MIAMI, FL — A two-night political spectacle kicked off Wednesday in Miami, but looked more like a football game than a Democratic presidential debate at times with so many people cramming the red-white-and-blue set.
Wednesday’s debate opened up with New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Rep. Beto O’Rourke among the first group of 10, trading sound bites. Three candidates, including O’Rourke, Booker and former Obama Housing Secretary Julian Castro answered questions partly in Spanish.
“Who is this economy really working for,” asked Warren to open the discussion. “It’s doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at the top. It’s doing great for giant drug companies. It’s just not doing great for people who are trying to get a prescription filled.”
She called for structural change to America’s government, economy and to the country itself. Advocating a government-run healthcare system, Warren declared: “Healthcare is a basic human right and I will fight for basic human rights.”
Booker blamed corporate consolidation for holding back competition. “I think we have a serious problem in our country with corporate consolidation,” he said. “We have people that work full-time jobs and still can’t make a living wage. We see that because consumer prices are being raised by pharmaceutical companies that often have monopolistic holds on drugs. You see that by just the fact that this is actually a corporate economy that is hurting small businesses and not allowing them to compete.”
He too advocated a government-run healthcare system though one with a private component unlike Warren.
“Healthcare is not just a human right. It should be an American right,” said Booker.
Former Rep. John Delaney of Maryland shared his vision for fellow Democrats. “I think we should be the party that keeps what’s working and fixes what’s broken,” he offered. “Why do we have to stand for taking away something from people?”
A total of 20 presidential candidates will take the stage at Miami’s Adriene Arsht Center over the course of the two nights — 10 candidates on Wednesday and another 10 on Thursday.
The debate aired at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday and will air at the same time on Thursday on NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo. It will be streamed online for free on a variety of digital and social platforms.
Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie and Jose Diaz-Balart began the questioning. The questions in the first hour touched on the government’s role in providing free or lower-cost college tuition to healthcare, immigration and abortion.
Before the first hour ticked away, President Trump weighed in via Twitter: “BORING,” he tweeted emphatically.
The second hour featured Rachel Maddow and Chuck Todd behind the microphones for NBC News in Miami. But the handoff was far from graceful as a glitch with the microphones forced a hastily called commercial break.
The president took to Twitter again saying that NBC News and MSNBC should be ashamed of themselves for having “such a horrible technical breakdown” in the middle of the debate. “Truly unprofessional and only worthy of a fake new organization, which they are,” he tweeted.
Appearing live after the debate, NBC late night funnyman Jimmy Fallon hinted that Vladimir Putin may have had a hand in the debate snafu.
“It’s too easy,” Fallon said in a Russian accent.
The next round of questions began with a discussion on gun safety then moved into climate change.
“Does your plan save Miami,” asked Maddow of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who was also part of Wednesday’s group.
“We need to do what I did in my state,” he said. “I am the candidate — and the only one — to say this has to be the top priority of the United States.”
Asked by Todd to sum up the greatest existential threat to the United States in as few words as possible,” O’Rourke agreed: “Our existential threat is climate change.”
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Castro said he envisions a different America if he is elected. “On Jan. 20, 2021, we’ll say adios to Donald Trump,” he said pointing to better healthcare, education and job opportunities.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she has a track record of passing more than 100 bills as the lead Democrat. “That is because I listen and I acted. I think that’s important in a president. Everything else just melts away.”
Mayor de Blasio said he and his fellow candidates are in a fight for the heart and soul of their party. “These things really matter,” he said. “Putting working people first, it matters. We need to be that party again.”
NBC had been skittish about revealing too much in advance. The network wouldn’t talk about topics on the agenda and kept under wraps details about how the debate would run until Tuesday.
With less than 48 hours’ notice, NBC announced the candidates would have 60 seconds to answer questions and 30 seconds for follow-ups. The candidates were allowed closing statements but no openers.
Rashida Jones, the NBC news executive behind this inaugural Democratic presidential debate, has the unenviable task of juggling all 20 candidates, five news personalities and one tweeting president.
Watch the 2020 Democratic presidential debate again on NBC News below.
“Primary debates are a big prestige event for every network,” observed Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of Hofstra University’s school of communication, who had Jones’ job four years ago. “It’s why every network tries to get one and tries to get as many as they can. It’s a branding opportunity.”
The American voting public will have four hours over the two days to get to know the candidates and to decide who will get their donations.
“It’s a sound bite competition,” Lukasiewicz said.
The teams of Guthrie and Diaz-Balart, and Todd and Maddow, moderated an hour each on Wednesday, with Holt and Guthrie a constant presence. The same approach was to be taken on Thursday.
“There’s nothing worse than not being heard,”said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, who participated in Wednesday’s debate. “Nothing worse than not being seen. I know that because I’ve represented for 17 years in Congress a forgotten community. They tried to divide us: Who’s white? Who’s black. Who’s gay? Who’s straight? Who’s a man? Who’s a woman? And they ran away with all of the gold because they divided the working class. It’s time for us to come together. I don’t how you feel but I’m ready to play some offense.”
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii said we now have a government that is owned by, and for the rich and powerful.
“As president, our White House, will be a beacon of light, providing hope and opportunity, ushering a new century where every single person will be able to get the healthcare they need, where we will have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink” she said.”
The following candidates participated in the Miami debate on Wednesday:
The following candidates were expected to participate in the Miami debate on Thursday:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.