Another Day, Another Debate

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have just taken the stage for opening remarks. Both began with familiar points: Sanders hammered income inequality while Clinton positioned herself as an experienced leader qualified for the nation’s highest office. However, both deviated from expectation as well. Sanders addressed mass incarceration and a broken criminal justice system; Clinton introduced her vision for progressive, but realistic, economic policy.

Are these additions to their campaign rhetoric indicative of a new type of debate? In many ways the PBS debate is new territory. It is the first debate with all women moderators, Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff. It is also the first debate after the New Hampshire primary where Sanders triumphed with 60 percent of the vote. Finally, it is the first debate after a rocky week for Clinton’s campaign, which forced her to take the defensive and rework many of her campaign’s messaging tactics.

This will certainly be a significant debate to watch, especially as we head into the contentious South Carolina primary. For Iowa viewers, tune into IPTV (channel 11) and watch the spectacle unfold.