MSNBC is billing tonight’s Democratic debate as the first one-on-one showdown between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. The network is technically correct, since the two Democratic presidential candidates just participated in a CNN Town Hall, but it wasn’t a debate.
Tonight’s event should finally offer Clinton and Sanders their first opportunity to square off following their virtual tie in the recent Iowa Caucus.
NBC News’ Chuck Todd and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow will moderate the event from the University of New Hampshire. It will be the final public appearance for Sanders before he hosts “Saturday Night Live” this weekend — oh, wait — nevermind. That’s actually Larry David.
Refresh this page early and often for the best Twitter reactions during the debate.
How was tonight's #DemDebate put together so quickly? @chucktodd explains how he, @maddow and the crew got ready.https://t.co/Y1ON5svySs
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 5, 2016
T-minus-5 and @SenSanders & @HillaryClinton come out for quick photos #DemDebate @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/8K4EdXLfJE
— Kate Snow (@tvkatesnow) February 5, 2016
It appears the setup is nice and intimate:
The first presidential debate spin room I've been in with an open fire. Cosy. pic.twitter.com/lb2SWFDGXu
— Dan Roberts (@RobertsDan) February 5, 2016
Some people are already coming strong with the jokes:
"Wanna turn on MSNBC?"
File that under "Things I never thought I'd say." #DemDebate #TTT16
— Ashley ? (@ashleythetexan) February 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/RaySwedishCar/status/695426323745886208
6 PT: And we’re off. Todd and Maddow are explaining tonight’s event. MSNBC’s Tamron Hall is ready.
Watch party @UNHWildcats #DemDebate @MSNBC few steps from debate location pic.twitter.com/3JgitUSbSm
— Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) February 5, 2016
6:03 PT: OK, Frank:
The only way Bernie can lose tonight is if he fails to give us another side-eye GIF.#DemDebate pic.twitter.com/yARiZm2e9f
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) February 5, 2016
6:04 PT: Sanders’ outfit is already being made fun of:
Why is Bernie Sanders dressed like he’s at a funeral? #DemDebate
— Mattress (@MattNowak1) February 5, 2016
6:08 PT: What if it’s an insurance commercial?
#DemDebate drinking game: drink when either one says the word "progressive"
— Mike Wickett ???????????? (@mikewickett) February 5, 2016
6:12 PT: Some people are skeptical thus far:
its a fight among who can give away more stuff. lets hope voters realize people end up paying for the things they claim are free.
— GregGutfeld (@greggutfeld) February 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/ZaidJilani/status/695429543163658242
Chuck Todd is like if wheat bran was a person. #DemDebate
— Secular Talk? (@KyleKulinski) February 5, 2016
I'm confused. Sanders is calling for revolution but explaining how all his stances aren't revolutionary.
Wut? #DemDebate
— Elon James White (@elonjames) February 5, 2016
#DemDebate
Wow, I really don't like @HillaryClinton tone.— ?Patricia D McClendon, MSSW? (@PatsCSW) February 5, 2016
6:16 PT: We don’t even know what to say about this one:
Hillary is winning the first 10 minutes of this #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/4ENuNGbZjB
— @DCHomos (@DCHomos) February 5, 2016
6:17 PT: Some viewers are happy so far:
.@HillaryClinton is on ??? tonight! #DemDebate #ImWithHer
— Brexton Isaacs (@BrextonIsaacs) February 5, 2016
Bernie says he's not a radical, he's mainstream. This is true. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/qcpxQVfyk1
— Secular Talk? (@KyleKulinski) February 5, 2016
Hillary just gave a great answer on who is a progressive. #DemDebate
— Chris Matthews (@HardballChris) February 5, 2016
6:18 PT: Meanwhile…
We see that coffee mug, @berniesanders #DemDebate https://t.co/t9bTtJcZvu
— IJR (@TheIJR) February 5, 2016
6:21 PT: It’s getting interesting:
https://twitter.com/jiadarola/status/695432032407584769
The dynamic is reversed with Sanders on the defensive as frontrunner in New Hampshire and Clinton on the attack as underdog. Fascinating.
