Senior Kamala Harris fired back at Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday night after the Hawaii congresswoman tore apart her record as an attorney general during an intense exchange at CNN’s presidential debate.

In a post debate interview with Anderson Cooper, Harris was asked about Gabbard’s searing criticisms of her resume as California’s attorney general. After watching the playback, Harris reacted by referring to herself as a “top-tier candidate” who was likely to come under attack since “a lot of people that are trying to make the stage for the next debate… Especially when people are at 0 or 1% or whatever she might be at.”

That’s when Harris went for the jugular by digging at Gabbard’s controversial meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad:

“This coming from someone who has been an apologist for an individual, Assad, who has murdered the people of his country like cockroaches. She who has embraced and been an apologist for him in a way that she refuses to call him a war criminal. I can only take what she says and her opinion so seriously. So, you know, I’m prepared to move on.

Watch above, via CNN

Fox News reporter Peter Doocy pulled his away mic away from Julian Castro on Wednesday night as the former HUD secretary took shots at President Donald Trump after the CNN Democratic 2020 primary debate.

Doocy was in the spin room after CNN’s debate when he spotted Castro and tried to move through fellow reporters to get up closer. Doocy wasn’t able to get in a question, but he held out his mic while Castro elaborated on his back-and-forth with Joe Biden on immigration.

“I said that I learned from the lessons of the past,” Castro said. “We have to acknowledge of course that Trump has been so much worse on this issue…”

Whatever Castro was going to say next, Fox News viewers didn’t get to hear it since that’s when Doocy pulled the mic back and threw the feed back to Shannon Bream.

Viewers did end up hearing some Trump bashing later on. Doocy interviewed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who said, “We have a misogynist in the White House. President Trump demeans and degrades women everyday — particularly women of color.”

Watch below, via Fox News.

Former Vice President Joe Biden had arguably a much stronger showing at CNN’s debate than he did in the first bout last month. But he ended on a bizarre note by telling people to visit an apparently nonexistent campaign site.

From what we can tell, Biden sought to tell people to text “JOE” to 30330, which signs users up for text updates from his campaign. But Biden instead said, nonsensically, “go to Joe30330 and help me in this fight,” not indicating that he was talking about a text service.

Biden’s campaign quickly got out in front of the gaffe.

I just got off the stage where I shared my bold vision for our future built on uniting our country. Because I know if we work together, there’s nothing we can’t do.

Let’s keep our momentum going. If you liked what you heard tonight, text JOE to 30330 and let’s get to work. pic.twitter.com/EDIKTYiJB1

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 1, 2019

That didn’t stem the tide of mockery. Twitter was equally confused and amused by the frontrunner’s stumble.

BRB registering Joe 30330 dot com

— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) August 1, 2019

Joe30330?

— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) August 1, 2019

joe three oh three three oh dot com?
was https://t.co/fZJNfFRlaR already taken?

— Philip Gourevitch (@PGourevitch) August 1, 2019

Live look at Joe Biden’s social media team: pic.twitter.com/TApTcHKuCn

— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) August 1, 2019

“If you agree with me, go to ‘Joe [nuclear code sequence].’”

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) August 1, 2019

“If you agree with me, go to joe biden dot angelfire dot net slash my folder slash about dot html”

— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) August 1, 2019

gonna take my horse to the old town joe, 3 0… 3.. 3 0

— libby watson (@libbycwatson) August 1, 2019

Please go to Joe 3.14159265359

— Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp) August 1, 2019

Me trying to figure out Joe Biden’s website pic.twitter.com/580k0rIhFA

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) August 1, 2019

If you turn off the lights, look in the mirror, and chant Joe 0 3 0 3 0 three times a Boomer appears and steals your retirement savings

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) August 1, 2019

joe biden’s staff after he had a stroke at the end of the debate pic.twitter.com/IeQDszqSC9

— Matt MORE FOLLOWERS THAN JOHN DELANEY Negrin (@MattNegrin) August 1, 2019

“Go to Joe 3-0-3-3-0, and help me in this fight.”

Joe, what in God’s name was this? pic.twitter.com/Yq1g5mXI6m

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 1, 2019

Joe Biden just told us his pin number

— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) August 1, 2019

pokemon joe (3030) to the polls

— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) August 1, 2019

joe biden directing people to visit the website for the late-2000s warped tour rap-rock band 3OH!3

— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) August 1, 2019

867-5309/Joe

— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) August 1, 2019

Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s campaign apparently bought and registered joe3030.com, which now redirects to the candidate’s campaign website.

