donald Trump. “About 20 protesters chanted fiercely–“Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Racist Trump has got to go!”
This Donald Trump protest happening in New York is crazy. Watch now on Facebook Live: https://t.co/Ee1tCZvveC pic.twitter.com/8guWtunkRl
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) April 14, 2016
9:05 p.m. ET: Is Clinton Qualified? Sanders is asked about a remark he made suggesting that Secretary Clinton was not qualified to be president. Clinton says “I’ve been called a lot of things, but that was a first.”
The question of qualifications quickly shifts to judgment:
.@BernieSanders: I question @HillaryClinton's judgment pic.twitter.com/r8kPK02Vcv
— POLITICO (@politico) April 15, 2016
9:15 p.m. ET: DAN-a, Not DAY-na A bit of housekeeping on how to pronounce Dana Bash‘s name:
Dan-a not Day-na, Secretary Clinton! #CNNDebate
— Jeanne Meserve (@JeanneMeserve) April 15, 2016
Bash, by the way, is getting kudos for trying to hold Secretary Clinton to the question she asked:
On fire >>https://t.co/BSNCwaSTcf
— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) April 15, 2016
.@DanaBashCNN FTW
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) April 15, 2016
Good for Dana Bash for pressing Sanders and Clinton to answer the questions being asked. #DemDebate
— Jason Leopold (@JasonLeopold) April 15, 2016
9:40 p.m. ET: SHOUTING There have been some very feisty exchanges so far, many of them looking a bit like this, and forcing Wolf Blitzer at one point to lecture the candidates that if they keep shouting over each other, the viewers won’t be able to hear what they are saying.
When .@HillaryClinton & .@BernieSanders talk over each other, both fail to communicate #DEMDEBATE #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/wXy3yo00T8
— Communication Center (@TheCommCtr) April 15, 2016
9:50 p.m. ET: Break It’s a break, and we’re told the reporters assembled in the press filing center are spared hearing the commercials–audio on the television monitors is muted until the debate resumes.
9:55 p.m. ET: Halfway We’re back from the first commercial break, and pundits are making their best guesses as to what–if anything–may have changed after the first hour of this debate. Has anyone landed a knockout punch? Will anything change the results in New York?
During break, corner men were working on debaters, binding up cuts and toweling them off. And another half to come! Whoa. #DemDebate
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) April 15, 2016
10:05 p.m. ET: Twitter Talk The talk on Twitter is close, with Clinton leading:
Share of #DemDebate Twitter conversation so far:
–@HillaryClinton 55%
–@BernieSanders 45% pic.twitter.com/MB2rEKIEBU— Twitter Government (@gov) April 15, 2016
10:29 p.m. ET: Second Break
There are 35 minutes more of this pic.twitter.com/vvZpMef22O
— Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) April 15, 2016
Clinton gets applause when she says in eight debates "we have not had one question about a woman’s right to make her own decision."
— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) April 15, 2016
CNN has the oddest style. They don’t listen to what the candidates say. They just plow through their pre-chosen Qs.
— Jason Fagone (@jfagone) April 15, 2016
11:03 p.m. ET: Closing Statements Yep, we’re going over. And now, for two minutes each, the candidates will once again mention their deep ties to New York.
11:08 p.m. ET: The Debate Has Ended. Go In Peace.