— Dan Roberts (@RobertsDan) February 5, 2016
Hillary is showing great prep today. Kudos to debate prep team. The cherry picked line was great. #DemDebate
— Chris Matthews (@HardballChris) February 5, 2016
Did Hillary just say that she doesn't exemplify the establishment? #DemDebate
— deray (@deray) February 5, 2016
Watch Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton go back and forth on healthcare. #DemDebate https://t.co/sEMVixerQP
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 5, 2016
6:25 PT: Hillary just got PISSED:
Whoa this is a real debate.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) February 5, 2016
.@HillaryClinton: “You will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I received.” #DemDebate
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 5, 2016
This. Tonight. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/8aYRVqTY34
— GOP (@GOP) February 5, 2016
6:33 PT: Here you go:
Here's the youtube video @BernieSanders is referencing. Watch it during the break: https://t.co/M3V1YFWEL8 #DemDebate
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) February 5, 2016
6:35 PT: How does she tweet while on live TV without a phone in her hand?
We need to crack down on Wall Street risk. Hillary's plan will actually do it. https://t.co/Xjfk6ADmD8 #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/8xafDdufZm
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 5, 2016
9:36 PT: It’s heating up again:
#DemDebate: The candidates are fired up over "definitions". ? #ShotsFired https://t.co/64wVgNNh2q pic.twitter.com/mA8Bwo64vm
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) February 5, 2016
The gloves are off and things are getting real in this #DemDebate. Come watch with us: https://t.co/3Ah3NhTXTR pic.twitter.com/GgZSDmcpEo
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) February 5, 2016
"I did go on the speaking circuit," HRC says in what may be the understatement of the campaign. #DemDebate
— Roger Simon (@politicoroger) February 5, 2016
Bernie Sanders says he decided he didn't want a "corporate" SuperPAC, and decided to fund his campaign directly with voters. #DemDebate
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) February 5, 2016
.@HillaryClinton: "The best evidence of where I stand [on Wall St.]" is that “they’re trying to beat me" #DemDebate
— Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) February 5, 2016
"I'm fighting for people who cannot wait for [change]. And I'm not making promises that I cannot keep." #DemDebatehttps://t.co/uHkESFnf1j
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 5, 2016
The fact that Clinton is so dominant over Sanders among members of Congress is intriguing: https://t.co/c2FKlLODVF #DemDebate
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) February 5, 2016
By popular request: @HillaryClinton getting booed at a #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/G3GyS8cCy0
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) February 5, 2016
.@SenSanders: “Kid gets caught w/ marijuana…has a police record. A Wall St. exec. destroys the economy…no criminal record.” #DemDebate
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 5, 2016
6:45 PT: All they’re talking about is Wall Street:
Enough about fixing the economy, what about carpet bombing? #DemDebate
— Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) February 5, 2016
ENOUGH WITH WALL STREET. We have a dozen other problems just as big. Move along. #DemDebate
— ???? (@Shoq) February 5, 2016
Wow! Sanders goes way too far when he says that the business model of Wall Street is fraud. Banking is crucial for our economy. #DemDebate
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) February 5, 2016
Clinton says "I'll look into it" when @chucktodd asks her to release transcripts of her paid speeches #DemDebate #NBC2016
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) February 5, 2016
6:53 PT: It appears to be halftime… we hope Hillary makes it back from the bathroom in time.
6:54 PT: She made it. Also, it’s easier to moderate with only two candidates:
It's weird how in this #DemDebate the moderators are letting the candidates… debate.
— Chaz Beasley (@ChazBeasley) February 5, 2016
7 PT: Oh wow, some non-Wall Street talk:
Amen. A vote in 2002 is not going to stop ISIS. We need real plans. #DemDebate
— Christina Reynolds (@creynoldsnc) February 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/1uxofthedraw/status/695442317172350980
Great to hear a debate about Middle East without hearing words like carpet bombing and banning all Muslims. Must be watching #DemDebate
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) February 5, 2016
Clinton says she is generally supportive of @POTUS's plan to fight ISIS. Her own plan: https://t.co/HvQ1LGgmxy #DemDebate
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 5, 2016
Props to Chuck and Rachel. Good, substantive, detailed, and policy-focused questions from these two. #DemDebate
— T.J. Holmes (@tjholmes) February 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/feministabulous/status/695443352624312321
Great spitting pronunciation of "judgment" by Clinton. #DemDebate
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) February 5, 2016
Hillary: "We have to figure out how to deal with Iran as the principal state sponsor of terror" #demdebate
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) February 5, 2016
"I know from my own experience, you've got to be ready on Day 1" Clinton on foreign policy #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/Qehajjxtzf
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 5, 2016
WATCH: Clinton talks about fighting ISIS & says she agrees with Obama https://t.co/N7RUgwGFl9 #DemDebate #Decision2016
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 5, 2016
7:17 PT: Somewhere, somebody playing the Goldman drinking game is wasted:
https://twitter.com/AuditTheMedia/status/695446184144429056
7:23 PT: Iowa drama!
