Democratic debate: Sanders says ‘every poll has me beating Trump’ as he and Warren unite against moderate rivals

As moderates claim to be most in tune with American majority, debate tackles the big question: Can a left-wing progressive beat Donald Trump in 2020?

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have launched a strident defence of the electability of their progressive beliefs, and accused more moderate Democrats of using “Republican talking points”.

In the first night of the Democratic Party’s second debate – an event seen as do-or-die for several candidates – the senators lambasted their rivals as being “afraid” of big ideas.

“I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for,” Ms Warren said in response to a comment from former congressman John Delaney.

Mr Sanders, who like Ms Warren supports universal healthcare and the greening of the country’s economy, was accused by John Hickenlooper, the former governor of Colorado, of being too extreme for America.

“Every credible poll I have seen has me beating Donald Trump,” said Mr Sanders. “I get a little bit tired of Democrats afraid of big ideas.”

In addition to Mr Sanders, Ms Warren, Mr Delaney and Mr Hickenlooper, the debate in Detroit, Michigan, a state narrowly but crucially won by Donald Trump in 2016, also featured Marianne Williamson, Tim Ryan, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O’Rourke and Montana governor, Steve Bullock.

In what appeared to be something of a moderates “pile on”, Mr Bullock, Mr Delaney and Mr Hickenlooper all sought to present themselves as candidates more in tune with most Americans.

“Watching that last debate, folks seemed more concerned about scoring points or outdoing each other with wish-list economics than making sure Americans know we hear their voices and will help their lives,” Mr Bullock said. Ms Klobuchar, a senator from Minnesota, dismissed the policy of free college as unworkable, and claimed her ideas were “grounded in reality”.

The two progressives gave nothing away. “We’re not trying to take healthcare away from anyone. That’s what Republicans are trying to do,” Ms Warren said, in response to claims that her plan for healthcare would not permit people to retain the private health insurance they currently have.

Mr Biden and Mr Warren appeared to dominate the talking time during the debate, followed by Mr Buttigieg.

Democratic candidates who got the most speaking time during the debate (Statista: https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/)

In the second hour, Mr Buttigieg appeared to make up some ground, speaking with a combination of precision and passion. At one point, he urged Democrats to be true to themselves.

“It is time to stop worrying about what the Republicans will say. It’s true that if we embrace a far-left agenda, they’re going to say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists,” he said. “If we embrace a conservative agenda, you know what they’re going to do? They’re going to say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists. So let’s just stand up for the right policy, go out there and defend it.”

The 37-year-old Indiana mayor, who is unusual among politicians of the current generation for having served in the military, may also have delivered the best single line of the night, when he attacked Mr Trump’s deferral of the Vietnam drafts on the purported claim he had bone spurs.

“Nominate me and you get to see the president stand next to an American war veteran and explain why he chose to pretend to be disabled when it was his chance to serve,” he said.

Going into Tuesday’s debate, Mr Sanders trailed Joe Biden, with Ms Warren a couple of points behind him, and Kamala Harris in fourth place.

If Mr Buttigieg, currently in fifth place in most polls, can hope to see his numbers jump a little, so can Ms Williamson, the writer and long shot candidate. She came across as both funny and personable, and mentioned the notorious water crisis in the city of Flint, just 70 miles to the northwest of where the debate was taking place.

“We need to say it like it is, it’s bigger than Flint. It’s all over this country,” she said. “It’s particularly people who do not have the money to fight back, and if the Democrats don’t start saying it, why would those people feel they’re there for us, and if those people don’t feel it, they won’t vote for us and Donald Trump will win.”

This week’s debates are seen as crucial to a number of candidates seeking to break through ahead of the party’s third debate in Houston, Texas, where the Democratic Party is expected to double the qualifications for participation in an effort to thin the crowd of almost two-dozen.

Among those who did not help his cause on Tuesday was Mr O’Rourke, who appeared to make little impact and was less impressive than Mr Buttigieg, who is seeking to appeal to similar voters.

“We are as divided and polarised as a country as we have ever been. Right now we have a president who uses fear to try to drive us further apart,” the former congressman said, in his final comment of the night.

“To meet this challenge, we have to have hope in one another and faith in the future of this country that includes everyone.”

Another ten Democrats are set to slug it out in the next part of this second debate. Pundits are watching out for a repeat of the clash between Mr Biden and Ms Harris that made headlines after the first debate in Florida.