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For the first time in this election cycle, all of the Democratic Party's top presidential candidates were able to debate one another on the same stage.

The previous two debates had so many candidates that they had to be split up over two nights. But for Thursday night's debate in Houston, many of those candidates did not meet the polling or fundraising thresholds set by the Democratic National Committee.

The debate took place at Texas Southern University.

Biden, the front-runner in national polls, was sandwiched between Sanders and Warren, his two chief progressive foes.

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Booker responds to a question during the debate. In his opening statement, the US senator from New Jersey said that "the differences amongst us Democrats on the stage are not as great as the urgency for us to unite as a party."

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Harris and Yang applaud O'Rourke for his response to the recent mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso. The former US congressman from Texas <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_40b8d07231490936196fa12d11fdee62" target="_blank">then made his case for a mandatory buyback of assault-style firearms.</a>

Harris and Yang applaud O'Rourke for his response to the recent mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso. The former US congressman from Texas then made his case for a mandatory buyback of assault-style firearms.

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Audience members watch the debate at Texas Southern University's Health and PE Center.

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Klobuchar opened the debate by <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_d9244d7f3e64285ab891d0dce3188f36" target="_blank">going after Sanders,</a> who often talks about how he "wrote the damn bill" on "Medicare for All." The US senator from Minnesota does not support the legislation. "While Bernie wrote the bill, I read the bill," Klobuchar said.

Klobuchar opened the debate by going after Sanders, who often talks about how he "wrote the damn bill" on "Medicare for All." The US senator from Minnesota does not support the legislation. "While Bernie wrote the bill, I read the bill," Klobuchar said.

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Buttigieg <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_7cb873f61e455cde236d7d9ca71151be" target="_blank">criticized President Donald Trump's trade policy on China,</a> saying the President has no strategy. "Is it just me or was that supposed to happen in like April?" Buttigieg said. "It's one more example of a commitment not made." He said Trump's inability to stick with his commitments lead to "serious consequences."

Buttigieg criticized President Donald Trump's trade policy on China, saying the President has no strategy. "Is it just me or was that supposed to happen in like April?" Buttigieg said. "It's one more example of a commitment not made." He said Trump's inability to stick with his commitments lead to "serious consequences."

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Protesters are escorted out by security after <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_71c1a6fd3eabdc569e076030b4bfb590" target="_blank">interrupting Biden's closing statement.</a> Watching on television, it was unclear what they were yelling.

Protesters are escorted out by security after interrupting Biden's closing statement. Watching on television, it was unclear what they were yelling.

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During his opening statement, Yang announced that his campaign <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_24e909f4735f564d703f3c9c559d9335" target="_blank">will raffle off 10 "Freedom Dividends,"</a> giving $1,000 a month to 10 people for a year. He said he would personally finance them as a way to illustrate how his Universal Basic Income would work. It's his signature policy proposal: a basic income that would give each adult $1,000 a month.

During his opening statement, Yang announced that his campaign will raffle off 10 "Freedom Dividends," giving $1,000 a month to 10 people for a year. He said he would personally finance them as a way to illustrate how his Universal Basic Income would work. It's his signature policy proposal: a basic income that would give each adult $1,000 a month.

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Biden listens to Warren during the debate. Warren, a US senator from Massachusetts, has been getting closer to Biden in the polls.

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Sanders speaks to Buttigieg during a break in the debate.

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Journalists work at the site of the debate.

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"I know what's broken. I know how to fix it. And I'm going to lead the fight to get it done," Warren said in her opening statement.

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Harris laughs with Yang during one of the debate's lighter moments.

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This is the third Democratic debate of the campaign season. The first two were held in Miami and Detroit.

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<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_ae8f2d4d8000d375ff47dd15bc5d89e6" target="_blank">Biden has linked himself to former President Barack Obama</a> on multiple fronts, including health care. "I think that Obamacare worked," Biden said, before attacking "Medicare for All" for being too expensive. "How are we going to pay for it? I want to hear that tonight."

Biden has linked himself to former President Barack Obama on multiple fronts, including health care. "I think that Obamacare worked," Biden said, before attacking "Medicare for All" for being too expensive. "How are we going to pay for it? I want to hear that tonight."

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Booker and Buttigieg interact during the debate.

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Buttigieg, second from left, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_2ac8f49a6a7232f5c462ab7db81dd874" target="_blank">bemoaned some of the in-party fighting</a> after a spat between Biden and Castro. "This is why presidential debates are becoming unwatchable," Buttigieg said. "This reminds everybody of what they can not stand about Washington — scoring points against each other, poking at each other." Castro interrupted him: "That's called the Democratic primary election. That's called an election."

Buttigieg, second from left, bemoaned some of the in-party fighting after a spat between Biden and Castro. "This is why presidential debates are becoming unwatchable," Buttigieg said. "This reminds everybody of what they can not stand about Washington — scoring points against each other, poking at each other." Castro interrupted him: "That's called the Democratic primary election. That's called an election."

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The audience is seated at Texas Southern University's Health and PE Center.

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Castro personalized the mass shooting in El Paso, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_9804ea236e970169694dd7cdd05e4d27" target="_blank">pointing out that the gunman targeted Latinos.</a> "A few weeks ago a shooter drove 10 hours to kill people who look like me, people who look like my family," said Castro, a Texan who was also the mayor of San Antonio. "White supremacy is a growing threat to this country, and we have to root it out."

Castro personalized the mass shooting in El Paso, pointing out that the gunman targeted Latinos. "A few weeks ago a shooter drove 10 hours to kill people who look like me, people who look like my family," said Castro, a Texan who was also the mayor of San Antonio. "White supremacy is a growing threat to this country, and we have to root it out."

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Biden listens as Sanders makes a point. Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, finished second to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries.

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<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Fdemocratic-debate-september-2019%2Fh_cc86a0703577caf5bd87fda342f43c71" target="_blank">No Democrat on the stage went as far as O'Rourke</a> in the fight to remove firearms from American streets. "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47," he said. "We're not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans any more."

No Democrat on the stage went as far as O'Rourke in the fight to remove firearms from American streets. "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47," he said. "We're not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans any more."

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