Joe30330.com has also been bought and redirects to something called the Josh for America Exploratory Committee. The donation page encourages visitors to donate to Buttigieg.

Watch above, via CNN.

Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang broke the fourth wall on Wednesday night when he used his closing statement at the CNN debate to decry the reality-show pageantry of American politics.

As he delivered his final statement for the night, Yang began by lamenting how pundits at the last Democratic debate focused more on his lack of a tie than on his poll numbers or policy positions.

“Instead of automation in our future,” Yang said. “We’re up here with make-up on our faces and our rehearsed attack lines, playing roles in this reality TV show. It’s one reason why we elected a reality TV star as our president.”

“We need to be laser focussed on solving the real challenges of today,” Yang said as he pivoted to his proposal of giving families a “freedom dividend” of $1,000 a month.

“If you care more about your family and your kids than my neckwear,” Yang concluded, “enter your zipcode and see what $1,000 a month would mean to your community.”

Watch above, via CNN.

Fox News personality Tomi Lahren faced heavy criticism for a tweet baselessly accusing Sen. Kamala Harris of sleeping her “way to the top” — even getting hit by a fellow Fox News host.

Lahren, furiously live-tweeting the Democratic primary debate, wrote in one missive: “Kamala did you fight for ideals or did you sleep your way to the top.”

Kamala did you fight for ideals or did you sleep your way to the top with Willie Brown?

— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) August 1, 2019

Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco, once dated Harris.

Lahren faced pushback for her tweet from Fox’s Kat Timpf, who said, “I am curious to know what you think bringing a woman’s personal/sexual life into this accomplishes. Men do that to us enough as it is.”

I am curious to know what you think bringing a woman’s personal/sexual life into this accomplishes. Men do that to us enough as it is. I’m honestly asking. https://t.co/MgO0yMrAHT

— Kat Timpf (@KatTimpf) August 1, 2019

Lahren didn’t respond to Timpf but later doubled down.

Ask Willie Brown how Kamala became AG of CA…

— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) August 1, 2019

Lahren was widely condemned for her remark.

You sound gracious and reasonable. https://t.co/ircpjP60D2

— Christina Sommers (@CHSommers) August 1, 2019

This is pretty shameful — this kind of thinking is more a reflection of who YOU are than who she is. Funny how this question isn’t asked of men running for office. https://t.co/AfFIUop57O

— julie k. brown (@jkbjournalist) August 1, 2019

This is real classy, Tami. https://t.co/dF8dVII3Tv

— andy lassner (@andylassner) August 1, 2019

You are filth.

— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) August 1, 2019

What the hell is wrong with you?

— Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (@esglaude) August 1, 2019

Everyone: Kamala is a cop.

Tomi Lahren: LEROOOYYYYY JENKINNNNNNNSSSSS!!!!! https://t.co/QvWdGtG2a5

— $iraj Ha$hmi (@SirajAHashmi) August 1, 2019

This is so gross. pic.twitter.com/Gyw0S4oHz3

— Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 1, 2019

. @KatTimpf, a Fox News contributor, quote tweeting Tomi Lahren, another Fox News contributor, and retweeted by Meghan McCain. pic.twitter.com/Gp4YQNZUJh

— Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 1, 2019

This kind of commentary is really reprehensible. https://t.co/qOl2djsxlk

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) August 1, 2019

Surprised this tweet from a Fox News contributor surprisingly hasn’t been deleted. https://t.co/Rn7H2GeWZZ

— Rob Tornoe (@RobTornoe) August 1, 2019

This is gross, even for you Tomi.

— John Iadarola (@johniadarola) August 1, 2019

[Image via screengrab]

For two and a half hours on Wednesday, the second half of the two night CNN Democratic debate took place in Detroit, and it was a banger. On the garish stage, to much pageantry, the second set of Democrats sparred heavily, scrapping, jabbing, and trying to wrestle for the top spot.

Some succeeded, some failed, and it wasn’t always according to expectations. Here below, the winners, and the losers, of the second half of CNN’s primary debate.

—-

WINNERS

Cory Booker: Cory Booker has some of the highest name recognition of any of the candidates on the stage, but hasn’t been able to break through in media coverage or in the polls. But against that potential for being overlooked, Booker made himself present anyway. He had less speaking time than three other opponents — Biden, Harris and Gillibrand — but he made what could have been the biggest splash of the night with two jaw-dropping rhetorical assaults on Joe Biden, including crushing the VP with a searing line: “If you want to compare records and I’m shocked that you do, I am happy to do that.”

