2020 Democratic candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Beto O’Rourke, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) were asked about their rivals while being interviewed on various Sunday morning shows, but none of them took the chance to bash one another.
While interviewing Sanders, “State of the Union” host Dana Bash brought up Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Cory Booker’s (D-NJ) support for private health insurance despite also backing Sanders’ Medicare for All plan.
“Are these candidates who still see a role for private insurance true supporters of your Medicare for All plan?” Bash asked.
Sanders said he’ll “let the voters decide.”
“You’re the creator of the plan,” Bash pointed out.
“Dana, I’m not here to attack Cory Booker. He’s a friend of mine,” Sanders replied. “Kamala Harris is a friend of mine.”
Bernie Sanders when asked about Cory Booker and Kamala Harris still supporting private insurance: "Dana, I'm not here to attack Cory Booker. He's a friend of mine. Kamala Harris is a friend of mine" pic.twitter.com/ta3NVYS7Cc
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) June 9, 2019
On “Face the Nation,” Klobuchar was asked about Joe Biden’s switch to opposing the Hyde Amendment, which was a big source of controversy this week for the former vice president, and whether there was any room in the party for those who aren’t pro-choice or don’t support federally funds going into abortion.
“Okay well, I’ll just make my position clear on this,” the Minnesota senator said. “I think what’s going on in Alabama and Georgia and these states that basically have said doctors should go to prison, that women should not have a choice at all, I think that is just wrong and the vast majority of Americans are going to be against that.”
Klobuchar said that it’s “fine” for the party to have pro-life Democrats because “you also see them not wanting to put that view on other people.”
“So for me, I didn’t agree with Joe Biden’s position,” Klobuchar added. “I am glad he changed it, it has long been my position.”
Klobuchar discussing Joe Biden's switch on the Hyde Amendment: "I didn't agree with Joe Biden's position. I am glad he changed it; it has long been my position" pic.twitter.com/Uvxi86IrDQ
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) June 9, 2019
When “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos asked O’Rourke a similar question about Biden’s position on abortion, O’Rourke pointed instead at his own pro-choice record.
“I can just tell you that I’ve always known what I thought on this issue: That every single woman in this country should be able to make her own decisions about her own body,” O’Rourke said.
“Is there any room in the Democratic party now for those who oppose abortion?” asked Stephanopoulos.
“Look, I think that’s a question that the candidates, including Vice President Biden, are going to have to answer for themselves,” O’Rourke replied. “I can just tell you that in the midst of a maternal mortality crisis in this country, three times as deadly for women of color, access to care is critically important.”
O’Rourke offered some light criticism later on: “It’s very hard for me to believe that we could ever produce a nominee who would not believe in a woman’s right to choose and the ability to stand and the mandate for us to stand with women in each and every instance.”
Beto O'Rourke on Biden switching positions on the Hyde Amendment: "I can just tell you that I've always known what I thought on this issue: That every single woman in this country should be able to make her own decisions about her own body” pic.twitter.com/tw0LKkdiLU
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) June 9, 2019
The report the controversy/sell the horse race strategy seems to have hit a couple speed bumps. How will MSM attract advertisers? How will the economy survive?
Yeah, I think each and every Democrat in the race knows that, once they get ugly, they’re out. It won’t be tolerated for a second this time around. Play nice or go home with zero delegates.
The media loves to ask questions that they think will stir things up -to shed more heat than light - when it would be much more fruitful if they would ask each candidate tough but fair questions on their personal positions on the various issues.
Good for Democrats to not fall for it because it would play into the media’s preconceived “Democrats are divided” canard.
But they are going to need to find ways to draw legitimate contrasts, without sounding nasty about it. It is going to be a challenge to thread that needle.
That’s true, and that’s where the debates come into play. I’d rather each candidate articulate and defend their ideas organically versus the others, than have the media try to gin up a conflict.