Things got fiery at the eighth Democratic debate hosted by ABC News Friday, which is to be expected given it comes right after the Iowa caucus debacle and just before the New Hampshire primary on Monday.
Among the highlights, Bernie Sanders doesn’t seem to think Trump will be able to make an issue out of socialism, Joe Biden paid tribute to a recently fired Trump administration employee, and both Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren went in on Pete Buttigieg — with Warren delivering one of the night’s most memorable, and shortest, moments in the process.
Here are five of the biggest moments of the night.
1) Bernie Sanders Doesn’t Think Being a Socialist Is a Liability in the General Election
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says he isn’t worried that Trump will go after him for identifying as a Democratic Socialist because, as he put it, “Donald Trump lies all the time.”
“It doesn’t matter what Donald Trump says,” he said, pointing out that the president has disparaged multiple people on the stage, too. “It’s a sad state of affairs. It really is. People say terrible things about Joe — he has — ugly, disgusting things about Elizabeth, about Amy, about anybody else who’s up here.”
The moment got the first big cheers of the night — though left unmentioned, Trump spent a great chunk of his state of the union address bashing socialism, also to big cheers from his supporters.
2) Klobuchar Clowns Mayor Pete Over for Wanting to “Watch Cartoons” Instead of the Impeachment Trial
One particularly intense moment came when Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar confronted Pete Buttigieg directly over his apparent dismissal of the impeachment trial. “What you said, Pete — as you were campaigning through Iowa as three of us were jurors in the impeachment hearing — you said it was exhausting to watch and that you wanted to turn the channel and watch cartoons,” she said.
She wasn’t making that up, by the way. He said it during a town hall campaign stop in Ames, Iowa, on Jan. 29.
Klobuchar then used her criticism of Buttigieg’s comments to make a larger point about Donald Trump, dinging Mayor Pete’s pitch as a Washington outsider in the process. “It is easy to go after Washington, because that’s a popular thing to do,” she said. “We have a newcomer in the White House, and look where it got us. I think having some experience is a good thing.”
Amy Klobuchar praises Mitt Romney's "courage" for impeachment vote, then turns to Pete Buttigieg: "You said it was exhausting to watch and that you wanted to turn the channel and watch cartoons." https://t.co/93QauZSK6e#DemDebatepic.twitter.com/O4wFL1cfZR
3) Joe Biden Requests Standing Ovation for Alexander Vindman
“Stand up and clap for Vindman,” the former vice president said at one point, referencing Ukraine expert Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a key witness in the House’s impeachment inquiry into Trump who was fired from the White House Friday. (For those keeping score, it’s just two days after Trump was acquitted in his Senate impeachment trial.)
Biden then dinged Trump for awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh during Tuesday’s State of the Union address. “He should be pinning a medal on Lt. Col. Vindman and not on Rush Limbaugh.”
4) Elizabeth Warren’s One-Word Dismissal of Pete Buttigieg
Mid-way through, moderator Linsey Davis made Pete Buttigieg stumble when she asked him point blank about the high rate of misdemeanor arrests of black citizens after he became mayor of South Bend, Indiana in 2012. Then she handed the floor to Elizabeth Warren, who shut Buttigieg down with a single word.
“How do you explain the increase in black arrests in South Bend under your leadership for marijuana possession,” Davis asked.
“Again, the overall rate was lower,” Buttigieg said.
“No, there was an increase. The year before you were in office it was lower. Once you became in office in 2012, that number went up,” Davis interjected. “In 2018, the last number year that we have a record for, that number was still up.”
Buttigieg didn’t actually address the specifics of the question. Instead, he appeared to attempt to continue his previous talking points. “And one of the strategies that our community adopted was to target where there were cases when there was gun violence, and gang violence, which was slaughtering so many our community,” he said. “Burying teenagers, disproportionately black teenagers. We adopted a strategy that said that drug enforcement would be targeted in cases where there was a connection to the most violent group or gang connected to a murder. These things are all connected. But that’s the point. So are all of the things that need to change, in order for us to prevent violence and remove the effects of systemic racism, not just from criminal justice but from our economy, from health and housing, and from our democracy itself.”