Des Moines Register op-ed: “What happened Monday night at the Democratic caucuses was a debacle" https://t.co/bMl4XRUuB5 #DemDebate
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) February 5, 2016
Here's the full transcript of the #DemDebate so far: https://t.co/FImKSFjsWn pic.twitter.com/oAWP0LJr1t
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 5, 2016
AP FACT CHECK: @HillaryClinton not accurate on her relationship with Wall St. #DemDebate. https://t.co/hDRXi2odVQ pic.twitter.com/64vWv4B7Cw
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) February 5, 2016
7:32 PT: Clinton email talk time!
Clinton DELIGHTED to have a new talking point on the emails. #DemDebate
— Mark Joyella (@standupkid) February 5, 2016
Clinton: "I am 100% confident" nothing will come of FBI investigation into emails https://t.co/8QEPpLmTuk #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/afK1ZSZoxI
— The Hill (@thehill) February 5, 2016
Hillary Clinton on her electability: "I've been vetted. There's hardly anything you don't know about me." #DemDebate #Decision2016
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) February 5, 2016
.@BernieSanders: "There’s a process underway [about the emails]. I will not politicize it" #DemDebate
— Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) February 5, 2016
7:41 PT: How many more Democratic debates are there?
Point of order: What happened to the 90-minute limit? #DemDebate
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) February 5, 2016
7:43 PT: It’s scheduled to be wrapping up shortly:
Clinton: I deeply disagree with the way too many states implement the death penalty. #DemDebate
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 5, 2016
Thank goodness there r actually human beings running for office in the #demdebate They can teach the GOP something about decency & diplomacy
— Lynn Nottage (@Lynnbrooklyn) February 5, 2016
"This. Is. An. Emergency." —Hillary calling for action on the Flint water crisis #DemDebate
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 5, 2016
The Flint question. Finally. #demdebate
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) February 5, 2016
JUST IN: Clinton tops Twitter during #DemDebate https://t.co/OgOpTzCp9W pic.twitter.com/wgkVymNfXn
— The Hill (@thehill) February 5, 2016
Student watch party fading but perked up when #flint was the topic. @UNHWildcats #DemDebate
— Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) February 5, 2016
7:52 PT: Todd promises to squeeze in a bunch of question in the next few minutes. Is this going to be the lightning round?
Caught on camera: Clinton hides debate notes from Sanders | WATCH: https://t.co/rP7w01Df34 #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/EmjBQbdKSW
— The Hill (@thehill) February 5, 2016
7:55 PT: It’s the “home stretch” according to MSNBC.
Bernie barking the word, "Chuck!" is like a Fremen saying "Muad'Dib" through a Weirding Module. #DemDebate
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) February 5, 2016
Immigration kind of gets into the debate. #demdebate
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) February 5, 2016
w/ 5 minutes left, #immigration comes up…#DemDebate
— Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting) February 5, 2016
Todd to Clinton: Would she do immigration reform, gun control, or climate change first? #DemDebate
— The Advocate (@TheAdvocateMag) February 5, 2016
"I want to have half a billion solar panels deployed in the first four years." @HillaryClinton #DemDebate
— grist (@grist) February 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/anylaurie16/status/695455975768088577
Wow. I'd say @HillaryClinton has actually thought about her Year One agenda and how to enact it. Impressive. #DemDebate
— Paul Begala (@PaulBegala) February 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/BrotherCooper89/status/695456258741006336
8 PT: They’re officially running late
Flipping after #DemDebate? Post-game coverage on Fox News anchored by @ShannonBream; at CNN, @donlemon kicks off coverage at 11pET.
— Mark Joyella (@standupkid) February 5, 2016
8:01 PT: Clinton will consider Sanders as a running mate. We think. It’s mutual. We think. Goodnight everybody!