Andrew Yang:
Yang had vocal supporters in the audience, which never hurts. But he also managed to stay out of the fist fights while still making an impression.

Tulsi Gabbard: Gabbard isn’t the most popular when it comes to her own party, but on Wednesday she definitely came out ahead in the debate. She not only delivered snappy lines in general, she got the better of top tier candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, who came in a favorite for the win but did not deliver. (See below.)

In case you’d like to see Tulsi Gabbard destroying Kamala Harris again, here you go:
pic.twitter.com/WJvSwdlx3f

— Courtney Holland (@hollandcourtney) August 1, 2019

The CNN moderators: The format of these debates is still, to put it mildly, imperfect. But for a difficult format and too many candidates, tonight’s moderators did a pretty good job of keeping the answers tight and brief, and on topic. (Biden especially was compliant [see below].)

LOSERS
Kamala Harris and Joe Biden: The moderators went early and hard for this rivalry, and it didn’t play well for either candidate. It was very snipey and combative, came off petty at times, and seemed to throw Harris off her game for the remainder of the debate, leaving her open for a killing blow from Tulsi Gabbard (see above.)

Biden, for his part, was practically docile about being cut off by the moderators, sometimes stopping mid-sentence. People always object to the politicians who won’t shut up, but on Wednesday a lot of people criticized Biden for the opposite: shutting up on demand. He was more combative with the other candidates, but overall came off like he welcome the chance to stop talking.

Kirsten Gillibrand and Bill de Blasio: Gillibrand seemed broken tonight. This was especially true after a smack down by Joe Biden in one of his strong moments. Gillibrand, like Harris, gave the impression that she wasn’t expecting to be pushed back against so much, but unlike Harris it seemed to bring Gillibrand to the breaking point. Conversely, Bill de Blasio obviously came expecting to be called out and fought with, and wasn’t a big star, no matter how hard he tried to engage. The Mayor was more of an afterthought than Booker, Yang, or even Bennet.

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard drew the crowd’s attention on Wednesday when she brutally attacked Senator Kamala Harris’ criminal justice record at the CNN Democratic 2020 primary debate in Detroit.

As Harris spoke about her time as former Attorney General of California, Gabbard tied Harris’ record to the “broken criminal justice system that is disproportionately, negatively impacting black and brown people all around the country.”

“I’m deeply concerned about this record,” Gabbard said. “She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana.”

The crowd applauded as Gabbard continued to accuse Harris of blocking evidence to exonerate a man who was on death row, and that she “kept people in prison beyond their sentences to use them as cheap labor for the state of California.” When Harris was given a chance to respond, she said she was proud of her work as she insisted that she led a major reform of California’s legal system.

“I am proud of making a decision to not just give fancy speeches or be in a legislative body and give speeches on the floor but actually doing the work of being in the position to use the power that I had to reform a system that is badly in need of reform,” Harris said.

Gabbard took another shot: “The bottom line is…when you were in a position to make a difference and an impact in these people’s lives, you did not.”

“In the case of those who are on Death Row, innocent people, you blocked evidence from being revealed that would have freed them until you were forced to do so,” she said, as the crowd applauded loudly. “There’s no excuse for that, and the people who suffered under your reign as prosecutor, you owe them an apology.”

“My entire career, I have been personally opposed to the death penalty and that has never changed and I dare anybody who’s in a position to make that decision to face the people I have faced to say I will not seek the death penalty,” Harris responded. “That is my background, that is my work. I am proud of it.”

Watch above, via CNN.

In a stunning multi-part exchange, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) absolutely torched former Vice President Joe Biden on several different topics – including, notably, criminal justice.

In a tense skirmish early which took place over two segments in Wednesday night’s presidential debate, the New Jersey senator called out Biden for being involved with a great deal of criminal justice legislation for the past four decades that has “lock[ed] people up, not lift[ed] them up.”

“If you want to compare records and I’m shocked that you do, I am happy to do that,” Booker said in a brutal jab. “Because all the problems that he is talking about that he created, I actually led the bill that got passed into law that reverses the damages that your bills that you were bragging calling it the Biden crime bill up until 2015.”

Biden defended his work as reflecting the consensus view at the time, then ripped Booker for policies he enacted as mayor of Newark.

