
Democrats debating Thursday in the second installment of a two-night slugfest split on how far the United States should drift toward socialism and listened with unhinged jaws as the roster's lone black member ripped into former Vice President Joe Biden over his history on race.

California Sen Kamala Harris stepped into the spotlight by roasting Biden for his recent nostalgia about a pair of segregationist Democratic senators, and lambasted him for opposing federal intervention decades ago to desegregate America's schools through forced busing.

President Donald Trump, 13 time zones away, watched as all 10 rivals agreed that future health care systems should cover illegal immigrants – and declared that he has already won re-election, tweeting later that it was 'not a good day for Sleepy Joe or Crazy Bernie'.

The President said: 'I am in Japan at the G-20, representing our Country well, but I heard it was not a good day for Sleepy Joe or Crazy Bernie. One is exhausted, the other is nuts - so what’s the big deal?'

His comments came after Biden spoke at the debate, carving out territory farther to the left than the Obamacare system dared to tread.

'You cannot let people who are sick, no matter where they come from, no matter what their status, go uncovered. You can't do that,' he argued.

South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg agreed that 'our country is healthier when everyone is healthier', and 'we do ourselves no favors by having 11 million undocumented people in our country be unable to access health care'.

'But of course the real problem is we shouldn't have 11 million undocumented people with no pathway to citizenship,' he claimed.

In between meetings at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, Trump 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!'

Ten candidates have taken the stage for part two of the first Democratic debate on Thursday in Miami, Florida. From left to right are: self-help author Marianne Williamson, former Colorado Gov John Hickenlooper, businessman Andrew Yang, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen Bernie Sanders, California Sen Kamala Harris, New York Sen Kirsten Gillibrand, Colorado Sen Michael Bennet and California Rep Eric Swalwell

Four of the five top polling candidates in the 2020 field - Buttigieg, Biden, Sanders and Harris - are seen greeting the crowd

President Donald Trump watched from the G20 summit in Japan as all 10 Democrat candidates agreed that future health care systems should cover illegal immigrants. The President tweeted that it was 'not a good day for Sleepy Joe or Crazy Bernie'

The biggest targets of the night are expected to be on the backs of front-runners Biden (left) and Sanders (right)

Harris received a hearty applause when she told her fellow candidates: 'America does not want to witness a food fight, they want to know how we're going to put food on their table'

Sitting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump sniffed that Democrats 'didn't discuss what they're giving to American citizens. That's not a good thing.'

'I look forward to spending time with you rather than watching the debate,' he told her, declaring Wednesday's round 'wasn't very exciting.'

While he negotiated with foreign leaders, Democrats gathered in Miami launched into plans for tax hikes and a new leftward tilt.

The amity among varying brands of liberalism lasted only so long, with rhetorical punches flying over whose economic and social justice was purest.

'Hey guys!' Harris exclaimed as the cacophony threatened to burst through America's televisions. 'America does not want to witness a food fight! They're wondering how we're going to get food on their tables.'

A half-hour later it was Harris throwing a pie in Biden's direction.

Candidates in Thursday debate as you see them from left to right Marianne Williamson - self-help author John Hickenlooper - former governor of Colorado Andrew Yang - businessman Pete Buttigieg - mayor of South Bend Joe Biden - former vice president Bernie Sanders - senator from Vermont Kamala Harris - senator from California Kirsten Gillibrand - senator from New York Michael Bennet - senator from Colorado Eric Swalwell - congressman from California Advertisement

'It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country,' she said, referring to Biden's gauzy remembrances of Mississippi Sen James Eastland and Georgia's Herman Talmadge.

'And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose bussing,' she continued, revealing that she was part of the second class of black students to integrate the public schools in Berkeley, California.

Biden insisted that the Berkeley City Council, not the US Senate, was responsible – but stammered to explain why he opposed federal government intervention at the time.

Defending his half-century-long record on voting rights, a flustered Biden ultimately threw up his hands and blurted: 'My time's up. I'm sorry.'

