'You tried and lost by 20 points': Candidates get feisty over health care, climate change

Show Caption Hide Caption The Democratic debate brought crowds on the streets and claws on stage The Democratic debate in California drew crowds of demonstrators from all walks of life to support candidates vying for their party's nomination.

Democrats will head into 2020 after a contentious debate that featured fewer of them – and only one candidate of color – on stage.

It was a pointed last debate of the year as the calendar ticks closer to the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses. Candidates traded barbs on climate change, women in politics, Democrats who hold closed-door fundraisers and political experience – or lack thereof.

Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was specifically targeted for the latter two as he rises in early state polls. Sen. Elizabeth Warren pointed to his recent fundraiser in a wine cave in Napa Valley. Sen. Amy Klobuchar accused the mayor of “denigrating” the experience of the senators on stage.

In a shift from previous debates, it took two hours to broach the topic of health care in Thursday’s PBS NewsHour and POLITICO debate.

And in a debate starting 24 hours after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, Democrats were asked how they can convince most Americans to support the impeachment process. Warren and former vice president Joe Biden said the impeachment process is not about convincing Americans, but rather upholding the Constitution. Sen. Bernie Sanders said he would highlight Trump’s failed campaign promises on the trail.

Both Klobuchar and entrepreneur Tom Steyer called for Trump to be more transparent and allow his staff to testify during an imminent Senate impeachment trial.

“This is a global Watergate. In the case of Watergate, a paranoid president facing election looked for dirt on a political opponent. He did it by getting people to break in. This president did it by calling a foreign leader to look for dirt on a political opponent,” she said. “And I would make this case, as we face this trial in the Senate if the president claims that he is so innocent then why doesn’t he have all the presidents’ men testify? Richard Nixon had his top people testify.”

Trump's campaign responds

As the debate wrapped up, Trump's campaign emailed a succinct rebuttal to the Democratic field.

“After yet another drab, pessimistic Democrat debate, it’s even more clear why they felt they had to impeach President Trump. None of these characters has a chance," campaign press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement.

Difference between caucus and primary, explained The 2020 election is nearing and with that, comes the caucuses and primary elections. But what’s the difference?

Forgiveness or a gift?

For the last question of the debate, moderator Judy Woodruff gave each candidate a choice: they could ask forgiveness from another person on stage or give a gift to someone else on stage.

Andrew Yang took a second to come up with a response to the unexpected question as the crowd laughed but eventually responded he was happy Warren mentioned she was reading her book, and that he would give everyone else on the stage a copy of his book— especially people who love data.

Buttigieg said it would be a gift for anyone on stage at the Democratic presidential debate to be president instead of Trump.

Both Warren and Klobuchar said they would ask for forgiveness of any of the people on stage, but did not name any other specific candidates. Warren said sometimes gets worked up because of the people she meets on the campaign trail, such as a family that shared a single insulin prescription.

"I will ask for forgiveness," Warren said. "I know that sometimes I get really worked up and sometimes I get a little hot. I don’t really mean to."

Biden also shared stories of the people he met on the campaign trail, who asked for help as they struggle with grief and personal troubles and connect through his shared experience of losing family members.

"My wife and I have a call list of between 20 and 100 people that we call at least every week or every month and tell them I’m here, I give them my private phone number, they keep in touch with me," he said.

"The little kid who says, ‘I-I-I-I-I can’t, I can’t talk, what do I do?’" Biden continued, a nod to his own childhood when he had a stutter. "I have scores of these young women and men who I keep in contact with … There’s a lot of people who are hurting very, very badly.”

— Robin Opsahl and Katie Akin

Sanders, Biden spar over health care

When former Biden started talking about why Medicare for All wasn't as good an idea as his plan to bolster the Affordable Care Act, he paused.

"Put your hand down for a second Bernie," he said.

"Just waving to you Joe," Sanders responded. "Saying hello."

It was a light moment in the first substantive exchange on health care of the evening — more than two hours in, when the topic had previously opened up every Democratic debate — before getting truly testy.

Sanders argued Congress would come around to his vision of universal health care coverage once the American people realize its benefits. Biden retorted that Washington should not be "dictating to you that you cannot keep your current plan."

Sanders said that was preserving a status quo where families can pay 20% of their income for health care coverage. He argues his Medicare for All tax plan would be a net costsaver — $1,200 a year on an income of $60,000 a year, versus $12,000 he says is more common now.

