The five declared Democratic candidates for president will debate each other in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, but the CNN moderators are expected to focus the debate on the two leading contenders, Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Also on the stage will be former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, and former Sen. Jim Webb (Va.). "The debates will alter the race," said Stephanie Cutter, a Democratic strategist and veteran of President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign. "Clinton will no longer be running against herself," she said, adding that time is running out for the bottom three candidates, and one in particular: "This is the last best chance for Martin O’Malley."
The Democratic Party is pretty united on policy issues, so CNN will be trying to spark fights over whatever fissures it can find whenever possible. The candidates, meanwhile, will likely play to the Democratic base. "There is a consensus around the idea that the path to the nomination and the path to the White House necessitates mobilizing the Obama coalition," said former Obama official Dan Pfeiffer, referring to the growing ranks of young, liberal, minority, and unmarried female voters whose support helped elect and re-elect Obama. "That works for us because two things have happened: The country has moved to the left on social issues and economic issues, and the politics of national security now lean more toward avoiding the next Iraq than looking for the next Iraq."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
In Suriname, the spectre of Dutch slave trade lingersUnder the Radar Dutch royal family visit, the first to the South American former colony in nearly 50 years, spotlights role of the Netherlands in transatlantic trade
-
Political cartoons for December 7Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include the Trump-tanic, AI Santa, and the search for a moderate Republican
-
Trump’s poll collapse: can he stop the slide?Talking Point President who promised to ease cost-of-living has found that US economic woes can’t be solved ‘via executive fiat’
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
