DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE // Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton went on the attack early against rival Bernie Sanders in their first one-on-one debate on Thursday, questioning whether his proposals were viable and saying it was unfair to question her liberal credentials.
Five days before New Hampshire holds the second of the state-by-state presidential nominating contests, the intensity of the tightening race was reflected in the sharp exchanges between Mrs Clinton and Mr Sanders on health care, college costs and efforts to rein in Wall Street.
Mrs Clinton said Mr Sanders’ proposal for single-payer universal health care coverage would jeopardise ObamaCare, calling it “a great mistake,” and she said his plans for free college education would be too costly to be realistic.
“I can get things done. I’m not making promises I can’t keep,” Mrs Clinton said.
Mr Sanders said he would not dismantle ObamaCare but would expand it, pointing to how many other countries provide universal health care.
“By moving forward, rallying the American people, I do believe we should have health care for all,” he said.
Mr Sanders said his proposal for free tuition at public universities would be paid with a tax on Wall Street speculation. “The middle class bailed out Wall Street in their time of need. Now, it is Wall Street’s time to help the middle class,” he said.
Polls show Mr Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, has a double-digit lead over Mrs Clinton in New Hampshire after surprising the front-runner by finishing just barely behind her in Iowa on Monday.
Since then, the Democrats have clashed sharply over who is more capable of carrying out the party’s proposals to battle income inequality, bolster health care coverage and regulate Wall Street.
The exchanges had intensified ahead of the debate, the first since former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley dropped out on Monday night. It is one of four debates the Democrats agreed to add to the schedule on the long road to the November 8 presidential election.
Mr Sanders criticised Mrs Clinton as being too cozy with Wall Street, noting her Super PAC had taken contributions from Wall Street firms and that she has taken speaking fees from Goldman Sachs.
Mrs Clinton called that an “artful smear” and said she had never changed a view or a vote because of her donations.
* Reuters