"At least before, he was honest about it, that it was going to increase personal taxes," Biden interjected.

"That's right, we are going to increase personal taxes," Sanders snapped back. "But we're eliminating premiums. We're eliminating copayments. We're eliminating deductibles. We're eliminating all out of pocket expenses, and no family in america will spend more than $200 a year on prescription drugs."

— Nick Coltrain

Biden: I was on the opposite side of the Pentagon on Afghanistan

Biden was asked to defend his time in the White House, when the Obama administration was giving “constant pressure” to provide evidence that the military’s surge in Afghanistan was effective, “despite hard evidence to the contrary,” according to The Afghanistan Papers, published by The Washington Post earlier this month.

In his first answer, Biden said he would bring all combat troops home, leaving behind small numbers of special forces if an anti-terrorism deal isn’t successfully negotiated.

Moderator Amna Nawaz of PBS pressed him to respond specifically to his time in the White House and the decisions that came to light in The Afghanistan Papers.

“Since 2009, go back and look, I was on the opposite side of that with the Pentagon. I can speak to it now because it’s been published, it’s been published thoroughly,” Biden said. “I’m the guy from the beginning who argued that it was a big, big mistake to surge forces to Afghanistan. Period. We should not have done it. And I argued against it constantly.”

— Kim Norvell

How would trans Americans be protected?

Sanders and Warren answered questions on how they would ensure the safety of transgender Americans — particularly transgender women of color, who face higher rates of violence and death than the rest of the population.

Sanders said the president needs to provide moral leadership to end all forms of discrimination against transgender people and people of color. He also said transgender people would be provided “comprehensive health care” under his Medicare for All plan. He did not specify on stage whether Medicare for All would cover gender reassignment surgery or hormone treatments.

Warren said as president, she would read the names of transgender women and people of color who were killed that year in the White House Rose Garden.

“I will read their names so that as a nation we are forced to address the particular vulnerabilities,” she said.

— Robin Opsahl

Warren defends free college proposal

Warren was asked to defend one capstone of her campaign – free college and trade school for anyone who wants it – even for the children of the wealthy. It would be paid for with her proposed 2% wealth tax on fortunes over $50 million.

“This is about money. But this is also about values,” she said. “We need to make an investment in our future, and the best way to do that I less invest in the public education for our children.”

Buttigieg was asked to respond. He has also released a free college tuition plan for families earning less than $100,000. He would pay for his plan with a 1% capital gains tax on the richest Americans.

“I very much agree with Senator Warren on raising more tax revenue from millionaires and billionaires,” he said. “I just don’t agree on the part about spending it on millionaires and billionaires when it comes to their college tuition.”

— Kim Norvell

Klobuchar rips Buttigieg over lack of experience

Klobuchar took aim at Buttigieg on his lack of experience. She accused the mayor of “denigrating” the experience of the senators on stage.

“We should have someone heading up this ticket that has actually won and been able to show that they can gather the support that you talked about from moderate Republicans and independents, as well as a fired-up Democratic base,” Klobuchar said. “And not just done it once – I have done it three times.”

Buttigieg responded that he could bring together a coalition of voters: “Try putting together a coalition to bring you back to office with 80% if the vote as a gay dude in Mike Pence’s Indiana.”

Referring to Buttigieg’s 2010 race for state treasurer, Klobuchar shot back, “If you had won in Indiana, that would be one thing. You tried and you lost by 20 points.”

— Katie Akin

How many billionaires do you know?

Sanders pitted Biden against mayor Buttigieg for how many billionaire donors they have to their campaign. Per Sanders' tally, Biden leads Buttigieg 44 to 39.

"Pete, we look forward to you — we know you're an energetic guy, and a competitive guy — to see if you can take on Joe on that issue," Sanders said to laughs in the crowd.

"But what is not a laughing matter my friends — this is why three people own more than the bottom half. This is why Amazon and other major corporations pay zero in federal taxes. We need to get money out of politics. We should run our campaigns on that basis."

— Katie Akin

Wine cave meetings shouldn't decide the president

Warren criticized Buttigieg on his recent fundraiser in a wine cave.

"Billionaires in wine caves should not pick the next president of the United States," she said.

