The Best Lines From the Democratic Debate

'When people come to this country, they do not leave their human rights at the border'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 26, 2019 11:33 PM CDT
Updated Jun 27, 2019 5:10 AM CDT
Best Lines From the Democratic Debate
Democratic presidential candidates participate in a Democratic primary debate hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Wednesday, June 26, 2019, in Miami.   (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Ten Democratic candidates jostled for attention in Miami Wednesday night in the first of two debates, clashing on issues including abortion, the border, and health care. The Guardian reports that Cory Booker had the most speaking time, with almost 11 minutes, followed closely by Beto O'Rourke and Elizabeth Warren, while Washington Gov. Jay Inslee only managed 5 minutes. Some standout lines:

  • Amy Klobuchar. "I don’t think we should be conducting foreign policy in our bathrobe at 5 in the morning." She was also applauded when she responded to Jay Inslee's statement that he was the only candidate to have passed a law protecting reproductive rights, USA Today reports. "There are three women up here that have fought pretty hard for a woman’s right to choose," she said.
  • Elizabeth Warren. "Who is this economy really working for? It's doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at the top." There was also a round of applause when was asked if she had a plan to deal with Mitch McConnell and said, simply: "I do," reports the Washington Post. She added: "Short of a Democratic majority in the Senate, you better understand the fight still goes on."
  • Bill de Blasio. "For all the American citizens out there who feel you’re falling behind, who feel the American dream is not working for you, the immigrants didn’t do that to you. The big corporations did that to you."
  • Jay Inslee. "We are the first generation to feel the sting of climate change and we are the last that can do something about it." He got the most applause, however, when he cited President Trump as the biggest threat to America.
  • Beto O'Rourke. "Right now we have a system that favors those who can pay for access and outcomes. That's how you can explain an economy that is rigged to corporations and to the very wealthiest." He was the first candidate to speak in Spanish, though Cory Booker and Julian Castro also displayed their fluency.

  • Tulsi Gabbard. "This president and his chickenhawk Cabinet have taken us to the brink of war with Iran," said Gabbard, who focused heavily on her military service. After Tim Ryan said the Taliban had flown planes into buildings, she fired back: "The Taliban didn’t attack us on 9/11. Al-Qaeda did."
  • Tim Ryan. "I've had family members that have had to unbolt a machine from a factory floor, put it in a box, and ship it to China."
  • John Delaney. "I think we should be the party that keeps what's working and fixes what's broken," Delaney said in response to suggestions that private healthcare be abolished.
  • Cory Booker. "When people come to this country, they do not leave their human rights at the border." He also spoke passionately about gun control, saying: "For millions of Americans, this is not a policy issue. This is an urgency. And for those that have not been directly affected, they're tired of living in country where their kids go to school to learn about reading, writing, and arithmetic, and how to deal with an active shooter in their school."
  • Julian Castro. "We’ll say adios to Donald Trump." Speaking about the border, he said the government shouldn't "criminalize desperation."
(More Democratic debate stories.)

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