That’s when Davis turned t0 Elizabeth Warren and asked “Senator Warren, is that a substantial answer from Mayor Buttigieg?”
“No,” Warren said. Ouch.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg struggles to explain why there was an increase in Black arrests in South Bend, Indiana, under his leadership for marijuana possession. And Sen. Elizabeth Warren was not impressed by his answer. pic.twitter.com/9bv3LOj075
Things took a slightly personal turn at one point when Steyer called on Biden to publicly disavow one of his supporters, South Carolina state senator Dick Harpootlian, who recently suggested that SC state representative Jerry Govan, a Steyer ally, had been bought by Steyer’s campaign.
“Is he pocketing the dough or redistributing the wealth?” Harpootlian tweeted Wednesday.
During the debate, Steyer called Harpootlian’s comments racist and said to Biden, “I’m asking you to join us, be on the right side.”
Biden didn’t disavow Harpootlian, but he did offer that “I believe he’s sorry for what he said.”
2020 Presidential Contenders: Who's Still Challenging Donald Trump and Who's Dropped Out (Photos)
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Joe Biden – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 25, 2019
The former Obama VP was a late entry to the race, formally declaring his run for the presidency on April 25. But he's long been a presumed frontrunner, leading many early polls. This is his third presidential run, and for months he's been telling anyone who'll listen that he'd be the most qualified candidate for the job. He's also already been under scrutiny over criticism about his behavior with women, prompting him to post a video promising he'd be "more mindful and respectful" of a woman's "personal space."
The Massachusetts Senator formally announced her candidacy on Feb. 9 at a rally in her home state, and shortly after followed up with a tweet that read: "I believe in an America of opportunity. My daddy ended up as a janitor, but his little girl got the chance to be a public school teacher, a college professor, a United States Senator – and a candidate for President of the United States. #Warren2020." But on March 5, 2020, following a disappointing Super Tuesday performance, Warren officially ended her bid for the presidency.
Getty Images
Bernie Sanders – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 19, 2019
Dropped Out: April 8, 2020
Bernie Sanders, the runner-up in the 2016 contest for the Democratic nomination, had a momentous campaign for the presidency with policies championing economic equality and rhetoric advocating for a political revolution that drew him scores of dedicated supporters. But as the Democratic primary elections arrived, his campaign's disappointing performance widened the gap toward the nomination between the Vermont senator and his main competitor, Joe Biden. In early April, Sanders officially suspended his campaign for the presidency.
Getty Images
Pete Buttigieg – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 14, 2019
Dropped Out: March 1, 2020
The 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana became the first openly gay presidential nominee from a major political party. Buttigieg came away with the most delegates from the Iowa Caucuses but couldn't keep his momentum going in the other early state primaries.
Getty Images
Michael Bloomberg - Democratic Party
Entered Race: Nov. 24, 2019
Dropped Out: March 4, 2020
The former mayor of New York is the second billionaire to enter the crowded Democratic field with just one year until the election, using his considerable personal wealth to fund his ad campaign. He dropped out after a poor showing on Super Tuesday.
Getty Images
Amy Klobuchar – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 10, 2019
Dropped Out: March 2, 2020
The Minnesota Democrat, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, announced her bid on Feb. 10, 2019, saying that she wanted to work for "everyone who wanted their work recognized." Klobuchar's key issues she wants to tackle if elected president include revising voting rights protections and prioritizing cybersecurity.
Getty Images
Tulsi Gabbard – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 11, 2019
Dropped Out: March 19, 2020
Gabbard, a U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016, but in 2020 she's all-in on herself. Gabbard is running on immigration and criminal justice reform.