“The bills that the … senator is talking about, are bills that were passed years ago and passed overwhelmingly,” Biden said. “Since 2007, I, for example, tried to get the crack powder cocaine disparity eliminated. In 2007, you became mayor, and you had a police department that you went out and hired Rudy Giuliani’s guy and you engaged in stop and frisk. You had 75 percent of those stops reviewed as illegal, the Justice Department came after you for saying you were engaging in behavior that was inappropriate, and then in fact nothing happened. The entire time you were mayor.”

Booker fired back: “There’s a saying in my community that you’re dipping into the kool-aid and you don’t even know the flavor. You need to come to the city and see the reforms we put in place. The head of the ACLU said that I embraced reform not just in action but in deeds. You are trying to shift the view from what you created. There are people right now in prison for life, for drug offenses because you stood up and used that tough on crime phony rhetoric that got a lot of people elected but destroyed communities like mind. This isn’t about the past. This is about the present, right now.”

In the previous segment, Booker called out a comment from Biden when he said that immigrants with a PhD can “come right in,” and did so by making reference to a profane comment from President Donald Trump.

“That’s playing into what the Republicans want,” Booker said. “To pit some immigrants against [others] … from shithole countries. We need to be the country that says everyone has worth and dignity and this should be a country that honors everyone. Don’t let the Republicans divide this party against itself.”

Watch above, via CNN.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee drew applause on Wednesday night when he pronounced President Donald Trump a “white nationalist” at CNN’s 2020 Democratic primary debate.

As the candidates debated their respective approaches to illegal immigration and the border crisis, Inslee got in and said “we’re missing two central statements we should make.”

“We can no longer allow a white nationalist to be in the White House, number one,” Inslee said, which drew massive cheers from the room.

“Number two,” Inslee continued, “we have to make America what it’s always been, a place of refuge. We’ve got to boost the number of people we accept. I’m proud to have been the first governor to say ‘send us your Syrian refugees.’ I’m proud to have been the first governor to stand up against Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. I’m proud to have sued him 21 and beat him 21 times in a row. I’m ready for November 2020.”

Watch above, via CNN.

Sen. Cory Booker apparently had no problem with anti-Bill de Blasio protestors interrupting his opening statement during the CNN debates.

“To the folks who were standing up to Mayor de Blasio a few minutes ago—good for you,” Booker, or his campaign, tweeted from the senator’s account.

To the folks who were standing up to Mayor de Blasio a few minutes ago—good for you. That’s how change is made. #DemDebate https://t.co/zix0UzmZFa

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 1, 2019

Booker was interrupted by a number of protestors chanting “Fire Pantaleo,” in reference to the New York City police officer accused of killing Eric Garner. The New Jersey Senator was forced to halt his opening statement as the protestors were removed from the debate hall. Bill de Blasio recently said he would not fire the officer following the Department of Justice declining to bring charges.

De Blasio also sent out a statement saying he “heard” and “saw” the protestors.

To the protestors in the audience today: I heard you. I saw you. I thank you.

This is what democracy looks like and no one said it was pretty. #DemDebate

— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 1, 2019

Watch above, via CNN.

The two frontrunners at the second Democratic debate sparred early over their respective healthcare plans, with Vice President Joe Biden directly calling out Sen. Kamala Harris’ conflicting positions in the short time she’s been a presidential candidate.

“You can’t beat President Trump with double talk,” he said.

Harris just released a healthcare plan that would phase in Medicare to the whole population over 10 years while maintaining a role for private insurance. But in previous campaign events — and at the first Democratic debate in June — Harris seemed to contradict her new plan by indicating she was ready to eliminate private insurance much sooner. She was also a cosponsor of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All bill, which would convert the nation’s healthcare to a single-payer system over a four-year period.

“I devised a plan where it will be ten years of transition,” Harris said in a rebuttal to Biden’s comments earlier in the week calling her plan a “have-it-every-which-way” approach. “I designed a plan where yes, responsive to the needs of American families, there will be a public plan under my plan for Medicare and the private plan under my plan for Medicare. Because the bottom line is this, we must agree that access to health care must be a right and not just a privilege of those who can afford it. 30 million people are going without access to health care.”

Biden, however, attacked the plan as far too costly and hit Harris for having shifted her policy stances.

“My response is the senator had several plans so far and any time someone tells you you’re going to get something good in 10 years, you should wonder why it takes 10 years,” Biden said. “If you notice, there is no talk that the plan in 10 years will cost $3 trillion. You will lose your employer-based insurance and, in fact, you know, this is the single most important issue facing the public and, to be very blunt and to be very straightforward, you can’t beat President Trump with double talk on this plan.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.