Asked after the debate whether Harris had mischaracterized his views, a grinning Biden interrupted a selfie session with supporters to ask: 'On which of the subjects?'

'Yes, she mischaracterized it,' he insisted, rattling off a legislative history of times in the Senate when he had defended the power of federal courts to step into desegregation fights.

Arguing for a single-payer 'Medicare For All' health care system on Thursday, Vermont Sen Bernie Sanders conceded that most Americans 'will pay more in taxes' but insisted that they would spend less on health care once the dust settled.

Sanders and Harris were the only two candidates to raise their hands to signify that they would outlaw private medical insurance plans in favor of a government-managed system.

Sanders said Americans would ultimately demand a single-payer system by telling insurers and pharmaceutical manufacturers 'that their day is gone, that health care is a human right, not something to make huge profits off of'.

He said also that he would spend heavily to eliminate the student loan debts of every American 'by placing a tax on Wall Street'.

Biden took a more measured, folksy approach in keeping with his moderate image. He acknowledged 'enormous income inequality' in America but proposed only making cuts 'in the $1.6trillion in tax loopholes out there'.

He also said that as president he 'would go about eliminating Donald Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy.'

Harris blasted the president for a new tax system 'that benefits the top one percent and the biggest corporations in this country.'

She said 'middle class families will pay for' the resulting increase in the national debt 'one way or another'.

'I meet people working two and three jobs,' she said of her campaign experiences and her disappointment with the Trump economy.

'How are you measuring the greatness of this economy?' she asked. 'He talks about the stock market. That's fine if you own stocks. So many families do not.'

South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg (left) and New York Sen Kristen Gillibrand (right) are pictured at their podiums

Three of the lesser-known Democrats - author Marianne Williamson (left), former Colorado Gov John Hickenlooper (center) and former tech executive Andrew Yang (right) are pictured on the stage alongside some of the biggest names in the race

California Congressman Eric Swalwell (right) speaks as former Colorado Sen Michael Bennet (right) looks on

The stronger half of the Democratic presidential field jousted in a grouping that placed the race's strongest contenders on stage together by random chance.

Biden entered the night with the most at stake, a moderate front-runner who has lost ground drop-by-drop to his more aggressively liberal rivals.

Representing the party's far left flank, Sanders brought a decidedly socialist flair – dragging his party to the left with promises of wealth redistribution and government-run health care.

Sanders is the only debating candidate who promises an older president than Biden, if he should win.

He blasted Trump as a 'phony', a 'pathological liar' and a 'racist' on Thursday, and said 'he lied to the American people during his campaign'.

President Donald Trump tweeted about the debate in between meetings at the G20 leaders summit in Japan

Despite the unprecedented diversity of a Democratic field that includes six women, three African-Americans, an openly gay man, a Hindu and a Latino, it has been Sanders and Biden – the two oldest, whitest men running – combining to nearly monopolize voter interest in early polling.

The two stood at center stage on Thursday, a testament to the Democrats' ideological tug-of-war that threatens to upend party unity the way it did in 2016.

Harris and Buttigieg joined the two 70-something men as members of a more and more clearly defined second tier. Harris is the lone African-American woman in the field; Buttigieg is its only openly gay competitor, and roughly half the age of Biden and Sanders.

Rounding out Thursday's group were Sens Michael Bennet of Colorado and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, former Colorado Gov John Hickenlooper, New York businessman Andrew Yang, California Rep Eric Swalwell and new-age author Marianne Williamson.

Hickenlooper, an example of a lesser-known Democrat, drew chuckles Wednesday when he presented himself at the theater only to be asked if he was there for a press pass.

And Swalwell, 38, drew chuckles by noting that he was six years old when Biden said during a California Democratic Convention speech that it was 'time to pass the torch to a new generation of Americans.'

'Joe Biden was right when he said that 32 years ago. He is still right today,' Swalwell said.

Biden replied that at age 76. 'I'm still holding on to that torch.'

