Live coverage: Fourth Democratic presidential candidate debate

Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential debate debate brings an even dozen candidates to the stage with the return of Tulsi Gabbard, who failed to qualify for the previous debate, and the addition of you’ve-surely-seen-the-ads Tom Steyer. With even more candidates on stage, that means even less time to provide serious answers to serious questions and, unfortunately, means that some of the candidates who barely climbed over the 1% requirement could try to create “breakout moments” by attacking the front-runners. Just consider it all good practice for 2020.

This debate is being broadcast on CNN. It will also stream at the webpages for CNN and The New York Times, which is the co-host for this debate.

The debate will last three hours, so if you’re planning for popcorn and snacks, stock up appropriately. There will be only three commercial breaks spread across those three hours.  Some of the usual starting events, including the national anthem, will happen before the broadcast begins, in part to save some time for those extra candidates, so expect them to hit the ground running. There will be no opening or closing statements.

Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019 · 12:00:31 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Good evening, folks. The candidates are on stage, the preliminaries are over, and things are just about to begin.

Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019 · 12:02:09 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Just 75 seconds to answer questions, 45 seconds for follow-ups, 15 seconds for … pointless statements that will never be finished in time.

Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019 · 12:04:59 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Warren collects the first question — why impeach Trump when there’s only a year left on his term. Warren replies that some things are bigger than politics, cites the Mueller report, Warren digs in on the idea that because impeachment didn’t follow the Mueller report, Trump felt free to break the law again and again.

Sanders asked to follow-up, says Trump “the most corrupt president in the history of the country.” Cites the Ukraine basics and challenges Mitch McConnell to “do the right thing” and allow a free and fair trial in the Senate.

Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019 · 12:07:27 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden gets to answer on the impeachment question, follows Warren in citing the Mueller report as the point when the impeachment should have begun. Goes to Trump’s refusal to cooperate, saying that makes it an imperative to “move.”

Harris gets asked if she’s being “fair” to Trump in saying he deserves to be removed. Says Trump has been selling out the nation, and “our democracy.” Says “The reality of this is I don’t think this impeachment is going to take very long, because as a prosecutor I know a confession when I see it.” Good line.

from Daily Kos https://ift.tt/2OQ29PZ