Opening statements during the CNN Democratic debates on Wednesday ground to a halt after protesters heckled New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.

Booker’s opening statement was momentarily stopped due to the protestors drowning out his statement.

According to reports, the protestors were chanting “Fire Pantaleo” in reference to NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who put Eric Garner into a fatal chokehold five years ago. The Department of Justice recently announced it would not charge Pantaleo and dropped the case.

Whole debate interrupted with “FIRE PANTALEO” chants aimed at de Blasio. Pantaleo is the Staten Island cop involved in Eric Garner death.

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) August 1, 2019

“Fire Pantaleo” appears to be the audience chant. Daniel Pantaleo is the NYPD officer who put Eric Garner in a fatal chokehold. Protestors have called on Bill de Blasio to fire him; De Blasio has so far declined.

— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) August 1, 2019

It was unclear why protestors interrupted Booker with the chants, as he was a U.S. Senator representing New Jersey at the time of Garner’s death.

A single heckler could also be heard chanting during de Blasio’s opening statement, but it wasn’t enough to drown him out.

Watch above, via CNN.

Former vice president Joe Biden and California Senator Kamala Harris shook hands with each other at the top of their rematch at the CNN Democratic 2020 primary debate in Detroit, Michigan.

There’s been a great deal of anticipation for the reunion of the two candidates: it’s their first encounter since their head-to-head at last month’s debate. Harris had a breakout moment when she took shots at Biden’s history with busing and civil rights, and he has promised to not be so “polite” if she comes after him again.

When the candidates were called to the stage, Biden came up first with Harris following right after. Biden clapped for her as she approached him on center stage, and as they shook hands, Biden could be heard telling Harris: “Go easy on me kid.”

Watch above, via CNN.

There is nothing like primary debate night for weird statements, gaffes, and drama. That is, if you’re the kind of person who follows politics. And if you are, then you probably think it goes without saying that none of the Democrats vying for the 2020 nomination are a Barack Obama-level candidate. Or rather, it usually goes without saying. Out loud.

But not if you’re DNC Chair Tom Perez, who kicked off night two with a kick-in-the-teeth reminder of who the party doesn’t have to face Donald Trump next year.

“I’ve read that speech a thousand times,” said Perez, reminiscing about Martin Luther King Jr writing the I Have a Dream speech. “That speech embodies the hopes and aspirations of a nation. It was about the intersection of labor and civil rights. The challenges of the time, as Dr. King correctly said. Where jobs and justice — jobs and justice, the same challenges we tackle today. Jobs and justice.”

“And I’ve had the honor of tackling the challenges at our labor secretary and as the head of your civil rights division under Barack Obama,” said Perez. “Am I only one who misses Barack Obama in this room?!”

The crowd went wild.

Perez was probably thinking of the context of Trump in the Oval Office rather than Obama. But considering he was introducing the contenders for that office next time around, it was a rather, if accidental, pointed comment.

The audience seems to miss Obama. Probably they, too, were thinking of him in comparison to Trump and not to the candidates that were about to take the stage.

Probably.

During MSNBC’s post-debate coverage, which heavily focused on emphasizing the views of moderate Democratic candidates, host Brian Williams mocked the ambitious plans of progressive Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders as “offering free salad bar and breadsticks, everything right up to that.”

Williams’ comments came nearly an hour after the end of the first night of the second round of 2020 Democratic debates. He contrasted the progressive wing of the party’s large-scale plans, like Medicare for All and student loan forgiveness, with more centrist candidates, who questioned the viability of those plans.

“You got one side of the party offering free salad bar and breadsticks, everything right up to that, and the other side of the party trying to be the moderates, saying: ‘We can’t promise this stuff,'” Williams said, offering his take on the debate to Washington Post political reporter Robert Costa.

Costa, however, said he thought the center-left bloc didn’t fare well in its exchanges with Sanders and Warren, who are polling far higher than moderate candidates like former Rep. John Delaney, Rep. Tim Ryan, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and former Gov. John Hickenlooper, who are barely polling at one percent. Warren notably scored one of the biggest applause lines of the night in her scorching rebuttal to Delaney and his attacks on the progressives for trying to do too much on healthcare reform, even though Democrats overwhelmingly favor policies like Medicare for All.

“You didn’t see a breakout performance from any of those moderates who want to own that space in the race,” Costa said. “You did see Mayor [Pete] Buttigieg trying to navigate being on the left, being on the center left and not getting lumped into the left camp or the center camp. But no real breakthrough for the center tonight.”