Gun control made a brief appearance, largely on the strength of Swalwell's insistence that the U.S. government should buy up every 'assault weapon' in America.

He would let people 'keep your pistols, keep your rifles, keep your shotguns,' he insisted, fending off what Republicans see as a Second Amendment slippery slope.

'But we can take the most dangerous weapons from the most dangerous people,' he claimed Thursday, saying no other presidential candidate would go as far.

Sanders said six years ago that states should be in charge of regulating guns; he sang a different tune on Thursday, saying he 'ran on a platform of banning assault weapons' in 1988.

Harris said that as president she would take executive action to expand background checks for gun buyers if Congress did not act within 100 days.

The red-hot abortion issue made a cameo when moderators asked how the candidates would respond to a scenario where the Supreme Court has reversed the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Sanders said his socialized medicine system would continue to pay for abortions, but Gillibrand insisted she was the pack leader on reproductive rights.

'It's mind boggling to me that we are debating this on stage in 2019,' she said.

'I think we have to stop playing defense and start playing offense' against Trump and the GOP, Gillibrand urged.

'I will guarantee women's reproductive freedom no matter what,' she pledged.

Republicans waiting for a champion to emerge from the Democrats' scrum wasted no time mocking Thursday night's array of rivals as a future cakewalk for Trump.

'The cast of characters may have changed, but the second night’s script was eerily like the first: a two hour-long infomercial for President Donald J. Trump's re-election campaign,' Trump campaign press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement.

'All of the Democrats tripped over each other in a race to see who could stand out as the most leftist candidate, threatening government control of every aspect of people’s lives,' she said.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the debating Democrats provided 'a broken record of radical policies.'

'Democrats support tax hikes on the middle class and taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants. Their policies are extreme and out of touch with the realities facing everyday Americans,' McDaniel said.

Biden entered the night with the most at stake, a moderate front-runner who has lost ground drop-by-drop to his more aggressively liberal rivals. Sanders is the only debating candidate who promises an older president than Biden, if he wins

The second night of debating came a day after NBC survived technical glitches that forced an early commercial break during the first half of the two-night event.

Massachusetts Sen Elizabeth Warren was the only top-shelf candidate to participate on Wednesday, and avoided the kind of unforced errors that could have spelled trouble early in the race.

Wednesday's installment turned into a slug-fest on health care and immigration in which President Trump's name was invoked only seldom – and Biden's not at all.

Several Democrats already this week have visited a facility near Miami where hundreds of children are being held after crossing into the US illegally.

Three candidates spoke Spanish during portions of the first debate, which, like Thursday's, was simulcast on Telemundo. Buttigieg dropped Thursday night's only words 'en Español,' one of the seven languages he speaks.

More than 15 million watched Wednesday's debate on TV, according to data from The Nielsen Company. That number fell short of the first primary debates on both sides of the aisle in 2015.

Trump had more to say about NBC's first-night production challenges than about his potential 2020 opponents.

'BORING!' he declared in a tweet.

Five Democrats are officially in the race but failed to qualify for this week's debates.

They include Montana Gov Steve Bullock; former Alaska Sen Mike Gravel; Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam; Massachusetts Rep Seth Moulton; and former Pennsylvania Rep Joe Sestak.

WINNERS AND LOSERS: NIGHT TWO

Kamala Harris has been deemed the clear winner of Thursday night's Democratic debate - while front-runner Joe Biden floundered under attack from each of the other nine candidates.

California Senator Harris came out swinging and delivered a string of poignant responses to questions ranging from income inequality to immigration to health care to race relations in America.

The debate reached a fever pitch as Harris confronted Biden about his recent nostalgia about a pair of segregationist Democratic senators, and vilified him for opposing federal intervention decades ago to desegregate America's schools through forced bussing.

'It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country,' she said, referring to Biden's gauzy remembrances of Mississippi Sen James Eastland and South Carolina Sen Fritz Hollings.

'And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose bussing,' she continued, revealing that she was part of the second class of black students to integrate the public schools in Berkeley, California.

