ISIS and national security have dominated last night’s presidential debate with Democratic candidates in Iowa.
The Democratic presidential hopefuls have clashed over how to deal with the militant group, in the wake of deadly terror attacks in Paris.
Hillary Clinton said “it cannot be an American fight” and called on Turkey and the Gulf states to do more.
However, rival Martin O’Malley disagreed and said the US had to “stand up to evil” and lead from the front.
The attacks killed 129 people and injured hundreds in the French capital.
Hours after the near-simultaneous attacks on November 13, CBS News vowed to shift the focus of the debate to put more emphasis on counter-terrorism and foreign policy.
A moment’s silence was observed in Des Moines before the debate began, and the three candidates expressed their condolences to the French people.
Then they clashed over the rise of ISIS, which has claimed responsibility for the atrocities.
Photo CBS
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton was challenged by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for backing the Iraq War, which he says led to the rise of the militants.
She disagreed, saying US foreign policy did not have the “bulk of responsibility” for the instability in the region, pointing instead to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iraq’s former leader, Nouri al-Malaki.
ISIS cannot be contained, it must be defeated, Hillary Clinton said, but she and the other candidates did not spell out how far they would go.
The US has been part of a coalition of countries taking part in air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, but some of the Republican presidential candidates have called for the deployment of US ground forces.
In other debate highlights, Martin O’Malley attacked “immigrant bashing” Republican Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall on Mexico border. Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley repeated calls on US to accept 65,000 Syrian refugees. Hillary Clinton backed a minimum wage of $12/hour, but Bernie Sanders wants $15/hour. Bernie Sanders criticized Hillary Clinton for taking campaign donations from Wall Street to which she replied that she supported New York City’s financial sector to help it recover from the 9/11 attacks. Bernie Sanders said he will make public college tuition free, paid for by raising taxes.
This primetime showdown was the party’s second debate of the election campaign, two fewer than the Republicans, who have a much wider field.
In 79 days, Iowa will be the first state to pick a presidential candidate from each party.
Voters across the US will go to the polls finally in November 2016 to choose the new occupant of the White House.
Hillary Clinton has clashed with her main rival Bernie Sanders over gun control at the first Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas.
When asked if the Vermont senator was strong on gun control, Hillary Clinton said “no, not at all” before vowing to go after the makers of guns used in shootings.
Bernie Sanders also attacked Hillary Clinton, saying her support for a no-fly zone in Syria would create “serious problems”.
His rallies have drawn big crowds and he has challenged Hillary Clinton’s frontrunner status in some key states.
A lot of the key exchanges came between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and the three other candidates on stage in Las Vegas – former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee – struggled to make headway.
One of the sharpest points of difference between the two main candidates came over gun control.
Photo EPA
The hugely divisive issue came back on the agenda after a mass shooting at a college campus in Oregon.
When Hillary Clinton said Bernie Sanders was not tough enough, she was referring to him voting in 2005 for a measure to give gun manufacturers immunity from lawsuits.
The two also argued over the merits of capitalism, with the former first lady saying it would be a “grave mistake” for the nation to reject it.
Vice-President Joe Biden is still considering a run for the White House and did not make a last-minute entry on to the stage, as his supporters hoped.
Hillary Clinton has seen her support wane amid questions about her use of a private email account when she served as secretary of state, a move she now calls a mistake.
However, she was unfazed during the debate when Lincoln Chafee questioned her credibility over it, refusing to respond when invited.
The candidates tried to draw a distinction with the two Republican debates, where candidates took a tougher stance on immigration and spent more time discussing social issues like abortion and gay marriage.
Martin O’Malley used his 90-second closing speech to say the Republican debates were lessons in intolerance.
Republican candidate Jeb Bush said he saw nothing on the Las Vegas stage to impress him.
“If you think this country is on the wrong track, Hillary Clinton just told you she has no interest in changing direction. I sure will.”
Fifteen Republicans are vying to be the party’s White House nominee in 2016.
Iowa will be the first state to choose its candidate from each party in February, then other states hold primaries in the following weeks and months.
By next summer, each party will have a presidential nominee who will do battle in the race for the White House.
Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is preparing for the first Democratic presidential debate, seeking to mix her mastery of policy with a more personal touch.
Meanwhile, for chief rival Bernie Sanders, the debate is a chance to reach a broader audience after months of appealing to the party’s most liberal voters.
However, unlike recent Republican debates, today’s Democratic outing is expected to be more substance than slugfest.
Analysts expect a heavy focus on economic issues like income inequality.
The three other, mostly unknown, candidates – former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee – will be seeking a standout moment after months of languishing in the polls.
Vice-President Joe Biden, who is still considering a run for the White House, will loom large despite not actually being on stage.
The debate organizers at CNN have set aside a lectern just on the off-chance Joe Biden decides to enter the fray at the last minute. The debate is set to start at 17:30 local time.
Photo USA Today
Hillary Clinton – long seen as the presumptive front-runner – has seen her support wane amid questions about her trustworthiness.
She has been criticized for using a private email account when she served as secretary of state, a move she now calls a mistake.
Some Republicans say Hillary Clinton put classified information at risk by using the private account – a charge she denies.
On October 22, Hillary Clinton will go before a Congressional panel investigating a 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans – including the US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, died in the attack.
Critics say Hillary Clinton could have done more as secretary of state to ensure their security.
Her performance in both Tuesday’s debate and the coming hearing are being closely watched as her campaign enters a key phase.
Analysts say Hillary Clinotn needs to shake off perceptions that she is too stiff and overly political by delivering spontaneity and more personal warmth.
BernieSanders, a Vermont Senator who calls himself a democratic socialist, has drawn record crowds in recent months with his message of increased economic fairness for the working class.
He is leading in early voting states of New Hampshire and Iowa and has defied expectations, raising large amounts of money from thousands of small donors.
However, Hillary Clinton maintains a substantial lead in many Southern states like South Carolina and swing states like Nevada, where today’s debate will be held.
Bernie Sanders has resonated with the party’s affluent white voters but has yet to make inroads with African Americans and Latinos – key Democratic constituencies.
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have mostly avoided direct criticism of each other in contrast to the raucous Republican field.
However, even if the candidates themselves practice restraint, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump promises to provide live commentary on Twitter.
The Democratic debates are between all major candidates running for President in 2016.
The Democratic National Committee has announced six sanctioned debates which will begin on October 13, 2015, in Las Vegas.
The second Democratic debate will take place on November 14 in Des Moines, Iowa.
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