Watch the video above, via MSNBC.

Fox News’ Howard Kurtz spoke with Shannon Bream tonight to assess how the CNN moderators did at tonight’s debate.

And he had praise for two of the three of them.

He said the debate was substantive and the moderators did a decent job enforcing time limits before criticizing Don Lemon, saying, “The liberal opinion host on the panel asked questions that were blatantly from the left promoting gun control and referring to President Trump as a racially divisive bigot.”

Kurtz added, “But I’ve got to say Jake Tapper and Dana did an excellent job pressing the candidates on their positions.”

You can watch above, via Fox News.

CNN’s Van Jones said that Sen. Bernie Sanders was the “comeback kid,” adding that he is trying to lead a revolution while Sen. Elizabeth Warren is trying to be president.

“Bernie is the comeback kid a little bit tonight. The last time he was weaker, he seemed like he was fading. He was strong tonight. He reminded you why you like Bernie and he was tough,” said Jones.

“Bernie Sanders re-established himself as trying to lead the revolution. When Elizabeth Warren is trying to lead the country. She is trying to be president of the United States,” Jones added.

“When you listen to Elizabeth Warren, she is doing the business of saying, hey, look, I am electable because I have courage, because I have character, I believe in what I’m talking about,” said Jones. He said that Warren can both unify the party and electrify voters.

Jones added in that he thought Mayor Pete Buttigieg had done very well that night but he still was “not yet connecting on the race questions.”

You can watch above, via CNN.

While 2020 presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson was widely considered a non-serious candidate going into the DNC’s second round of debates on Tuesday, the self-help author quickly set herself apart from the rest of the Democrats on stage and received huge applause lines for her commentary on issues ranging from “dark psychic forces,” to slavery reparations.

Williamson’s two biggest applause lines came during her commentary on race during the course of the Democratic showdown in Detroit, as the CNN hosts asked her how she would deal with the environmental racism in places like Flint, Michigan. Though, the debate moderators failed to ask Williamson about her anti-science views, particularly on the issue of vaccines, which she has routinely questioned the need for.

“What happened in Flint would not have happened in [the white neighborhood of] Gross Point, this is part of the dark underbelly of American society, the racism, the bigotry, and the entire conversation that we’re having here tonight,” the self-help author said during her first major applause line.

Later in the debate, Williamson received much praise for demanding that $200-500 billion be reinvested into the black community to make up for “40 acres and a mule” that slaves were promised after the Civil War, but never received.

“There was 4 to 5 million slaves at the end of the civil war, and they were probably 40 acres and a mule for a family of four, if you did the math today it would be trillions of dollars, and anything less than a hundred billion dollars is an insult and 200 to 500 billion is politically feasible,” the self-help guru said as they auditorium erupted into cheers.

After these viral moments, Williamson’s name shot to the top of Google’s search trends — topping overall searches when compared to the other candidates in the debate.

Williamson’s big moments of the night ended up being the main aspect of the debate discussed on Twitter, as her name became the #1 trend in the U.S. more than once throughout the event. Some sincerely praised Williamson, including Donald Trump Jr., journalists, and press staffers working for rival candidates such as Sens. Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, while other continued mocking her or ironically suggesting she will be the strongest candidate to run against President Donald Trump, given that she is currently the only 2020 hopeful confronting the “dark psychic forces” in America.

Williamson’s name even became the top Google search trend of the candidates that participated in the debate.

Check out a few of the top reactions below:

Williamson legit outshining most of the candidates on that stage

— Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) July 31, 2019

Williamson gets big whoops and cheers from the crowd as she goes all in on reparations. I’m telling you, man.

— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) July 31, 2019

Marianne Williamson is like if the trailer for the movie #Cats became a person. #DemDebate

— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) July 31, 2019

marianne shouldn’t be called the crazy one in this race, her answers have been much better than several others here. this is a good forum for her

— Farhad Manjoo (@fmanjoo) July 31, 2019

Preach it, Marianne.

— Ian Sams (@IanSams) July 31, 2019

People are gonna think that I’m trolling but compared to what else is up on this stage I think Marianne Williamson is actually winning this thing. This is amazing. No question she seems to be drawing the biggest applause of the night.

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 31, 2019

Glad Marianne didn’t take Sam Bee’s advice and drop out. Unlike many on this stage, she’s contributing something. https://t.co/gn7Ix6rIhi

— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) July 31, 2019

Jesus Christ, is Marianne Williamson going to win this debate?