More: Warren criticizes Buttigieg over Swarovski crystal-encrusted wine cave fundraiser

But Buttigieg responded that he is the only one on the debate stage in Los Angeles who is not a millionaire or a billionaire.

Warren should not issue "purity tests" that she cannot pass herself, Buttigieg said. He argued that Democrats cannot afford to turn any donors or supporters away in order to get as many resources as necessary to defeat Trump.

Warren called on Buttigieg to swear off fundraising events like the ones Buttigieg attended earlier this week. But Buttigieg said she brought money to her 2020 presidential campaign from previous campaigns where she did hold such events.

Warren wasn't the only one criticizing Buttigieg's recent fundraising event. Yang said the country needs to change how campaign finance works so "they don’t have to go shake the money tree in the wine cave."

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, twin brother to presidential candidate Julián Castro who is not on Thursday's debate stage, asked "Did you all talk about the poor in that Silicon Valley wine cave?" on Twitter.

— Robin Opsahl

.@PeteButtigieg Did you all talk about the poor in that Silicon Valley wine cave? — Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) December 20, 2019

Are women better leaders? Obama says yes

A question was poised about former President Barack Obama’s recent comments that if women were leaders, there would be “significant improvement across the board.” He also said “it's usually old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way.”

Moderators first asked two men – Sanders and Biden to respond. Klobuchar eventually jumped in: “Thank you for asking a woman this question. First of all, we have not had enough women in our government.”

More: Do Democratic candidates agree with Obama that women make better leaders?

Sanders said he thinks the United States’ problem is billionaires buying elections and stifling the voices of working-class people – not just men or just women.

“I got a lot of respect for Barack Obama, but I think I disagree with him on this one,” he said. “It may be a little self-serving, but I disagree.”

Meanwhile, Biden touted his 47-year political career.

“I’m going guess he wasn’t talking about me either,” Biden said, to crowd laugher. “I’m running because I’ve been around, my experience.”

Later, in a pivot to Warren, the moderator said she’d be the oldest president ever inaugurated. "I'd also be the youngest woman ever inaugurated,” she quipped back.

— Kim Norvell

Where's health care?

The most dominant issue not on the stage tonight? Health care. It’s the first hour of a Democratic presidential debate this cycle that hasn’t spent a significant amount of time on the candidates’ plans on health care.

A November report by the New York Times found that health care had dominated the debates so far. 95.4 minutes were spent on the issue, besting the second-most mentioned issue of foreign policy by over 22 minutes.

Debates over Sanders’ proposed Medicare for All plan and other candidates’ alternative plans were often the first questions asked in previous debates. Democratic presidential candidates have agreed that the current U.S. health care system needs to change in addition to criticizing the pharmaceutical industry for rising costs of medicine.

Sanders did bring up Medicare for All outside of specific questions on health care in the Los Angeles debate already.

— Robin Opsahl

A return to normalcy?

Biden was asked whether a “return to normalcy” is what the United States needs after Trump.

“I didn’t say return to normal, normal’s not enough,” he said. “We have to move beyond normal.”

He said there are plenty of things that the United States needs to move past, even some policies from Obama’s administration on health care and the environment. But Biden made sure to emphasize that he still thinks working across the aisle with Republicans is necessary going forward. If bipartisan consensus can’t be reached in the government, the U.S. is “dead as a country” he said.

He brought up how Republicans in U.S. Congress have treated him and his family because of Trump’s impeachment and upcoming Senate trial, which involve allegations that Trump said he would withhold military aid from Ukraine if the country wouldn't investigate Biden and his son Hunter.

“If anyone has reason to be angry with the Republicans, it’s me,” he said. “The way that they’ve attacked me and my son and my family — I have no love. But we have to be able to get things done.”

— Robin Opsahl

Buttigieg won't rule out boycotting the Olympics

Buttigieg wouldn’t say whether he would call on the U.S. to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, if he was president, but said all options are on the table.

“Any tool ought to be on the table, especially social, diplomatic, and economic tools,” he said.

Over the past several months, pro-democracy demonstrators have taken to the streets of Hong Kong where the protestors and local police have clashed. In addition, China has detained Muslim minorities in camps.

Buttigieg said that the United States can’t ignore China’s detention of Muslim Uighurs or protests in Hong Kong. Under his administration, Buttigieg said that he would isolate China “from the free world” if the continue violating human rights.

