Women are leading the charge during the fifth Democratic primary debate — in more ways than one. For starters, all four moderators — Rachel Maddow, Kristen Welker, Ashley Parker, and Andrea Mitchell — are women. And, four out of the 10 candidates taking the stage are women, which is a historically high proportion given that only five women candidates participated in any presidential debates prior to the 2020 race in all of U.S. history.
While women are in the spotlight, all eyes on this Wednesday evening are also expected to be on Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who has emerged as the surprise frontrunner in Iowa. Based on past experience, we can expect the other candidates to pick apart Buttigieg’s policies and record as mayor.
Here are the 10 candidates to watch on the debate stage: former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Andrew Yang.
Ahead, read our live recap of the evening, including the best quotes, moments, and surprises.
Bernie Sanders Brings It Back To Economic Inequality
It feels like deja vu all over again as the candidates kick off the debate by discussing impeachment. Maddow started by asking candidates where they stood on the ongoing impeachment inquiry, and most reconfirmed (again) that they support the trials. But of course, Sanders brought the conversation back to inequality, reminding the audience and his fellow candidates that we have to “walk and chew gum at the same time.” Sanders, who waxed poetic about how Trump’s impeachment is a distraction from a larger issue, repeated his old (but true) talking points about lack of healthcare and the disproportionate power of billionaires. We’re also feeling this night for Sen. Kamala Harris, who emphasized “we need the same set of rules for everybody,” connecting impeachment with economic injustice. “We have to bring justice back to America for all people not just for some,” she said.
Elizabeth Warren Gets Challenged On Medicare For All
Moderator Kristen Welker asked: Could Warren’s position on Medicare for All cost her votes? Warren had a ready-made retort, rattling off her plan to pass an M4A plan by her third year in office and lower the Medicare age to 50: “In the third year when people had a chance to feel it and taste it and live with it, we’re going to vote, and we’re going to want Medicare for all.”
Elizabeth Warren’s new Medicare-for-all plan, explained (for those watching this debate) https://t.co/dfRR7E9VSA
— Kay Steiger (@kaysteiger) November 21, 2019
Kamala Harris Goes Off On Tulsi Gabbard
It started when moderators asked Tulsi Gabbard about her recent harsh words about Hillary Clinton, when she said “the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that sickened the Democratic Party for so long.” As Gabbard went on about “regime-change wars,” the mic turned to Harris, who pointed out the irony of having Gabbard as a Democratic candidate after attacks she made on multiple past Democratic candidates — including President Obama for the duration of his presidency. The question went back and forth between Gabbard and Harris, who both criticized each other not on a policy level, but on an ability one. And it was, well, heated.
Did Kamala end Tulsi so completely she doesn’t get to talk anymore?
— jess mcintosh (@jess_mc) November 21, 2019
Klobuchar Brought Up Her Ex’s Donations…Again
Amy Klobuchar heroically reminded the audience that her exes donated $17,000 to her Senate run.
Listen all critical opinions about Amy Klobuchar aside, getting your ex boyfriends to give you $17,000 is big dick energy
— Emily Atkin (@emorwee) November 21, 2019
Amy Klobuchar Is On Fire Tonight
The moderators pulled out receipts for comments Klobuchar made about Buttigieg’s experience level, saying that a woman with his level of experience would never be seriously considered for president. In an absolutely fire moment, she told Buttigieg, “we could play a game called ‘name your favorite woman president,’ which we can’t do.”
Finally, A Paid Family Leave Question
For the first time on the debate stage this cycle, candidates discussed paid family leave in substantive detail. Andrew Yang kicked it off by referring to “new moms” staying at home, somehow setting the clock back 50 years in one fell swoop. Luckily, Klobuchar and Harris were able to shift the conversation to how supporting families (without calling out specific genders of caretakers) would require substantial leave. Harris in particular was strong and impassioned on her plan, the most generous yet, to provide families with six months of paid time off. Some commented on how having four women moderators made a difference.
Four female moderators asking two female presidential candidates to debate their paid family leave plans is real progress.
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) November 21, 2019
please let’s stop equating parental leave with “moms” we need to have gender neutral language when discussing parenthood! #demdebate
— Liz Plank (@feministabulous) November 21, 2019
Kamala Harris Says Trump Got “Punked” By North Korea
In a breakout moment, Harris said “Donald Trump got punked” by Kim Jong Un. And then this happened…
You. She’s awesome. https://t.co/VlQtyn9zzJ
— Douglas Emhoff (@douglasemhoff) November 21, 2019
MTV weighed in:
y'all remember Punk'd? #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/7V0X0qP77l
— MTV NEWS (@MTVNEWS) November 21, 2019
Joe Biden Says “We Gotta Keep Punching” At Violence Against Women
Biden, who recently put out an ad spotlighting his work on the Violence Against Women Act, was asked by Welker about #MeToo and said first step is to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and emphasized his work to prevent sexual assault on college campuses. “We have to fundamentally change the culture of how women are treated,” he said. “No man has a right to raise a hand to a woman in anger, other than self defense, and that rarely occurs. We have to keep punching at it and punching at it.” (The audience could be heard snickering at the last part.)
Kamala Harris Says It’s Time To Show Up For Black Women
“There are plenty of people who applauded Black women for the success of the 2018 election,” said Harris. “When Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die in connection to childbirth in America, when Black women make 61 cents on the dollar. The question is where have you been, and what are you gonna do?”
Senator Kamala Harris explains why black women are the backbone of the Democratic Party. pic.twitter.com/DiZ53rUZE2
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) November 21, 2019
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