Hillary Clinton at the CNN/NY1 Debate in Brooklyn - Because THIS Time NY Actually MATTERS!

Finally the night has arrived and the much debated debate rolls out. Too late for should she or shouldn't she.  The date was finally settled and here we are. The Duggal Greenhouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, formerly gray from floor to ceiling, is decorated and lit in red, white, and blue and packed.  Looks like a major award show but for the lineup of pundits.

Here's the full transcript from the New York Times >>>>>



Below is my blow-by-blow.



It begins.


Sanders starts with how well he has done in the primaries and how well-financed he is by small donors. Claims it is because he is telling the truth. Citizens United/campaign reform. Rigged economy.

(Hillary on voting rights here.)

Hillary happy to be back in NY, honored to have served, reviews 9/11 and jobs successes and keeping NY values at the center.  Says that will be the center of what she will do as POTUS.  Big, bold, progressive goals.


Bernie on why he called her unqualified: Iraq War yada-yada-yada.
Hillary calls Bernie's attack a phony attack.


Hillary: Elected in NY twice and Secretary of State, and hit Bernie on his NYDN interview.

When Sanders talks about super PACs and Wall St $: "Not just an attack on me it’s an attack on President Obama"



The crowd sounds like a boxing match audience.  Hillary, "I love being in Brooklyn.  This is great."

From here on out I am calling it like a boxing match.

The Sanders sarcasm!  Really nasty.  Hillary DID go to Wall St. in 2007 and told them they had to stop.

Hillary counters the release of speeches question with a release of tax return question.  Same standards should apply to all.

Bernie inaccurately says she was not for the Fight for 15.  She was!  The history is here.

 

The gunfight starts and things get so rapid-fire - impossible to keep up.  Hillary shot him down.

Hillary asked what Bernie's lies are, particularly her being in big oil's pocket.  Hillary counters with need to talk about environmental issues.

Bernie says 43 fossil fuel exec maxed out in donations to Hillary.  Then he gets all Al Gore Global Crisis.

Hillary goes back to global crisis and revisits her Copenhagen visit with President Obama and Paris accords which Bernie attacked as not going far enough.  Rejecting the good in search of the perfect.

Hillary says it's easy to diagnose the problem it's harder to do something about the problem. Says she has not changed her view.  Natural gas is a way forward from coal. A bridge that needs to be crossed quickly.

Then Bernie makes Hillary's point.  You can't do it tomorrow. Shoots down his whole anti-incremental premise in one sentence.  Shoots self in foot.

Foreign policy.

Bernie spins Libya back to Iraq. Hillary straightens him out with requests from European allies that we provide support in Libya.

Bernie dodges question about how his position on NATO differs from Trump's.  Say's you have to ask Trump.

Hillary says Europe should be paying more, but that doesn't mean that if they don't we leave. Reminds us that NATO was with us in Afghanistan and points to Russian aggression.

Israel.

Hillary says Israel does not seek attacks from Hamas. Reminds us that she negotiated the cease fire. Stands by the two-state solution. Says if Arafat had agreed, we would have had a Palestinian state for 15 years already.

Hillary again says describing the problems is a lot easier than trying to solve it.  She reminds us that she is the one who focused on what was fair and right for the Palestinians and says as POTUS she will continue and get agreement.

Bernie makes a stupid remark.  Hillary says she never said Netanyahu is right all the time.  Hardly - but that's just me since I was watching those two all along. 

   

Social reform.

Question to Bernie on how to afford his plans.  Once again Medicare for all, free tuition, paid for by a tax on speculation.

Again Hillary agrees with the diagnosis.  Will make medical coverage 100% and will address. college costs. But Bernie's numbers don't add up. A train wreck for the poor.

Hillary supports getting ACA working for everyone rather than obliterating it and starting over.

Social Security.

Hillary will tax passive income for the wealthy. More benefits for women who have been left behind in social security.  Hillary led the fight against privatization!

Hillary, "There is still something called Congress. I happen to support Democrats... Let's get a Congress elected that will do something."

Bernie would ask Obama to withdraw the Merrick Garland nomination.  Hillary will not. He says Garland has not made it clear that he will overturn Citizens United.

Hillary calls out moderator - no question on women's health.

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton 

"We're never asked about [abortion]—this goes to who we are as women: our rights, autonomy, our ability to make our own decisions." —Hillary

Donald Trump said women should be punished for seeking an abortion. That's not a distraction—it's a disgrace.https://t.co/sbJ3opebyB

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 15, 2016

Dana Bash points out that maybe Bernie is not a Democrat. He says he's better than Hillary against Trump in the polls. Says there are a lot on Independents in the country. Bash points out that Hilalry has raised 15 million for Dems this year and he hasn't raised any. He says it isn't true. Bernie claims he has brought young people in.  He has not taught them to support other Dems - that's just me.

Hillary points out that she has more votes than anybody. Broad-based inclusive coalition that will defeat any Republican.

Bash asks about Bernie taking the fight to the floor.  He says he's going to win the nomination.

Hillary says her lead in pledged delegates is larger than what Obama had at this point in 2008 and repeats that she is taking nothing for granted and is going to work all the way to the end.

Bernie returns to the establishment and Wall St. You know the drill.

Closing statements.

Bernie grew up in Brooklyn. Yada yada yada. Wall St., Super PACs, yada yada. Health care, family leave, free tuition, yada yada.  Millions stand up, fight back, and bada-bing bada-boom create a government that works more than the 1%

Hillary: honored to have been elected by the people of NY.  Challenges of 9/11, care for first responders, jobs created.  Stood before against vested interests.  Asking again  for their support.  Wants to take down the barriers.  Will work her heart out. Won't make promises she can't keep. Will deliver results.

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton 

"Together, we won't just make promises we can't keep—we'll deliver results that will improve the lives of the people of America." —Hillary

And it's over.

 Hillary stayed on her feet - on her toes!  She delivered.  She will deliver as president, too!

Debate watch after party with the de Blasios.