— Rebecca Morin

Yang highlights lack of diversity on stage

In response to a question on the lack of diversity on the stage tonight, Yang gave a shoutout to U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris, who dropped out of the presidential race, and Cory Booker, who failed to qualify for the December debate.

“It is both an honor and disappointment to be the lone candidate of color on the stage tonight,” Yang said.

Citing statistics on economic disparities in black and Latino communities, Yang argued that a reason candidates of color were struggling to stay in the race is a lack of disposable income among voters. If people had more disposable income, he argued, then they could contribute more to the campaigns of candidates of color.

“I guarantee if we had a freedom dividend of $1000 a month, I would not be the only candidate of color on the stage tonight,” he said.

— Katie Akin

Biden, Sanders detail 'enormous opportunities' on climate change

Biden said he views the fight against climate change as an opportunity to create new standards for businesses and homeowners. He proposes requiring every new building be “energy contained” so no energy is leaked, providing tax credits for solar powers on homes, and building electrical vehicle charging stations on all highways.

“We have enormous opportunities,” he said.

Sanders declared the Paris Climate Agreement to be "fine" but it "ain't enough." The international accord was a partisan football, with Trump withdrawing the United States from it as soon as he could in his administration.

Sanders proposed going further: Declaring climate change a national emergency and convincing the world to turn their budgets for war against climate change.

"The United States has got to lead the world," Sanders said. "And maybe just maybe instead of spending $1.8 trillion a year globally on weapons of destruction, maybe a American president, i.e. Bernie Sanders, can lead the world instead of spending money to kill each other, maybe we pool our resources and fight our common enemy, which is climate change."

The crowd responded with enthusiastic applause.

— Nick Coltrain

Steyer singles out Buttigieg on climate change

In response to a question on climate change policy, Steyer touted his record in the private sector before singling out Buttigieg.

“I know everybody is worried about this, but for instance, I would call on Mayor Buttigieg to prioritize this higher," Steyer said. The people in his generation understand that this is a crisis.”

Buttigieg responded that his hometown of South Bend had faced historic flooding and he would prioritize the issue in office.

"I want to make sure that our vision for climate includes people from the autoworker down the block from me in South Bend to a farmer, a few minutes away so that they understand that we are asking, recruiting them to be part of the solution," Buttigieg said.

— Katie Akin

Warren brushes off criticism of wealth tax

In an extended question on the economy, moderator and PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff asked Warren to respond to critics of her proposed 2% wealth tax on Americans who have more than $50 million would say it would have a negative effect on the economy.

“Oh, they’re just wrong,” Warren responded.

Warren said the wealth tax would be used to improve early childhood education and family child care, which would help the economy down the line.

— Robin Opsahl

Yang: Voters don't trust the media

Yang hit the media during his first remarks of the night, saying that Americans can’t agree on impeachment because of news media.

“It’s clear why Americans can’t agree on impeachment, we’re getting our news from different sources and it’s getting hard for us to agree on facts,” he said.

Yang said voters “don’t trust the media networks to tell them the truth.”

“The media networks didn’t do us any favors by missing a reason why Donald Trump became our president in the first place,” he said. “If you turn on cable news today, you would think he’s our president because of some combination of Russia, racism, Facebook, Hillary Clinton and emails all mixed together.”

"We have to stop being obsessed over impeachment ... and start actually digging in and solving the problems that got Donald Trump elected in the first place," he continued.

Yang has repeatedly criticized MSNBC for his minimal speaking time at last month’s debate in Atlanta, which was hosted by NBC. He called on the MSNBC to apologize and even declined to appear on the network.

— Rebecca Morin

Sanders touts his vote against NAFTA

Sanders drew a distinction as being the only person on stage who voted against NAFTA, the trade deal President Trump is trying to replace with the USMCA.

Sanders agreed the new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada approved by the House this week is "a modest improvement" but he still won't vote for it because it he doesn't think it will stop the outsourcing of jobs Mexico. He added that the words "climate change" don't seem to be anywhere in the agreement.

The moderator launched the question to Sanders by noting the new trade deal has the backing of trade groups like the AFL-CIO. Sanders champions labor unions on the trail and, in a story surrogate Randy Bryce likes to tell, Sanders often asks if there's any picket lines he can visit.

— Nick Coltrain

'This is a global Watergate'

Candidates were first asked how they can convince most Americans to support impeachment of Trump, like they were persuaded when President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974.

