The first CNN democratic debate took place on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel at 7:30 p.m. The five democratic candidates for the presidency in 2016- Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chaffee, and Jim Webb- debated for two and a half hours over issues such as healthcare, education, foreign policy related to Russia, taxes, and immigration.

The debate was moderated by CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper. Cooper, along with political analysts and concerned Facebook users, questioned the candidates regarding their status on pressing American issues.

The questions from Facebook proved how social media can help Americans get in touch with politicians and have more of a say in public policy. Because many current LHS upperclassmen will be able to vote in the election, the direct connection from students to candidates through social media promotes political participation.  

This debate was much different from the two previous GOP debates. The candidates spoke collectively about how to better conditions for immigrants and how to put an end to the National Rifle Association. At the GOP debates, candidates took time to debate each other’s stances on issues of the government.

The most applauded moment of the debate was when Hillary Clinton was asked about her email scandal and if she is a trustworthy candidate. Senator Bernie Sanders responded, “Americans are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!” Clinton then shook Sanders’s hand and the two proved to be strong supporters of each other and good friends.

The best mic-drop closing statement came from former Gov. Martin O’Malley. O’Malley said the debate was “a search for answers,” and that politicians need to “speak to goodness” of the hardworking American voters. This statement by O’Malley was significant because he implicitly argued that the GOP debates were not concerned with the voters, but the candidates themselves.  

The next Democratic debate was held on Saturday, November 14th on CBS. It was hosted at Drake University in the middle of the state with arguably the most political drama – Iowa.