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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Buttigieg makes a joke about growing up "under the president Walter Mondale" in response to Klobuchar saying that she is more qualified to be president because she has won statewide election in her home state.
"This is not right. I understand that she forgot a name— it happens. It happens to everybody on this stage. Look you want to ask about whether or not you understand trade policy with Mexico? Have at it, and if you get it wrong, you oughta be held accountable," Warren says in defense of Klobuchar, before listing several issues worth holding candidates accountable for, but saying that forgetting a name is not worth that criticism.
Bloomberg notes his philanthropic efforts have included working with the Sierra Club on efforts to end coal power plants in the US.
He promises to bring the US back into the Paris Climate Accord, which Trump took the US out of.
Warren asked about tension in Nevada between renewable energy and conservation of public lands.
"I think we should stop all new drilling and mining on public lands and all offshore drilling," Warren says when asked about the mining industry and necessity of minerals for renewable energies.
She continues to say that some exceptions may be made, when necessary, but promises not to allow for exceptions based solely for profits.
Sanders asked about his plan to ban fracking — and concerns that Pennsylvania is a battleground state with plenty of jobs in fracking.
"What I tell these workers is that the scientists are telling us that if we don't act incredibly boldly within the next 6-7 years there will be irreparable damage done not just in Vermont, not just in Nevada or Massachusetts, but to the entire world," he says.
He then plugs the Green New Deal.
"This is a moral issue, my friends," he says.
Klobuchar, who has called natural gas a "transitional fuel", says: "I'd made it clear we have to review all permits up there right now for natural gas...and not grant news ones until we make sure it's safe."
"We can have a Green New Deal and create jobs," Warren says, recognizing that coal and natural gas workers may lose their jobs, but that there are jobs in green energy that must be made.
Michael Moore is a prominent Sanders supporter. Seen here praising Warren:
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