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) July 31, 2019

I’m watching this debate in a Crown Heights bar and, without question, Marianne Williamson has gotten the most applause of the night. People are shushing when she’s (seldom) called upon by the moderators

— Tom Kludt (@TomKludt) July 31, 2019

ok that marianne just made the most compelling case for reparations on the entire stage is huge

— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) July 31, 2019

Marianne: “IF YOU THINK THIS WONKINESS IS GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS DARK PSYCHIC FORCE…” pic.twitter.com/j7AdWcn5RD

— Noah Smith (@Noahpinion) July 31, 2019

Marianne is the only candidate brave enough to talk about the dark psychic forces and confront them

— WillMenaker (@willmenaker) July 31, 2019

If Marianne Williamson replaced all references to “dark energy” with “unfettered oligarchy” her political analysis would be damn near perfect

— Natalie Shure (@nataliesurely) July 31, 2019

Before and after: the #DemDebate in search.

More data: https://t.co/I0WiP79wjV#CNNDebate pic.twitter.com/Ebr8r1Asnw

— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) July 31, 2019

CNN’s first Democratic debate went down in Detroit on Tuesday night, to much fanfare. The network wheeled out all the stops to make the event a showstopper from the moment it kicked off at 8 p.m.: a sleek stage in an ornate theater, a minutes-long opening sequence mimicking an early-2000s action movie, an absolutely electric rendition of the national anthem, and then a commercial break.

The first questions came in at nearly the thirty-minute mark, and the debate rocketed off with a spat between an odd couple: Bernie Sanders and John Delaney, who sparred over their health care proposals.

The opening brawl would mark a trend — Delaney, an absolute unit of a candidate currently polling at 0%, getting an impressive amount of time, and Sanders shouting down his opponents on the stage to much applause.

CNN managed to pull off the debate without the painful production failures that NBC endured during its attempt at hosting. Sure, there were complaints from the online peanut gallery at the over the top production, and the annoying tendency of the moderators to cut off candidates. But that vigilance kept the two-hour program tight.

Still, some candidates were able to thrive in their well-regulated opportunities to speak, while others fell flat on their faces. Here are the winners and losers from Tuesday night’s debate.

WINNERS

Elizabeth Warren

Elizabeth Warren likely would have preferred facing off against a more prominent opponent, like Joe Biden (night 2), but she still didn’t seem to mind taking a two by four to centrist candidate John Delaney (more on that below). When she wasn’t batting down lower-tier candidates, Warren was expertly articulating her progressive policy proposals, like Medicare for All. In one theatrical moment, Warren rubbed her hands with glee when it was pointed out Delaney would have to pay her wealth tax. A lefty’s dream.

Warren also got the most speaking time, according to CNN’s tracker. She spoke for more than 18 minutes. Sanders came in second with 17 minutes, while most other candidates got around 10.

There’s a reason a dramatic photo of Warren is leading the Drudge Report right now. It’s cause Warren was the star of the night.

Marianne Williamson

A great benefit of being the novelty candidate in a presidential race? Moderators tend to go easy on you, not bothering to ask tough questions about your more fringe positions. Just ask 2016 candidate Donald Trump. Marianne Williamson — who one Daily Beast columnist labeled a “dangerous wacko” — took advantage of the gentle debate moderation to stand out on a stage of her far more credentialed opponents. She had two huge moments: In one, she decried the “dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country.” In another, she made a stirring case for reparations. Both moments drew rapturous applause from the debate audience.

For a candidate polling at 0%, it was a big night — and if Google is any indication, the public is certainly interested. We’ll see if the hype adds any fuel to Marianne’s spaceship.

LOSERS

John Delaney

Yes, John Delaney was showered with an inordinate amount of talking time for a candidate no one seems to want. But his biggest moment was getting brutally dunked on by Elizabeth Warren — twice.

After Delaney attacked her plans, like Medicare for All, as unrealistic, Warren retorted with the line of the night: “I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for.” In another crippling blow, Warren accused Delaney of using “Republican talking points.” It was a K.O.

Beto O’Rourke

The media fell out of love with O’Rourke a while ago (it’s been a long fall since Annie Leibovitz hit his angles). Given his low polling numbers — despite national name recognition — the Texan really needs one of these high profile events to make a splash and shake up the race. He failed once again on Tuesday night, delivering a lackluster performance that again raised a troubling question for his campaign: Why?

HONORABLE MENTION: Bernie Sanders vs. Everyone

Bernie Sanders went after nearly everyone on the debate stage Tuesday night, including CNN anchor Jake Tapper. Winner of that particular bare-knuckle brawl? Gotta be Bernie, who shot down the CNN anchor for asking what he considered an unfair question.

