Joe Biden savaged in Democrat debate
In a tough night at the office, Joe Biden was deemed too old, urged to quit and challenged on race.
Democrat frontrunner Joe Biden has had a baptism of fire in his first debate with his fellow presidential contenders, being attacked over his record on race issues, his age and his support for the Iraq war.
The feisty two-hour debate between ten of the 25 Democrat contenders saw dramatic moments as candidates grappled to seize the spotlight in front of a national television audience.
The 76-year-old former vice president Biden, who holds a large lead over the field, came under sharp attack from Californian Senator Kamala Harris over his record on race.
Ms Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, attacked Mr Biden for recent comments about his ‘civil’ and productive working relationships with two longtime segregationist former Congressmen. She also attacked the former long-time Senator for seeking in the past to restrict the use of desegregation bussing to help racially integrate schools.
‘It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two senates who built their reputation and career on segregation … you also worked with them to oppose bussing,” Ms Harris said. “There was a little girl in California who was bussed to school, that little girl was me,’ she said as her campaign tweeted a picture of her as a schoolgirl.
Mr Biden rejected Ms Harris’ claim, saying he had a strong record on racial issues and hit back at her, saying he chose to become a public defender — “I didn’t become a prosecutor”’ — a reference to Ms Harris record as a prosecutor which has unsettled some African-Americans.
Mr Biden was also attacked by several candidates for his age, with congressman Eric saying it was time for Mr Biden to “pass the torch” to a new generation.
Mr Biden was at times hesitant and twice stopped his answer to a question by claiming bizarrely that he was “out of time
But he sought to portray himself as the seasoned candidate who had a long record of achievements and was best placed to tackle Donald Trump.
He pledged to “restore dignity to the middle class” and the restore “the soul” of America.
Surprise package
Ms Harris, who currently enjoys around 6 per cent support from Democrats, was the surprise of the night, intervening forcefully and often, using one-liners that drew cheers from the audience.
“This election is about you. This is about your hopes and your dreams and your fears and what wakes you up at 3 o’clock in the morning,” she said.
“And that’s why I have what I call a “3am Agenda” that is about everything from what we need to do to deliver healthcare to how you will be able to pay the bills by the end of the month,” she said “We need a nominee with the ability to prosecute the case against four more years of Donald Trump, and I will do that.’
The two other strongest performers were democratic socialist Bernie Sanders and major of South Bend Indiana, Pete Buttigieg.
Mr Sanders evoked a revolutionary tone when calling on Americans to rise up against Wall St, the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry and the military industrial complex to take
back the country for the ordinary worker.
Show of hands
He also launched the most personal attack of the night against Mr Trump, describing the president as a ‘pathological liar’ and a ‘racist’.
At one stage in the debate all ten candidates were asked whether illegal immigrants should be given access to healthcare and all raised their hand in agreement.
In response, Mr Trump, watching from the G20 summit in Japan tweeted “All Democrats just raised their hands for giving millions of illegal aliens unlimited healthcare. How about taking care of American Citizens first? That’s the end of that race!’
Mr Buttigieg, one of the youngest candidates at only 37 years of age, spoke of his support for free college education for middle and low income students, for more universal health care and for the need for a new generation of political leadership.
All Democrats just raised their hands for giving millions of illegal aliens unlimited healthcare. How about taking care of American Citizens first!? That’s the end of that race!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2019
He also launched a scathing attack on Republicans, contrasting their embrace of religion with what he called their inhumane treatment of migrants in detention camps.
New York Senate Kirstin Gellibrand was forceful when given to opportunity to discuss her agenda, some of which focused on women’s rights and the need to protect the Roe v Wade decision which allows legal abortion in the US.
Other lesser known candidates struggled to make an impression with entrepreneur Andrew Yang, author Marianne Williamson and Colorado Senator Michael Bennet failing to make any impact on the debate.
With the first of the Democrat debates now over, candidates will be waiting anxiously for new polls to see whether they have captured enough of the public’s support to continue in the race.
Those candidates who don’t gain traction from this debate are likely to drop out in the months ahead.
But the first debates have already shown that the leading candidates include Mr Biden, and Senators Sanders, Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and mayor Buttigieg.
Each have the public profile and momentum to remain competitive at this early stage in the long race for their party’s nomination.
(Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia)
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