Biden insisted that the Berkeley City Council, not the US Senate, was responsible – but stammered to explain why he opposed federal government intervention at the time.

Defending his half-century-long record on voting rights, a flustered Biden ultimately threw up his hands and blurted: 'My time's up. I'm sorry.'

CNN Editor-at-Large Chris Cillizza said Harris delivered the strongest performance across both nights of debates, coming off as 'calm, poised, knowledgeable and, yes, presidential'.

Biden entered the night with the most at stake, a moderate front-runner who has lost ground drop-by-drop to his more aggressively liberal rivals.

He took up the most air time overall with 13 minutes and 18 seconds, according to CNN, followed by Harris with 12 minutes and nine seconds.

'Joe Biden may be a front-runner but he sure didn't look like it at the Democratic debate last night,' Roxanne Jones, founding editor at ESPN Magazine, wrote in an analysis for CNN.

Frank Luntz shared similar insights on Twitter, writing: 'In just about every way imaginable, Kamala Harris dominated. She had the guts to take on and embarrass Joe Biden – not only did she have the best language, she was the most memorable.'

He continued: 'No, Joe Biden did not make any mistakes tonight… But he was not prepared for the direct attacks from his opponents. He knew they were coming, but he mishandled them. For that, he is tonight's loser.'

California Sen Kamala Harris delivered the strongest performance of Thursday night's Democratic debate - while front-runner Joe Biden floundered under attack from competitors

In his analysis for The Palmer Report, political blogger Bill Palmer praised Harris for 'hitting every question out of the park' and said Vermont Sen Sanders 'did little with his softball questions'.

Overall, pundits seem to agree that Sanders had a much easier night than experts anticipated given his strong second-place standing in the polls.

'Sanders is lucky that Biden has been so bad,' Cillizza tweeted. 'It will cover over -- somewhat -- his own decidedly weak performance.'

While moderate Biden stood firmly in the middle of the road, Sanders steered left into socialism with promises of wealth redistribution and government-run health care.

He took aim at Donald Trump early on, calling the president a 'phony', a 'pathological liar' and a 'racist'.

In the spin room afterwards he feigned surprise when DailyMail.com told him that Trump had rebuked Democrats for saying they'd 'give millions of illegal aliens unlimited healthcare' when moderators asked for a show vote on the subject.

'Look, look, look. In 45 seconds – I have to be honest with you, and tell you this particular format is not my favorite format,' the senator said of the moment. 'It’s hard, I know, when you have 10 candidates up there and everybody want to talk. But how do you deal with complicated economic issues or environmental issues in 45 seconds? It’s kind of hard.'

Sanders said, 'So it becomes kind of a game show, and kind of a reality TV. You have a president in Trump who is doing something that is really quite despicable, and by that I mean not only ignoring the reality of climate change, not only giving tax breaks to the rich, not only wanting to throw 32 million people off of health insurance.

'What he’s doing in terms of the immigrant community, as you can imagine. What he is doing is demonizing people. What he is doing trying to dehumanize them – not only demonize them but dehumanize them. And what he is trying to do, which is really disgraceful, he is trying to divide the American people up based on where they were born, based on the color of their skin, based on their sexual orientation, based on their religion. We have a president that is a bigot, and I think most Americans know that. And that is just disgraceful.'

Reminded that the question was about illegal immigrants and whether he effectively made the case that they should have access to healthcare in a Sanders utopia, he admitted: 'Not in 45 seconds I didn’t, or 12 seconds I didn’t.

'But here’s the point and I think most Americans know. If there is a child in a school who is undocumented and that child becomes seriously ill, what do you do? You let the child die? Does anyone think that’s appropriate? That the has something that’s contagious. Do you say, oh we’re not going to take care of that kids and he can get the rest of the, the rest of the classroom sick? So, undocumented people, last I heard, are human beings.

'And I am going to fight for comprehensive immigration reform and a path toward citizenship. But certainly, in the mean time I believe in the right of health care for all people – all people – and that includes the undocumented.'

