What People Are Saying About Hillary Clinton at the CBS News Debate in Des Moines, Iowa
#DemDebate Reviews Are In: Clinton ‘Winner,’ ‘Peerless,’ ‘Delivered,’ ‘Claimed Superior Knowledge,’ ‘Moved Undecided Iowans’
Politico: “Hillary Clinton crushed her two rivals on the commander-in-chief test during last night’s debate.”
The New Republic: Hillary Clinton Is the Peerless 2016 Candidate
“By virtue of her four year tenure as secretary of state, Clinton is just incomparably briefed on foreign affairs. In terms of sheer factual and systemic knowledge, the contrast between Clinton and the other Democratic candidates is occasionally painful.”
Politico: “Seventy-seven percent of Democratic insiders surveyed called Clinton the winner, saying that of the three candidates on the stage, she showed the most presidential stature.”
CBS News: “Immediately after Saturday night's Democratic debate, CBS News interviewed a nationally representative sample of debate watchers assembled by GfK's Knowledge Panel who identified themselves as Democrats or independents. By a 23 point margin, these debate watchers say Hillary Clinton won the debate. Fifty-one percent say Clinton won, compared to 28 percent who favor Bernie Sanders. Just 7 percent pick Martin O'Malley as the winner. Fourteen percent called it a tie.”
The Hill: Poll: Clinton clear winner of second debate
“Sixty seven percent of Democratic primary voters said Clinton won the debate, Public Policy Polling (PPP) found. Twenty percent thought Sen. Bernie Sanders (I- Vt.) won the debate, PPP added, while 7 percent picked former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley as the winner.”
USA Today: “The former secretary of State showed a command of the world scene, and she reminded the crowd that she pushed for the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.”
Forbes (column): Hillary Clinton Wins A Spirited Democratic Debate
“Clinton cited the battle scars of waging the fight for healthcare reform and praised her former boss, President Barack Obama, for passing the Affordable Care Act despite obstacles by Republicans in Congress.”
Vox: “Winner: Hillary Clinton”
“The Democratic presidential debate on CBS Saturday night was really Hillary Clinton’s to lose, and she didn’t disappoint.”
Politico: “In one of the better moments for Clinton, the front-runner went after the Vermont senator for his position on gun control, forcing him to review his record over and over again.”
“I know that Sen. Sanders had a different vote than I did when it came to giving immunity to gunmakers and sellers,” she said. Adding that that decision made the “gun lobby” more powerful, she added, “That was a terrible mistake,” and said that she would “love” to see Sanders join with some of her former Senate colleagues to reverse that decision.”
Washington Post (column): “Clinton won the debate. And, if she and her opponents keep this up, she’s almost certainly going to win the nomination.”
The Guardian (column): Foreign policy requires nuance, not just talking points. Hillary Clinton delivered
“It should come as no surprise Clinton’s voice on foreign policy issues was strong...For instance, when questions were asked about Islamic extremism, ISIS and America’s leadership in the region it became clear Hillary Clinton was the only candidate who expressed a functional understanding of Middle East politics…”
Wall Street Journal: “A focus group conducted by a Democratic strategist in Iowa during the debate showed Mrs. Clinton to be the winner. The survey gauged the feelings of 33 undecided Democrats in Des Moines, where the debate was held. A total of 23 said Mrs. Clinton won the debate; 10 said Mr. Sanders was the winner. ‘It was clear that Clinton’s answers on terrorism, and her improved answers on domestic issues, moved undecided Iowans in striking ways,’ said the strategist, Chris Kofinis.”
McClatchy: “Sanders failed to deliver in small and large ways at the Democratic presidential debate Saturday that would have either cast positive attention on him or negative attention on her. It’s a dynamic that explains why she’s pulling comfortably ahead of him in the Democratic race and likely to remain there in the critical weeks to come.”
Politico: “Hillary Clinton hit back at Bernie Sanders’ call for single-payer health care, invoking her past work on the issue as proof that it would not be a viable policy solution”
“I don’t think we should have to be defending it among Democrats,” she said of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, remarking that others in her party should be working to improve the legislation instead.
TIME: “Time and again, the former Secretary of State claimed superior knowledge and experience than Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.”
“[Dickerson] asked each of the candidates to name a crisis they had experienced in their life that prepared them for the presidency. “Well, there are so many, I don’t know where to start,” Clinton responded, before retelling the story of her advising President Obama in the decision to launch a mission to kill Osama bin Laden.
“Her rivals could not match her.”
The New Republic: We Just Saw the Hillary Clinton that Republicans Will Have to Beat
“...Clinton’s performance wasn’t just about criticizing her Democratic opponents. It also was a clear preview of the campaign that Clinton is planning to run in the general election—with a message centered around bolstering the middle-class, a vigorous defense of Obama’s accomplishments, and sharp partisan attacks.”
New York Times: “The attacks on Mrs. Clinton were notably harsher than in the first Democratic debate last month, an illustration of the growing pressure her two rivals feel to differentiate themselves as she tightens her hold on the Democratic race.”
Washington Post: “As Sanders and O’Malley sought to score points by highlighting what they saw as mistakes by the Obama administration and its predecessors, Clinton tried to showcase the experience that she gained during four years as secretary of state, stressing repeatedly the complicated nature of global issues.”