Warren and Biden said the impeachment process is not about convincing Americans, but rather upholding the constitution. Klobuchar and Steyer called for Trump to allow his staff to testify.

“This is a global Watergate. In the case of Watergate, a paranoid president facing election looked for dirt on a political opponent," Klobuchar said. “If the president claims that he is so innocent, then why doesn’t he have all the presidents’ men testify?”

Sanders said he would highlight the need for Trump’s removal on the campaign trail.

“I will personally be doing this in the coming weeks and months, is making the case that we have a president who has sold out the working families of this country, who wants to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid after he promised he would not do that, and who has documentally lied thousands of times since he became president,” he said.

— Kim Norvell

And we're off

The last debate of 2019 is underway in Los Angeles. Seven candidates have taken the stage 46 days from the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses. They are:

Former Vice President Joe Biden

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders

Businessman Tom Steyer

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Businessman Andrew Yang

It is the sixth debate of the 2020 election cycle, hosted by PBS NewsHour and Politico.

— Nick Coltrain

Sanders campaign pokes at Buttigieg fundraiser

Sanders’ campaign bought and is promoting a new website: PetesWineCave.com.

The address goes to a website to donate to Sanders campaign. The URL is a dig at Buttigieg, who hosted a fundraiser Sunday at a Napa Valley winery owned by billionaires. Sanders communication director Mike Casca first tweeted about the website on Monday.

At the debate Thursday, Sanders' top strategist Jeff Weaver is wearing a shirt promoting the website.

— Rebecca Morin

Sanders top strategist Jeff Weaver has a special shirt for the debate: pic.twitter.com/jBcsJBXRt6 — Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) December 20, 2019

Yang announces Childish Gambino endorsement

Yang came into the debate with a celebrity endorsement.

Donald Glover, the “Community” and "Atlanta" actor who also performed under the stage name Childish Gambino, has taken a creative consult role for Yang, his campaign team announced Thursday.

The new position comes on the heels of the actor hosting a pop-up store in downtown Los Angeles, where supporters could purchase limited editions of Yang2020 merchandise designed by Glover. Some hoodies were signed by Glover and Yang and cost $1,000, the New York Times reported.

— Kim Norvell

Had a blast with Donald Glover today! Big thanks to everyone who came out in L.A.! pic.twitter.com/hk87FuArsS — Andrew Yang🧢 (@AndrewYang) December 19, 2019

Things to watch for tonight

In November, Buttigieg survived the debate relatively attack-free debate after surging in several early-state polls. As a leading contender in Iowa and New Hampshire, which vote first, other candidates may step up their criticisms of the 37-year-old mayor from South Bend, Indiana.

Warren and Sanders likely will criticize other candidates' private, high-dollar fundraisers. Bowing to pressure earlier this month, Buttigieg agreed to allow press in his fundraising events and released the names of some of his donation bundlers. Warren and Sanders also will likely hit the billionaires running in the race – former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is not on the debate stage, and Steyer, who is.

Warren has largely shied away from direct attacks on fellow candidates, but in a recent shift has ramped up her criticism. She’s particularly been critical of Buttigieg as the two spar over “Medicare for All,” which Warren supports. Buttigieg does not, calling his health care plan "Medicare for All Who Want It."

With impeachment top of mind, Biden may be pressed on details related to his son’s involvement in Ukraine. Biden has had some shaky moments at previous debates, but still maintains a large lead over his rivals in national polling.

— Kim Norvell

Candidates sign letter to DNC about qualifying standards

All seven qualifying candidates have signed a letter from Sen. Cory Booker to the Democratic National Committee asking to change its debate qualification standards for the January and February debates. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who did not qualify for the debate, also signed the letter.

The letter argues the more stringent qualifying standards have pushed out the field’s diverse candidates. Yang is the only person of color on tonight’s debate stage.

Neither Booker of New Jersey nor Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii qualified for this debate, two candidates who appeared on stage just a month ago. Sen. Kamala Harris of California qualified for the debate but dropped out earlier this month.

The DNC has raised it polling and fundraising thresholds with each debate. To qualify for tonight, candidates must have received 4% or more support in at least four national or early voting state polls, as well as hit 6% support in two single-state polls. Candidates also had to get at least 200,000 unique donors, with a minimum of 800 unique donors per state in at least 20 U.S. states.

— Kim Norvell