Sanders and his democratic socialist policies opened the debate. The subject was easily buried by troubling questions of racial discrimination that enveloped several top-tier candidates.

South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was one of the most composed candidates on the stage throughout the night.

His biggest moment came when he was asked about a police-related shooting in his hometown - a topic he's struggled to address in the past.

On June 16, a South Bend police officer shot and killed 54-year-old black resident Eric Logan while responding to reports that a man was breaking into cars with a knife. The officer's body camera was turned off at the time.

'The police force is six percent black in a city that is 26 percent black. Why has that not improved over your two terms as mayor?' moderator Chuck Todd asked.

'Because I couldn't get it done,' Buttigieg replied candidly.

'Pete Buttigieg probably had the cleanest night of anyone who's polling anywhere close to contention,' Palmer wrote.

Cillizza agreed, writing: 'Buttigieg has lots and lots of natural political ability - and it shone through on Thursday night.'

Analysts agree that South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg gave a strong performance. The ever-animated Sen Sanders stayed true to his socialist platform throughout the night

New York Sen Kristen Gillibrand had a lot to say on Thursday night, but didn't manage to snag any significant soundbites.

Marianne Williamson entered into this debate with very little exposure but certainly made an impression - albeit not a great one.

The self-help author 'came across as half awake and gave flaky answers while seemingly using a different accent each time she spoke', Palmer wrote, noting that she is 'in danger of being the new Ben Carson'.

Cillizza also had some harsh commentary on Williamson, writing: 'Watching the author and spiritual adviser on the debate stage reminded me of my own experience playing high school basketball: Hopelessly out of her league.

'It's not that Williamson isn't a politician, it's that she had zero idea how to navigate a crowded debate stage and make her points. It was also problematic that she didn't seem to have any, you know, points.'

Williamson's best moment came during her closing statement when she said: 'Mr President, if you're listening, I want you to hear me please: You have harnessed fear for political purposes, and only love can cast that out. So I, sir, I have a feeling you know what you're doing. I'm going to harness love for political purposes. I will meet you on that field, and sir, love will win.'

Social media was flooded with dozens of memes inspired by her performance before the debate even ended.

The remaining four candidates - Eric Swalwell, John Hickenlooper, Andrew Yang and Michael Bennet - all gave less memorable performances.

Swalwell's biggest moment came when he called out Biden's age, noting that he was six years old when the former veep said during a California Democratic Convention speech that it was 'time to pass the torch to a new generation of Americans.'

'Joe Biden was right when he said that 32 years ago. He is still right today,' 38-year-old Swalwell said.

Biden replied that at age 76, 'I'm still holding on to that torch.'

Palmer wrote: 'Swalwell probably gained supporters tonight, if only because he came into the night polling at zero percent.'

Former tech executive Yang had the least amount of speaking time at two minutes and 56 seconds, but he drew attention on social media for his decision to forgo a neck tie.

'John Hickenlooper probably didn't help himself. Andrew Yang might as well not have been there. This field is too darn large,' Palmer lamented.

He added: 'This night was ugly enough, you could argue that Elizabeth Warren won tonight's debate by virtue of not having been in it.'

HARRIS TEARS INTO BIDEN

Biden's praise for segregationists followed him to the Democratic presidential debate on Thursday evening and exploded into a racial controversy that could put a huge dent in his candidacy after Harris lectured him on busing.

Harris, who is Jamaican-American, inserted herself into a discussion on the thorny topic, saying: 'As the only black person on this stage, I would like to speak, on the issue of race.'

She said it was 'hurtful' that Biden had praised two notorious, Democratic segregationists who he served with in the Senate in the 1970s.

One, James Eastland, from Mississippi, called African-Americans 'flesh eaters'; the other, Herman Talmadge, ran for the Senate on a pledge to stop blacks and whites eating together in the Capitol itself.

Biden revealed at a private fundraising event that Eastland 'didn't call me boy,' and said of their time in the Senate: 'At least there was some civility.'