Getty Images
Tom Steyer – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 9, 2019
Dropped Out: Feb. 29, 2020
The billionaire and climate change activist entered the race in July, saying in a video "if you think that there's something absolutely critical, try as hard as you can and let the chips fall where they may. And that's exactly what I'm doing. My name's Tom Steyer, and I'm running for president."
Getty Images
Bill Weld – Republican Party
Entered Race: April 15, 2019
Weld is a former Governor of Massachusetts who has been on the record about his displeasure of Trump, specifically Trump's desire to be more of a "king than a president."
The former governor of Massachusetts acknowledged the challenge of jumping into the Democratic primary so late in the game. But in his announcement he took a veiled swipe at other candidates, saying the party was torn between "nostalgia" and "our big idea or no way.” He dropped out after the New Hampshire primary, failing to secure a single delegate.
Getty Images
Michael Bennet – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 2, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 11, 2020
The Colorado senator has been a vocal supporter on advancing the field of artificial intelligence and expanding the Child Tax Credit. He dropped out on the day of the New Hampshire primary.
The entrepreneur and son of immigrant parents from Taiwan became a contender a year ago, telling The New York Times that he will advocate for a universal basic income. But he failed to gain traction and dropped out the day of the New Hampshire primary.
Getty Images
Joe Walsh – Republican Party
Entered Race: Aug. 25, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 7, 2020
The former congressman from Illinois turned conservative talk show host announced in August 2019 that he would enter the GOP primaries to challenge President Trump. "I'm running because he's unfit; somebody needs to step up and there needs to be an alternative. The country is sick of this guy's tantrum -- he's a child," he told ABC News.
The New Jersey senator and former mayor of Newark formally tossed his name into the presidential hat on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month. Booker ran on a platform of ending mass incarceration if he were to be elected president. His absence in the race ahead of the caucuses made the remaining Democratic field significantly less diverse.
The "Healing the Soul of America" author and founder of Project Angel Food announced her candidacy during a political rally at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles on Jan. 28. Williamson ran on a platform of reparations and "economic justice for women and children."
Getty Images
Julián Castro – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 12, 2019
Dropped Out: Jan. 2, 2020
The former mayor of San Antonio -- and former Obama cabinet member -- supports immigration reform and eliminating lead poisoning. Castro was the only Latino candidate in the running, and he said in a video released by his campaign that he's "not done fighting."
Getty Images
Kamala Harris – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 21, 2019
Dropped Out: December 3, 2019
The California senator announced her bid for the presidency on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 21, while appearing on ABC’s "Good Morning America." As a possible indication of her chances, her January CNN town hall was the network's highest rated single presidential candidate town hall ever. Harris is pro Medicare-for-all and raising teacher pay.
Harris came out of the gate strong with a solid showing at the first debate, but failed to carry that momentum. Reports of staff mismanagement and fundraising challenges led to her to suspend her candidacy in early December.
Getty Images
Beto O'Rourke – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 14, 2019
Dropped Out: November 1, 2019
The former congressman from El Paso, Texas, announced he is running for president on March 14, saying: "This is a defining moment of truth for this country and for every single one of us," and that the challenges have never been greater. "They will either consume us, or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America," he added. O'Rourke has already made a name for himself as a record-breaking fundraiser, the subject of an HBO documentary and a favorite among Hollywood elite. He dropped out Nov 1., tweeting, "I am announcing that my service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee."
Getty Images
Mark Sanford – Republican Party
Entered Race: Sept. 8, 2019
Dropped Out: Nov. 12, 2019
The former governor of South Carolina -- who resigned in disgrace in 2007 after lying about an extramarital affair -- announced his challenge to Trump, saying, "We have lost our way." Sanford, who was also a U.S. congressman from 1995 to 2001 and 2013 to 2019, pledged to tackle the nation's ballooning national debt and reverse Trump's policies on trade protectionism. He dropped out in November saying the issues on his platform were overshadowed by the ongoing impeachment process.
