Democratic debate: Winners, losers, protests, arguments and all the key moments from Las Vegas
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Your support makes all the difference.The six leading Democratic presidential candidates have have sparred on stage in Las Vegas last presidential primary debate before the Nevada caucuses, marking the most heated clash yet in the primary season
Finally joining the candidates who have been vying for a shot at unseating Donald Trump in the key early voting states is Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire White House hopeful who has gotten under the president’s skin in recent weeks thanks to a heavily-funded advertising spree. Mr Trump attacked the former New York City mayor as a “pathetic debater” ahead of tonight’s event, to which Mr Bloomberg replied: “Impeached president says what?”
But Mr Bloomberg's fellow Democrats all saw him as an apparent obvious target, and repeatedly attacked him for his wealth, and his decision to bankroll his own campaign and to skip the first few nominating states altogether (including Nevada).
Enjoying his status as front-runner, Bernie Sanders steered through the night with relatively few attacks on his campaign, and reliably stuck to his general message arguing against billionaires — including Mr Bloomberg.
It was Elizabeth Warren who may have stolen the show, though, with a heated attack on Mr Bloomberg early on for his use of NDAs in his business, which he refused to pull from women who might have accusations to be made against him.
The president wasn’t the only one lobbing attacks against Mr Bloomberg before the debate, either: as the Democrats prepared to spar, Ms Warren warned the billionaire she would use the debate to show how she handles an “egomaniac billionaire", along with several other candidates who said they would take on the former mayor.
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Klobuchar says she is the "only one with the receipts", saying that she has a history of working across the aisle.
She also piles on with a criticism of Bloomberg, and a campaign memo showing they believe that three candidates should simply step aside.
"I don't think we look at Donald Trump and say we need someone richer in the White House," Klobuchar says.
Bloomberg responds saying that he is the candidate who can beat Trump and do the job once he is there.
Says he is "a New Yorker" and that he knows how to take on an "arrogant con man" like Trump.
Notes he's a former mayor, and that he worked hard after 9/11.
Biden jumps in to say that he is the best prepared to beat Trump, and notes that a recent NBC poll says so.
Buttigieg ends up getting in, and is warning that infighting might leave Sanders and Bloomberg in the end — who he called the most polarizing candidates.
"If speaking to the needs of a long neglected working class is polarizing, I think you've got the wrong word. What we are trying to do is give a voice to people," Sanders responds to criticism, before noting he wants to give more money to working class people.
He then says that the Sanders campaign is trying to give a voice to regular folks, and attacks Buttigieg for having billionaire donors.
"It's okay Bernie, I like your passion," Biden says to Sanders to the side.
Buttigieg attacks Sanders for clashing with a union in Nevada, to some cheers.
Sanders says his campaign has more union support than any other campaign.
Warren is asked about Sanders supporters who have been criticized recently for being vicious online.
"I have said many time before we are all responsible for our supporters, and we need to step up. That's what leadership is all about."
Sanders notes his campaign has over 10.6 million supporters on Twitter, and says that 99.9 per cent of them are good people.
"If there are a few people who make ugly remarks... I disown those people, they are not part of our movement," Sanders says.
Buttigieg attacks Sanders, wondering why the attacks highlighted in recent days is "especially the case among your supporters".
Sanders rebukes that, and notes that many of his female campaign workers have received sexist attacks themselves.
Sanders also suggests that its possible for Russia to manipulate Twitter accounts.
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