In their first round meeting, Senator Kamala Harris slammed former Vice President Joe Biden.
On Wednesday night, both the senator and the ex-veep came under fire from their rivals on the panel, including Senator Cory Booker and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, as well as Senator Michael Bennet, former U.S. Housing Secretary Julián Castro, Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
With the criteria to qualify for the next round much stricter, some of the lesser-known candidates took the opportunity to get their final shots in.
While Biden and Harris held their own; Booker appeared to gain the most momentum by taking Biden to task over the large number of immigrants deported during the Obama administration. When Biden waffled on whether he agreed with Obama’s policy, Booker said, “You invoke Obama more than anyone in this campaign. You can’t do it when it’s convenient and then avoid it when it’s not.”
Biden tried to hit back at Booker by slamming him for the problems with the Newark police department while he was mayor, Booker quipped, “You’re dipping into the Kool-aid and you don’t even know the flavor.”
Harris also took hits over her criminal justice record as attorney general of California from Gabbard, who pointed out some of her positions that go against Democratic ideas. Yet Harris wouldn’t back down, calling the attack a “fancy opinion on a stage.”
Along with the candidates, hecklers were also heard during the opening statements by Booker and De Blasio. They yelled out, “Fire Pantaleo!” in reference to the New York City Police Officer who killed Eric Garner with a prohibited chokehold. (Los Angeles Times)
Hot Takes:
- Biden did better this time around, but he doesn’t seem sharp enough to match wits with Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders or even Donald Trump.
- Lesser known candidates Bennet, Inslee, Gillibrand and Yang made some good points, but their days as serious candidates are numbered.
- Biden goofed at the end when he seemingly mixed up a text donation number with a website address.