The senator from New York announced her bid Tuesday, Jan. 15 on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Gillibrand, whose campaign slogan is "Brave Wins," supported paid family leave and protecting women's rights.
On August 28, 2019, she announced her withdrawal. "To our supporters: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Now, let's go beat Donald Trump and win back the Senate," she tweeted.
Getty Images
Seth Moulton – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 22, 2019 Dropped Out: August 23, 2019
The Massachusetts congressman and Iraq War veteran ended his campaign for president in a speech to the DNC in San Fransisco. “I think it’s evident that this is now a three-way race between Biden, Warren and Sanders, and really it’s a debate about how far left the party should go,” Mr. Moulton told the New York Times.
Getty Images
John Hickenlooper
Entered Race: March 4, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 15, 2019
The former Colorado governor supported stricter gun control laws and free trade.
Getty Images
Howard Schultz – Independent
Dropped Out: Sept. 6, 2019
In January the former Starbucks CEO expressed initial interest in running. In August, Schultz reportedly suspended his campaigning until after Labor Day, citing medical issues. In September, Schultz cited those issues and more in a letter on his website as reasons he had to take himself out of the running.
"My belief in the need to reform our two-party system has not wavered, but I have concluded that an independent campaign for the White House is not how I can best serve our country at this time," he wrote.
Schultz is a co-founder of the venture capital firm Maveron, which is an investor in TheWrap.
Getty Images
Eric Swalwell
Entered Race: April 8, 2019 Dropped Out: July 8, 2019
The California congressman wrote in a statement on his campaign's website about his decision to bow out of the 2020 presidential race, "I’ll never forget the people I met and lessons I learned while travelling [sic] around our great nation – especially in the communities most affected by gun violence."
Getty Images
Jay Inslee – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 1, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 21, 2019
The Governor of Washington ran on a platform focused on climate change, proposing a "100% Clean Energy for America Plan" that would see emissions drop to zero by 2035.
He announced he was dropping out of the race during an appearance on "The Rachel Maddow Show."
"It's become clear that I'm not going to be carrying the ball," Inslee told Maddow. "I'm not going to be the President, I'm withdrawing tonight from the race."
Inslee added that he's optimistic that climate change will be a major part of the Democratic party's priorities.
Getty Images
Wayne Messam – Democratic Candidate
Entered Race: March 28, 2019 Dropped Out: Nov. 20, 2019
The mayor of Miramar, Florida, a city near Miami, is a first-generation American who has called for end the filibuster and erasing student debt. He only raised $5 -- five -- during the quarter that ended Sep. 30, and dropped out less than two months later.
Getty Images
Bill De Blasio – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 16, 2019
Dropped Out: Sept. 20, 2019
The New York City mayor was looking for more taxes for the wealthy and regulating "gig jobs" under his proposed Universal Labor Standards.
Getty Images
Steve Bullock – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 14, 2019
Dropped Out: Dec. 2, 2019
The Montana governor said in a statement, "While there were many obstacles we could not have anticipated when entering this race, it has become clear that in this moment, I won’t be able to break through to the top tier of this still-crowded field of candidates."
Getty Images
John Delaney – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 28, 2017 Dropped Out: Jan. 31, 2020
The U.S. Representative for Maryland's 6th district declared back in July 2017. He said he'll "end reckless trade wars and expand trade," "create a universal health care system" and "launch a national AI strategy." But he dropped out before the Iowa caucuses.
Getty Images
Joe Sestak – Democratic Party
Entered Race: June 23, 2019 Dropped Out: Dec. 1, 2019
The former Pennsylvania Congressman had a plan for America that includes investing in American manufacturing and strengthening antitrust laws. But short of funds and media attention, he dropped out.
Getty Images
1 of 32
Bernie Sanders is the latest to end the race for the Oval Office
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
CBS
