Biden, Harris play defense at debate

By

National News

August 1, 2019 - 10:30 AM

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), right, speaks while former Vice President Joe Biden listens during the Democratic Presidential Debate in Detroit on Wednesday. (Scott Olson/Getty Images/TNS)

At first, it looked like the rematch was on.

Sen. Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden, standing at center stage at the Democratic presidential debate in Detroit, were clearly ready to reprise their prior debate face-off, training their focus on each other as the debate began. But the others on stage weren’t ready to cede the evening to the two top candidates.

Instead, both Harris and Biden found themselves playing defense not just against each other, but also against their other rivals: Sen. Michael Bennet, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, former U.S. Housing Secretary Julian Castro, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

It was a vivid illustration of the perils of being a front-runner.

Here are the main takeaways from Wednesday’s debate:

 

BOOKER STEPS INTO THE RING

Political watchers were abuzz with the prospect of a Harris-Biden showdown, after her searing rebuke of his civil rights record in the June debate. But while the California senator was clearly aiming her focus on Biden — particularly when arguing about health care — it was Booker who landed the most memorable scorchers against the former vice president.

The first blow came during the immigration debate, when Biden was attacked for the high number of immigrant deportations during the Obama administration. Biden demurred on whether he, as vice president, disagreed with President Barack Obama’s actions.

“You invoke Obama more than anyone in this campaign,” Booker said. “You can’t do it when it’s convenient and then avoid it when it’s not.”

Later, Biden criticized Booker for troubles at the Newark police department while he was mayor. Booker responded that he’d be happy to compare his record on criminal justice against Biden, adding with raised eyebrows “Quite frankly, I’m shocked that you do.”

He repeatedly hammered Biden for his role in the sweeping 1994 anti-crime bill, which Booker said has led to a crisis of mass incarceration

When Biden was undeterred on slamming Booker on civil rights abuses by Newark police, Booker had an easy quip in return: “You’re dipping into the Kool-Aid and you don’t even know the flavor.”

 

MIXED BAG FOR BIDEN

In the June debate, Biden seemed a half-step behind, making people wonder if Uncle Joe still had the vigor to withstand a tough campaign. On Wednesday, he half-jogged onto the stage and showed much more pep, particularly in the first half of the debate.

Biden knew he was in for a pile-on and he parried critiques of his record with more confidence than in the Miami debate. When Gillibrand laced into Biden for an old op-ed questioning the value of women working outside the home, he was prepared with a counter-punch, noting that the New York senator embraced his work on women’s rights in the past.

“I don’t know what’s happened except now you’re running for president,” he said.

But the barrage of attacks was not easily withstood, and Biden was at times muddled in his responses. When Harris slammed Biden for voting for the Hyde amendment — which prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortions — he struggled to explain why he now opposes the amendment after reversing his position earlier this year.

 

HARRIS ON

DEFENSE

Harris entered the first debate in June with stagnant poll numbers and a sense her campaign was treading water. Her sterling debate performance quieted those murmurs, vaulting her into the top tier of the field.

With that leap came a target on her back. Her health care plan was a major target Wednesday night. Biden, her main foe, criticized Harris for not doing anything as attorney general to address racial segregation in California schools.

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