The third Democratic debate happened last Tuesday, October 15th to give Americans insight on to the many Democratic candidates and their stances on current political issues. The debate featured 12 candidates, cut down from the usual 20 candidates in attendance at the other debates. 

The moderators, from CNN and The New York Times, started the debate off with specific questions about the Trump impeachment inquiry. All 12 candidates on the stage approved of impeachment, which is a change in many of their stances from previous debates where many wavered on  fully backing impeachment. Candidates Biden and Sanders even went so far as to say that “Donald Trump is the most corrupt president in American history.” (Democratic Debates) 

The moderators then directly asked Biden about the recent accusations surrounding  his son, Hunter Biden, and his dealings in Ukraine. Biden completely denied any wrongdoing, firmly standing behind his son’s statement. 

The topic was then switched to healthcare. Candidates such as Pete Buttigeg and Kalama Harris were quick to criticize Senator Elizabeth Warren on her Medicare for All proposal, pointing out that it wasn’t necessary to remove private insurance as a healthcare option. Moderators continued to press Warren to acknowledge how her plan would affect middle class taxes. She repeatedly dodged the question, even after Sanders – who supported the same plan – acknowledged that middle class taxes would go up as a consequence of this policy. 

The attack on Warren by other candidates reflects a changing race. In prior debates, many candidates went after Biden, as he clearly led in the polls. However, many moderates went after Warren this debate, as she has gained traction and popularity in many polls while Biden has been slipping. Even on the topic of foreign policy, Biden struggled to formulate a  concise response in the debate, causing many to question his ability to be a strong enough candidate to beat Donald Trump. Given that Biden’s main forte is foreign affairs, his performance did not inspire confidence. 

The debate still struggled to show a clear front runner. Many candidates regurgitated similar statements, and different policies became muddled among all the candidates, making it hard to differentiate and their arguments or declare a true victor. Additionally, Democrats are still torn over how much they should focus on the president. Some are eager to attack and criticize him, while others are more hesitant and concerned about losing support from moderate voters. Hopefully, as the race goes on, candidates will show more promise.