It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country.' - Kamala Harris to Joe Biden

Harris confronted Biden about the remarks and his stance in the '70s against busing encourage racial integration in schools – he worked with the two segregationists to try to prevent federal imposition of the policy.

She told him: 'I do not believe you are a racist. And I agree with you, when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground.

'But I also believe – and it’s personal, and I was actually very – it was hurtful, to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country,' she said.

In a terse exchange that had her starring down the stage at the 76-year-old senator who represented Delaware, she reminded him that she was a beneficiary of busing.

'And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing. And, you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day.

'And that little girl was me. So I will tell you that on this subject, it cannot be an intellectual debate among Democrats. We have to take it seriously. We have to act swiftly. As Attorney General of California, I was very proud to put in place a requirement that all my special agents would wear body cameras and keep those cameras on.'

Biden 's praise for segregationists followed him to the Democratic presidential debate on Thursday evening and exploded into a racial controversy that could sink his candidacy after Kamala Harris lectured him on busing

Harris expanded on her point after the debate in an interview with MSNBC host Chris Matthews on a set in the spin room.

She told him, 'If those men, those segregationists had had their way, I would not be a member of the United States Senate and I certainly would not be a serious candidate for President of the United States.

'And so the harm that they did and that they attempted to do because frankly they built not only their careers but their reputation off of that, which is their quest to ensure the segregation of the races,' she said.

Harris added, 'Had they their way, there's so much that would not have happened. Lester Holt would not have been asking questions on that stage. Barack Obama would not have been in the position to appoint Joe Biden Vice President of the United States.

'So the consequences of their actions were very real and on the shoulders of a history in our country of really a very bad, awful, dark, dangerous and lethal time. So, but I have to tell you, Chris, I otherwise have a great deal of respect for Joe Biden. I, you know, I do not believe he's a racist. But his perspective on those senators was something that was hurtful, and it had consequences.'

She said, 'It is a real emotion that a child feels.

'I have to speak truth about it. The consequences are not only about what is wrong morally and legally... but the pain is very real, emotionally.'

Still, she claimed she has a 'great deal of respect' for Biden as an elder statesman.

‘I told a story tonight that is first hand and is about an experience that I had. And it was through the lens of a personal experience that I have an opinion about what he said about people who have lived a life of of segregation and or segregation and race segregation,' she told TV cameras in the spin room. 'And so that is the conversation I was having.’

Biden was nearly out of a hole he dug for himself last week at a donor function, when he said disagreed with senators who opposed civil rights, but at least they were able to move legislation.

He claimed that one of the men 'never called me "boy," he always called me "son" ' in remarks that were ripped by Sen. Cory Booker as racially insensitive.

Claiming his comments had been taken out of context, Biden refused to apologize for the remarks.

Harris would not let him off that easily. She directed stinging commentary on her own racial history at the former vice president who served the first African-American president and regularly touts their relationship.

Biden replied, 'It’s a mischaracterization, my position across the board, I did not praise racists. That is not true, number one. Number two, if we want to have this campaign litigated on who supports civil rights and whether I did or not, I’m happy to do that.

'I was a public defender – I didn’t become a prosecutor. I came out and I left a good law firm to become a public defender, when in fact, when in fact my city was in flames because of the assassination of Dr. King, number one.

'Now number two, as the Vice President of the United States, I worked with a man who in fact, we worked very hard to see to it we dealt with these issues in a major, major way.

He claimed: 'The fact is that – in terms of busing, the busing – I never – you would have been able to go to school, the same exact way, because it was a local decision made by your City Council.'

Biden told her, 'The bottom line here is, look, everything I’ve done in my career, I ran because of civil rights, I continue to think we have to make fundamental changes in civil rights. And those civil rights, by the way, include, not only African Americans, but the LGBT community.'

He claimed later, to MSNBC, that Harris misrepresented his positions.

Deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said she was 'satisfied with the outcome of the debate' after DailyMail.com asked if she was 'satisfied with the outcome of the exchange' with Harris.

'I would say we were satisfied with the outcome of the debate. I think the vice president made his case. I think he spoke with conviction. I think he spoke with passion about the future of the country. I think he laid out specific plans and offered a clear vision for the kind of leadership that he would offer.

'I think as he said going into the debate, he was not going to engage in personal back and forth. He didn't with Sen Harris,' she said.

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON'S BIZARRE PERFORMANCE

Author and spiritual guru Marianne Williamson has confused viewers as well as attracted new fans with her bizarre performance at the Democratic presidential primary debate.

In a memorable moment, Williamson declared that her first act as president would be to call the Prime Minister of New Zealand and declare the United States a better country to raise children.

'Girlfriend, you are so on,' Williamson said she would tell Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, who has said that New Zealand is the best place in the world to raise a child.

Relegated to the outside left podium, Williamson didn't speak for the first 30 minutes of the debate, until jumping into an argument about healthcare policy.

Williamson confusingly dismissed the other candidates' health policy positions as 'superficial fixes' and said that President Donald Trump won without a plan just by repeating 'Make America Great Again.'

She went on to say that Democrats need to 'go deeper' and that 'chemicals' are to blame for many health problems in the U.S.

In her concluding statement, Williamson declared that she was going to 'harness love for political purposes' to defeat Trump.

Her unusual performance drew did however draw praise on social media, where many compared her to a 'Wine Aunt' with 'healing crystal energy.'

'If the standard for the candidate is who you would want to split box wine with, Marianne Williamson won,' one Twitter user wrote.

'Marianne Williamson is all of my mom's friends when the wine kicks in,' wrote another.

'When asked why they voted for President Marianne Williamson, more than 30% of Americans said that she was the kind of woman they could go to a wine bar with,' another quipped.

Singer Katy Perry felt a kindred spirit in Williamson, writing: 'not gonna lie i sound like Marianne Williamson after a few glasses of red.'

Williamson's signature campaign proposal is a call for $100 billion in reparations for slavery to be distributed over 10 years, though she has also thrown out $200 and $500 billion as possible reparations figures.

Democratic presidential hopeful US author Marianne Williamson speaks during the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season

NIGHT ONE RECAP

The first night of the first Democratic debate took place Wednesday with New Jersey Sen Cory Booker, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Maryland Rep John Delaney, Hawaii Rep Tulsi Gabbard, Washington Gov Jay Inslee, Minnesota Sen Amy Klobuchar, former Texas Rep Beto O'Rourke, Ohio Rep Tim Ryan and Massachusetts Sen Elizabeth Warren taking the stage.

Immigration politics exploded to the front-burner as the presidential hopefuls took turns blasting President Trump in the wake of the deaths of a Salvadoran man and his two-year-old daughter, who drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande.

Wednesday's debate was the most bilingual in American history, with three candidates speaking Spanish on stage.

O'Rourke gave his first answer that way, befuddling much of the TV audience and drawing a side-eye look from Booker – who later joined in the Español himself.

Castro limited his Spanish to a single line in his closing statement: Despite being the only Latino on the stage, he isn't a fluent Spanish speaker.

TV viewers were enraged by technical glitches that drove the NBC broadcast to premature commercial breaks as microphones in the control room were switched on while moderators asked questions about gun control.

Pundits crowned Warren, Booker and Castro the winners of the night, while O'Rourke was widely deemed the loser.

Watching from Air Force One on his way to the G-20 Summit in Japan, Trump made his dissatisfaction with the entire night clear by tweeting: 'BORING!'

Read DailyMail.com's full coverage of night one here.

Seen on stage at night one of the first Democratic debate are (from left to right): Bill de Blasio, Tim Ryan, Julian Castro, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Beto O'Rourke, Amy Klobuchar, Tulsi Gabbard, Jay Inslee and John Delaney

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and former US Representative for Texas' 16th congressional district Beto O'Rourke greet the crowd at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts