Coverage of the CNN Democratic debate night 1 | CNN Politics

CNN Democratic debate night 1

Veronica Rocha Meg Wagner Amanda Wills
By Veronica Rocha, Meg Wagner and Amanda Wills, CNN
Updated 9:42 PM EDT, Wed July 31, 2019
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What we covered here

  • CNN hosted the first of two nights of presidential primary debate in Detroit.
  • On stage tonight: Steve Bullock, Pete Buttigieg, John Delaney, John Hickenlooper, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Tim Ryan, Marianne Williamson, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
  • Tomorrow night: Cory Booker, Julián Castro, Kirsten Gillibrand, Michael Bennet, Andrew Yang, Bill de Blasio, Tulsi Gabbard, Jay Inslee, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Follow live updates on that debate here.
  • About their platforms: Here’s where the candidates stand on key issues.

Updates

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Who won — and lost — tonight's debate

Analysis from CNN's Chris Cillizza

Ten Democrats took the stage tonight in Detroit for the first night of CNN’s debate.

Here’s a look at some of the candidates who performed the best:

  • Bernie Sanders: The Vermont senator clearly got the message that he wasn’t lively or active enough in the first debate of the cycle. He came out feisty — and stayed that way.
  • Steve Bullock: The Montana governor, to his immense credit, understood that this debate was his one big chance to make an impression with voters. Bullock went for it — from his opening statement on.
  • Pete Buttigieg: As in the first debate, the South Bend, Indiana mayor played it (relatively) safe. But unlike the first debate, there was a clear message: I am young, yes, but the older people on stage with me haven’t fixed any of these problems, so it’s time for something different.
  • John Delaney: Before this debate, no one knew who Delaney was or what he believed. If you watched this debate, both of those questions were answered. 
  • Elizabeth Warren: Her retort to Delaney was the line of the night — and encapsulates for a lot of Democrats why it’s so important to nominate someone who is willing to take on big fights, unapologetically. 

And here are a few of the Democrats who didn’t fare as well:

  • Beto O’Rourke: While he was mildly more energetic than in the first debate, there were large swaths of the debate where he simply disappeared from the conversation.
  • Amy Klobuchar: She seems to be treading water in search of a moment or a surge. She didn’t get one tonight. And candidly, she didn’t really come close.

Tim Ryan did a lot of breathing before tonight's debate
Rep. Tim Ryan talks to a young reporter in the spin room.
Rep. Tim Ryan talks to a young reporter in the spin room.
CNN

Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, a self-proclaimed yogi, said he did “a lot of breathing today” before the debate.

The congressman needed it tonight for the more than two-hour debate.

The Democratic presidential candidate, speaking from the spin room in Detroit, said he wished he had talked more about K-12 education.

“This is the second debate … and we have not talked about K-12 education when we have a crisis going on with our kids,” he said.

Ryan said he tried to touch on the issue in his closing remarks but “we gotta be talking about K-12.”

Marianne Williamson on her performance: "I don't know. I am inside my head."
CNN

Spiritual author Marianne Williamson said she doesn’t really have a feeling about her performance this time around.

Asked how she thought she performed tonight, the presidential hopeful said, “I don’t know. I am inside my head. I haven’t watched the tape.”

Williamson said she plans on watching her performance tomorrow.

Beto O'Rourke says Flint will make a comeback if we "invest in them"

Beto O’Rourke, speaking to reporters after the debate, said the state’s city of Flint will one day be the center of “innovation and enguiniety” again.

Flint’s economy has been suffering for decades. The city’s problems were put on the map with Michael Moore’s 1989 documentary “Roger & Me.” The Flint water crisis began in 2014 — and trash bags still cover the water fountains in parts of the city.

He continued: “We gotta invest in their ability to have a world-class public school, their ability to attend higher education, and their ability to have access to capital for those entrepreneurs to come up with the next great ideas, especially in communities of color.”

Marianne Williamson's most quotable lines from tonight
Mark Peterson/Redux for CNN

She only spoke for a little under nine minutes tonight, but Marianne Williamson was at her most quotable.

Here are a few of her lines:

On stimulating the economy:

On crafting a message:

On reparations:

On inequality:

On why you should vote for her:

Watch more:

This is where the candidates go after the debate stage

It’s called the “spin room,” and it’s set up in a tent near the Fox Theater here in Detroit tonight.

The candidates file into this area, walk down a red carpet and speak with reporters about their debate performance.

Here’s what it looks like to be there right now:

Here's our final tally of who talked the most in tonight's debate

Elizabeth Warren took the top spot when it came to talk time tonight, speaking for more than 18 minutes.

But Bernie Sanders wasn’t far behind, at just over 17 minutes.

Here’s how the rest of it breaks down:

Why are you running for president? Here's what these 10 candidates said
Gabriella Demczuk for CNN

The first night of the Democratic debates in Detroit have just wrapped.

Ten Democratic presidential hopefuls ended the night by making their final pitches to voters.

Steve Bullock:

Pete Buttigieg:

John Delaney:

John Hickenlooper:

Amy Klobuchar:

Beto O’Rourke:

Tim Ryan:

Marianne Williamson:

Bernie Sanders:

Elizabeth Warren:

Watch the moment:

Fact check: Buttigieg on Republican support for background checks

From CNN's Kay Guerrero
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Pete Buttigieg said that 80 to 90 percent of Republicans want “universal background checks.” 

Facts First: True, according to a major pollster.  

According to a March Quinnipiac University poll, universal background checks have 89 percent support among Republicans. That’s the same percentage as a January poll from the same organization.  

Overall, support for universal background checks has ranged from 88 to 97 percent since February 2013, according to Quinnipiac polling.  

Buttigieg vows to withdraw troops from Afghanistan if elected
Gabriella Demczuk for CNN

Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, vowed to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in his first year of office.

Buttigieg went on to describe his own experience as a service member in Afghanistan. He served for six years as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserves, including a six-month deployment to Afghanistan.

He said:

He then proposed a three-year sunset clause for any authorization of military use.

Watch the moment:

Should voters consider age? Here's what the youngest and oldest candidates say.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg, 37, is the youngest candidate running for president. He’s 40 years younger than the oldest candidate, Bernie Sanders.

Buttigieg was just asked “Should voters take into consideration age when choosing a presidential candidate?”

Buttigieg mentioned New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and said, “I do think it matters that we have a new generation of leaders stepping up around the world.”

“We can have great presidents at any age,” he added.

Sanders, 77, agreed with the mayor.

Here's who has talked the most (so far)

We’re in the final stretch of tonight’s debate, and Sen. Bernie Sanders has had the most talking time of the night, with more than 15 minutes. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is just shy of 15 minutes, as of 10:15 p.m. ET.

Here’s a look at the 10 candidates who talked the most so far:

Marianne Williamson: Up to $500 billion in reparations is "a debt that is owed"

From CNN's Fredreka Schouten and Veronica Rocha
Gabriella Demczuk for CNN

Author Marianne Williamson earned applause and cheers when she mounted a defense of her plan to offer $200 billion to $500 billion in reparations to the descendants of enslaved Africans in this country – one of several instances of the spiritual teacher drawing audience support tonight.

“We need to recognize when it comes to the economic gap between black and whites in America, it does come from a great injustice that has never been dealt with,” said Williamson, the only candidate on the stage to offer a specific financial proposal on reparations.

The other candidates support a bill to study the issue.

Asked why she was qualified to determine the amount of financial assistance, Williamson said she did the math. Had freed slaves been granted a promised 40 acres and a mule after the Civil War, that would be worth “trillions” to their descendants today, she said.

She called $200 billion to $500 billion “politically feasible.”

“Many Americans realize,” she said, “there is an injustice that continues to form a toxicity underneath the surface.”

She said the money is not financial assistance — it’s “a debt that is owed.”

Watch the moment:

The candidates are talking about trade deals. Here are the details on NAFTA.

From CNN's Katie Lobosco

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, in discussing trade, slammed trade deals like “the new NAFTA 2.0.”

Here’s what you need to know about NAFTA: The North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect in 1994, eliminating most tariffs on goods traded between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The deal was sold as a way to make it easier for American farmers and businesses to sell their produce and goods across the northern and southern borders. But union groups and other critics say it ended up destroying more jobs than it created. Economists have reached different conclusions about the impact, but a Congressional Research Service report published in 2017 said the net overall effect on the US economy has been “relatively modest.”

But NAFTA was politically controversial from the start and ultimately won more votes from Republicans than Democrats. Joe Biden, then still a senator for Delaware, voted for the deal, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, then a congressman, voted against it.

NAFTA remains a political punching bag: It is blamed for destroying US jobs and hurting American manufacturing. President Trump has called it “the worst trade deal ever” and spearheaded a new deal between the three countries, known as the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. 

More about USMCA — or, as Warren called it, “NAFTA 2.0”: The agreement adds a brand-new chapter on digital trade. The new agreement would also change the way cars and trucks are manufactured, requiring more of a vehicle’s parts to be made in the United States and by workers earning at least $16 an hour in order to remain free from tariffs. Democratic critics say the USMCA doesn’t do enough to protect workers’ rights or set higher environmental standards. Meanwhile, staunch free-traders argue the car manufacturing requirements are too restrictive. 

The deal needs to be approved by Congress before going into effect, but some Democrats have said they want to see some changes, particularly to labor standards, to before voting in favor of adoption.

Here's what you need to know about the Trans-Pacific Partnership

From CNN's Katie Lobosco

John Delaney just said he’s the only Democrat running who supports Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama. 

Here’s what you need to know about the deal: The Trans-Pacific Partnership, known as TPP, was negotiated under the Obama administration. It would have eliminated trade barriers between the United States and 11 other countries, including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, as well as some South American countries like Peru and Chile – with the goal of creating an alliance to counter Chinese economic influence. 

It has critics: The agreement drew criticism from some Democrats, including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who argued it was written behind closed doors with input from corporations and could end up forcing American workers to compete with low-wage labor around the world.

President Trump isn’t a fan either: He repeatedly said during his election campaign that it would send American jobs overseas, and as one of his first acts as President, he withdrew the United States from the agreement. The 11 other countries went ahead with the deal, now called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. It went into effect in January 2019.  

Instead, Trump has decided to take on China alone: He’s imposed tariffs on more than $250 billion of Chinese goods while his administration negotiates with Beijing, attempting to reach a comprehensive trade agreement that would address what it says are unfair trade practices by the Chinese.

Watch the moment:

Buttigieg: "As an urban mayor serving a diverse community, the racial divide lives within me"
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Mayor Pete Buttigieg has been criticized for his handling of racial issues in his home city of South Bend.

Buttigieg was asked tonight how he would convince African Americans that he should be the Democratic nominee.

Here’s how he responded:

Watch the moment:

No breakout moments yet for the candidates who need them most

From CNN's Gregory Krieg
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

At least half the debate stage walked into the Fox Theatre tonight bordering on desperate for a breakout showing.

But with time running down, it doesn’t seem like any of them have struck a resounding chord.

The moderate gang of former congressman John Delaney, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper and Rep. Tim Ryan clearly made a bet that they would make their mark by attacking Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. They’ve succeeded in stirring up a few hot exchanges, but they’ve almost blended into one voice – making the same arguments and, more often than not, failing to land a memorable blow. If anything, they’ve handed the progressives a platform to make their case against some familiar criticism in real time.

And then there’s former congressman Beto O’Rourke. He’s been more assertive than he was during the first round of debates in Miami, but once again, the Texan has drifted in and out of an often hot debate.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar has made her points, but like O’Rourke, she has not conjured a moment that people will be talking about tomorrow. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, too, has performed as expected: mostly arguing that his political success in Montana shows he can win in GOP territory. But he also has spent much of the night on the periphery.

Fact check: Warren says US law allows for family separations. She's right.

From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the current US law allows the President to separate migrant children from their parents at the border. 

Facts first: This is true. 

Last year, the Trump administration implemented its controversial “zero tolerance” policy, using a section of US law to criminally prosecute all adults at the southern border, therefore leading to the separation of thousands of families, given that children can’t be held in federal jail with adults. The policy — and the section of the code at the center of it — have become a flashpoint in the immigration debate. 

Democratic candidates remain divided over the law, referred to as Section 1325, with some wanting to instead make crossing the border illegally a civil offense, instead of a criminal offense. Warren is in favor of decriminalizing border crossings. 

“So the problem is that right now the criminalization statute is what gives Donald Trump the ability to take children away from their parents. It’s what gives him the ability to lock up people at our borders. We need to continue to have border security and we can do that, but what we can’t do is not live our values,” Warren said.

Marianne Williamson: The Flint water crisis is "part of the dark underbelly of American society"
Paul Sancya/AP

Democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson described why she thinks the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, hasn’t been properly addressed yet.

She said it’s all about racism and bigotry:

She continued: “We need to say it like it is, it’s bigger than Flint. It’s all over this country. It’s particularly people of color. It’s particularly people who do not have the money to fight back, and if the Democrats don’t start saying it, why would those people feel they’re there for us, and if those people don’t feel it, they won’t vote for us and Donald Trump will win.”

Watch the moment:

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