.@HillaryClinton supporters loud and proud!! Turnout is amazing! #HRCinSC @AdamParkhomenko @HillaryforSC pic.twitter.com/Y5EVzXTJyS
— Jack Miller (@politicalmiller) November 6, 2015
It was not a debate. It was a forum with individual candidates. Rachel Maddow asked tough questions. They were not questions that could necessarily be answered by rehearsed slogans.
Martin O'Malley was first up. To Maddow's light questions: If he had to catch his own food he would fish, but if by some miracle he becomes POTUS it seems he is not planning on joining Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral to fish since his least practical article of clothing is a kilt.
Bernie Sanders was up next. As to ISIS, he proposed what President Obama and both Secretary Clinton and Secretary Kerry have advocated all along - coalition. To Rachel's light questions (not about underwear): Dream job, president of CNN. Most miss since technology has taken over. - paper books. Does not curse - on this show. Biggest misconception about him: people think he is grumpy, too serious. Not a light question, would he put a Republican in his cabinet? "Do you want me to destroy some nice guy's political career?" He had a chance to talk a little about his civil rights history.
Hillary was last. In her initial comments: "How do we have a new deal?" Too close to Wall St.? "I represented NYC beyond Wall St. I went to Wall St. in 2007 said you guys have got to stop it!" To Rachel's light questions: If you had time what language would you learn? Spanish. Introvert or extrovert? "Extro-introvert." If you had to pick a GOP candidate as VP, who? "Whoever I name will get hurt. There are Republicans I could pick, just none of them."
"I have been committed to and working on issues that I think are important...in particular to people who are marginalized." —Hillary
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 7, 2015
"Pres. Obama doesn't get the credit he deserves for the job he's done...I want to build on that progress—but I want to go further." —Hillary
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 7, 2015
"I wanna be the president for the struggling, the striving, and the successful." —@HillaryClinton to Rachel Maddow #HRCinSC
— Hillary for SC (@HillaryforSC) November 7, 2015
"Anybody who thinks that they can influence what I will do doesn't know me very well." —Hillary
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 7, 2015
"It is hard to understand why the suspension and expulsion rate is so much higher for black kids than for white kids." —Hillary
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 7, 2015
On foreign policy, the use of force "should always be the last resort—not the first choice." —Hillary
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 7, 2015
"If you stand for equal rights, if you stand against discrimination, you don't just do it once—you've got to keep fighting." —Hillary
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 7, 2015
"I knew we'd end up talking about hair. That was a permanent. I have such straight hair. It took three times."
On a final note: Hillary Clinton was the only one of the three who never felt it was necessary to raise her voice. She remained conversational throughout.
