Hillary's Big Accusation: Does It Stand Up to Facts?

Hillary Clinton targets Donald Trump in Democratic debate
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 20, 2015 3:29 PM CST
Updated Dec 20, 2015 4:00 PM CST
5 Takeaways From Last Night's Dem Debate
Bernie Sanders speaks during a Democratic presidential primary debate Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH.   (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Hillary Clinton made a major accusation against Donald Trump at Saturday night's Democratic debate—and was late coming back from a possible bathroom break. Those are among the media takeaways from Saturday night's Democratic debate at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, between Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley:

  • Clinton's "above-the-fray posture in the debate" revealed her confidence that "neither of her Democratic rivals would prove a significant obstacle," the New York Times reports. By targeting Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal says, she "sought to cast herself as the likely nominee, playing down any threat posed by Mr. Sanders’ upstart campaign."
  • Clinton accused Trump of "becoming ISIS's best recruiter," saying the militant group is "showing videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists." But as the AP points out, her campaign hasn't shown evidence of specific videos being used that way.
  • For his part, Sanders apologized to Clinton for his campaign having taken information about her supporters. He also offered a way to get Middle Eastern countries to help fight ISIS: "Tell Qatar, instead of spending $200 billion on the World Cup, maybe they should pay attention to ISIS, which is on their doorstep," Slate quotes him as saying.
  • O'Malley "sought to promote himself as the technocratic voice of a new generation," writes John Cassidy at the New Yorker. "Occasionally, however, he overdid the youthful bit: after all, at the age of fifty-two, he is hardly a stripling."
  • Oh, and Clinton returned late from a commercial break with the debate already underway. "Sorry," she said with a smile.

Read the debate transcript (with interactive highlights) at the Washington Post, or see why Sanders had a great day this week. (More Democratic presidential candidates stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X