Who won Saturday night's Democratic debate?
Just three candidates took the stage for Saturday night's聽third Democratic presidential debate, in what many saw as a critical moment for the contenders before their first state contests in Iowa and New Hampshire begin.
In the event hosted by ABC News,聽frontrunner Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former Gov. Martin O鈥橫alley sparred on domestic policy, national security, and the Sanders campaign's improper access of Clinton鈥檚 voter data.
Many were anticipating Sanders鈥檚 response to the data breach of Clinton鈥檚 campaign, which Clinton鈥檚 staffers called an 鈥渆gregious breach of data and ethics.鈥� The subject, however, passed almost as quickly as it started.聽
鈥淵es, I apologize,鈥� Sanders said when asked whether he owed Clinton an apology. 鈥淣ot only do I apologize, I want to apologize to my supporters. This is not the kind of campaign that we run.鈥�
But the main focus on the debate 鈥� for Hillary Clinton 鈥� was the Republican Party, especially Donald Trump.聽
"It's very clear that we have a distinct difference between those of us on this stage tonight and all of our Republican counterparts," Clinton said. "From my perspective, we have to prevent the Republicans from rolling back the progress that we've made."
Clinton was quick to jump on Trump鈥檚 anti-Muslim backlash, and strongly condemned any Islamophobic rhetoric.
鈥淚 worry greatly that the rhetoric coming from Republicans, particularly Donald Trump, is sending a message to Muslims here in the United States, and literally around the world, that there is a clash of civilizations,鈥� Ms. Clinton said. 鈥淭hat there is some kind of Western plot or even war against Islam, which then, I believe, fans the flames of radicalization.鈥�
For Sanders, Clinton鈥檚 main competitor, little has changed from his previous stance on what he calls 鈥溾�� and the nation鈥檚 鈥渞igged economy.鈥�
But as Patrick Healy wrote for The New York Times, Sanders's message, now appears聽"."
Americans are more anxious about terrorism than income inequality. They want the government to target the Islamic State more than Wall Street executives and health insurers. All of this plays to Mrs. Clinton鈥檚 strengths 鈥� not only as a hawkish former secretary of state but also as a savvy politician who follows the public mood. After months of pivoting to the left on domestic issues to compete with Mr. Sanders for her party鈥檚 base, she is now talking about security and safety far more than Mr. Sanders 鈥� and solidifying her lead in opinion polls.
The topic of security and ISIS, which was the main focus on the most recent G.O.P debate following the San Bernardino shooting and Paris attacks, came as less of a priority in this debate, which largely discussed income inequality and domestic policy.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 running for president because I鈥檓 going to create an economy that works for working families, not just a handful of billionaires,鈥� Sanders said.聽
Clinton, who has been accused of being more open to Wall Street vote, defended herself, insisting that she wants to speak for all Americans. 鈥淚 have said that I want to be the president for 鈥� she said.
Martin O鈥橫alley, who has fallen far behind Sanders and Clinton in public opinion polls and fundraising, strove to stand out, blaming Clinton and Sanders for failing to push for more restrictive gun control measures.
鈥淚SIL training videos are telling lone wolves the easiest way to buy a combat assault weapon in America is at a gun show, and it鈥檚 because of the flip-flopping political approach of Washington that both of my ,鈥� O鈥橫alley said.聽
The next Democratic debate is scheduled for January 17th in South Carolina.
