Democratic Candidates Face Off In Town Hall As Iowa Caucus Approaches
DES MOINES, Iowa (CBSNewYork) -- Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O' Malley faced off in a Town Hall Monday night, with hopes of winning over potential voters in the upcoming Iowa caucus.
The event was hosted by CNN's Chris Cuomo at Drake University in Des Moines.
As opposed to previous Democratic debates, the Town Hall setting is more informal, with more opportunities for the candidates to engage in back-and-forth conversation. Voters were also invited to ask the candidates questions, with the candidates engaging directly with the audience.
Clinton and Sanders are locked in a tight race with a week to go until the Iowa caucus.
Sanders kicked off the first portion of the Town Hall, fielding questions on his political beliefs, funding for his 'Medicare For All' plan and his initiatives for women.
Sanders has outwardly defined himself as a democratic socialist. The candidate gave some insight on the definition of his political position.
"What democratic socialism means to me....is that economic rights, economic security should exist in America," Sanders said. "...It means that something's wrong that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer."
Sanders touted his recently-released 'Medicare for All' plan, which includes expanding universal health care coverage, as well as his plan to provide free college tuition to help alleviate what he called "horrendous" student loan debt.
"I demand that Wall Street start paying its fair share of taxes," Sanders said. "...I will take on the greed of Wall Street and help protect the middle class."
Sanders also addressed his level of experience to Clinton's on issues like foreign policy, where Clinton has asserted as having the upper hand as Secretary of State.
"Experience is important, but judgment is also important," Sanders said, urging the voters to learn more about his values and how they compare to his political opponents.
Sanders said he supported President Obama's recent executive order mandating gun sellers to perform background checks, emphasizing the need to eliminate straw man gun sales by making the act a federal crime. He also proposed expanding affordable mental health coverage to help curb gun violence and to provide care to those in need.
"We have to deal with the gun show loophole," Sanders said.
Sanders ended his Town Hall session by reminiscing on moments spent growing up in a rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn, joking about how he was an elementary school basketball champion. Sanders said those experiences growing up helped influence who he is now.
"These problems are so serious that they go beyond the establishment," Sanders said in his closing statement.
O'Malley was second to take the stage, choosing to stand while he addressed the audience. He began his session by addressing the voters of Iowa:
"The beauty of Iowa is that they're not intimidated by polls," O'Malley said.
O'Malley touted his accomplishments when he served as Governor of Maryland, focusing on his decriminalization of marijuana, "banning the box" for those seeking employment after being released from prison and repealing the death penalty.
O'Malley addressed Iowa voters directly when talking about his climate change plan, noting the state's own clean air initiatives and how the shift to clean energy could benefit the economy.
"Climate change is the greatest business opportunity...in the last 100 years," he said.
When asked how he would help grow the economy and bring people back to the workforce O'Malley emphasized giving more opportunities and easier workforce accessibility for veterans, and improving equal pay for equal work initiatives, including equal overtime.
"We do a very poor job of transitioning veterans to civilian life," O'Malley said.
When asked who he would back if he didn't receive the support he needed in the caucus, O'Malley instead called on his voters to "stay strong in the caucus" and to not back down.
"Our country is worth saving. The American dream is worth saving. America needs new leadership," O'Malley said.
Clinton was the last candidate to take the stage, addressing the public on the responsibilities of voting, running a solid campaign and working with President Obama.
"I've been on the front line of change and progress since I was your age," Clinton said in response to a question on her appeal to younger generations of voters.
Clinton also spoke of her work alongside husband and former President Bill Clinton, noting her efforts to propel health care legislation despite opposition.
Clinton also stressed the need for diplomacy when handling foreign policy, emphasizing her efforts in the Middle East. She said she will work to keep ground troops away from Syria and Iraq.
"To use diplomacy, even if its slow, boring hard...to be patient until it gets results," Clinton said.
Clinton said she is proud of her record as Secretary of State, and stressed the need for responsibility when handling foreign affairs as a world leader.
"This is not something new, this is a long-term challenge," Clinton said. "There is no time in human history where everything is going well."
Clinton also slammed GOP front runner Donald Trump on his recent comments on banning Muslims from entering the United States.
"It's not only shameful and offensive -- which it is -- it's also dangerous," Clinton said. "We can not tolerate this."
Clinton also called for more teamwork between the Democratic and Republican parties, saying cooperation is key when moving towards future goals.
"I want to start from the belief that we can find common ground," Clinton said.
Clinton also faced question on the two scandals the presidential candidate had faced throughout her campaign. When asked about Benghazi, Clinton said the issue was outdated.
"This is only still an issue because the Republicans want to keep it an issue," Clinton said.
She also touched on the more recent email scandal, which surfaced in the early months of her campaign, saying she was glad that people were going through her emails, though noting that some may be "embarrassing."
Clinton ended her Town Hall statements by speaking of her favorite president and his legacy.
"Sorry Obama, sorry Bill -- it's Abraham Lincoln," Clinton said.
The latest Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll found Clinton with 42 percent, Sanders with 40 percent and O'Malley with just 4 percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers. The poll, conducted between Jan. 7 and 10, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, suggesting it could be a toss-up between the former secretary of state and the Vermont senator.
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