Democratic debate - winners and losers : Kamala Harris goes after Joe Biden over race comments as healthcare, gun control and the migrant crisis dominate event
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Your support makes all the difference.The second Democratic debate is over with the ten remaining candidates preparing for tonight's showdown.
California senator Kamala Harris confronted Joe Biden over his record on race, while the former vice president also took shots from candidates over his age and establishment credentials.
The other candidates taking part tonight were: Marianne Williamson, John Hickenlooper, Andrew Yang, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Kirsten Gillibrand, Michael Bennet and Eric Swalwell.
Follow how the debate unfolded below:
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The second night of presidential debates among 2020 Democratic hopefuls kicked off on Thursday to a contentious battle among frontrunners — and others who successfully fought their way into the spotlight.
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders were front-and-centre at the second night of debates among the 20-plus leading Democrats vying for a shot at taking on Donald Trump in the general election.
On their sides were Pete Buttigieg, the Indiana mayor who rose quickly in the polls ahead of the debates but had a seemingly weaker showing than Kamala Harris, the California senator who drew swift praise for confronting Mr Biden “on the issue of race.”
The second round of debates proved to be more aggressive than the prior night, with higher-polling candidates attacking each other on policy proposals and others like Eric Swallwell, a California congressman, taking direct shots at his counterparts for their apparent shortcomings in office.
One thing in the section of foreign policy.
Moments after Mr Biden touted his role in pulling troops out of Iraq during the Obama administration, Nr Sanders reminded the former vice president of his role in the decision to send them there.
“One of the differences Joe and I have in our record is Joe voted for (the Iraq) war,” Mr Sanders said, referencing Mr Biden’s vote to authorise military force when he was in the Senate. “I helped lead the opposition to that war, which is a total disaster.”
This moment when Joe Biden caught Bernie Sanders' hand flailing in front of him has gone viral across Twitter -
In a moment sure to go down in presidential debate history, Ms Harris expertly laid into her positioning on stage and halted a raucous moment between candidates in a way the night’s moderators were seemingly unable to do.
“America does not want to witness a food fight,” she said as the candidates went back and forth over her, sparring over policy. “They want to know how we’re going to put food on their table.”
The moment drew cheers from the crowd, which seemingly reacted positively to several zingers Ms Harris employed throughout the night.
Joe Biden's people reportedly say they're "not freaking out" about one of Kamala Harris' moments that clearly stole the show, in which she confronted the former vice president:
The gloves are off. Here are some of the best moments from day two of the Democratic debates:
Here are my main takeaways from the second night of the 2020 Democratic debates:
Joe Biden is now saying he doesn't think Kamala Harris "intended" to mis-characterise his position on race:
Pete Buttigieg's campaign is claiming victory for the debates, while announcing the candidate will not come to the spin room to meet with reporters:
Andrew Yang, who spent the least time speaking at the second night of the debates, offered this particularly sassy commentary in response to why he wasn't able to speak as long as his opponents:
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