When Tapper asked if the candidates would raise taxes on Americans in order to pay for their health care plans (Sanders has previously said he would raise taxes to fund his Medicare bill), the Vermont Independent snapped: “Jake, your question is a Republican talking point!”

His line of the night, however, came in response to candidate Tim Ryan, who questioned the benefits of his health care bill. When Ryan said “you don’t know that”, Sanders fired back: “I do know that, I wrote the damn bill!” The crowd went wild.

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

Mayor Pete Buttigieg addressed Republican members of Congress calling them to consider what they would want to be remembered for.

“If you are watching at home and you are a Republican member of Congress, consider the fact that when the sun sets on your career, and they are writing your story, of all the good and bad things you did in your life,” said Buttigieg, “the thing you will be remembered for is whether in this moment with this president you found the courage to stand up to him or continue to put party over country.” The crowd broke out in applause.

When asked if age should be a factor in choosing a candidate, Buttigieg said it doesn’t matter how old a candidate is so long as their vision isn’t “back to normal.” “It’s the only reason we got this president. That normal didn’t work,” said Buttigieg. He said that it was their duty to not only take on the president but also his enablers.

Buttigieg said the Republican party today is supporting “naked racism.” He said that 20 years ago when white supremacist David Duke ran for office the Republican party “ran away from him.”

Marianne Williamson got rapturous applause from the crowd when she brought up race issues numerous times during the Democratic debate.

Discussions on racial environmental injustice and reparations proved to be her time to shine.

When asked her response on the Flint water crisis, Williamson said Flint was “just the tip of the iceberg.”

“I assure you I lived in Gross Point [mostly white Detroit suburb], what happened in Flint would not have happened in Gross Point, this is part of the dark underbelly of American society, the racism, the bigotry, and the entire conversation that we’re having here tonight,” said Williamson to resounding applause. “If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days.”

She said that infrastructure neglect is bigger than Flint, and particularly with communities of color. “It’s particularly people who do not have the money to fight back, and if the Democrats don’t start saying it, why would those people feel they’re there for us, and if those people don’t feel it, they won’t vote for us and Donald Trump will win,” said Williamson to an even louder applause.

Don Lemon also noted that Williamson, unlike other candidates who have simply supported studying reparations, has already called for up to $500 billion allocated for reparations.

Williamson corrected Lemon, who had called it “financial assistance,” and said that reparations were rather payment of a debt that is owed, to yet another applause. “We need to recognize when it comes to the economic gap between blacks and whites in America, it does come from a great injustice that has never been dealt with. That great injustice has had to do with the fact that there was 250 years of slavery followed by another hundred years over domestic terrorism,” Williamson continued.

She then said she came to the number of $200-500 billion by converting slaves to acres and mules. “I’ll tell you what makes you qualified, if you did the math of 40 acres and a mule, given there was 4 to 5 million slaves at the end of the civil war, and they were probably 40 acres and a mule for a family of four, if you did the math today it would be trillions of dollars, and anything less than a hundred billion dollars is an insult and 200 to 500 billion is politically feasible.”

You can watch above, via CNN.

At the second Democratic Debate, Senator Elizabeth Warren fired off the zinger of the night during a back-and-forth with Rep. John Delaney, who continually attacked her and Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All plans as too ambitious and too generous, and Twitter instantly lit up at her rhetorical direct hit.

Elizabeth’s moment pic.twitter.com/Wkj63iaOAB

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 31, 2019

Crowd erupts for Sen. Warren’s response to John Delaney at the #DemDebate https://t.co/OffxON2efH pic.twitter.com/NjChvCBU3J

— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 31, 2019

If Elizabeth Warren had a mic in hand, she would have dropped it after telling John Delaney: “‘I don’t know why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for President of the United States just to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for.” #DemocraticDebate

— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) July 31, 2019

We don’t have to wait for the next debate for Delaney to be gone. Warren just vaporized his ass.

— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) July 31, 2019

A debate first: Elizabeth Warren just made me scream. https://t.co/nGVX6gIYur

— Dan Froomkin (@froomkin) July 31, 2019

I was wondering why Delaney’s getting so much airtime but once Warren buried him I guess he needed the oxygen. #DemDebates

— shauna (@goldengateblond) July 31, 2019

Warren hammers Delaney— Go, Lady

— Katrina vandenHeuvel (@KatrinaNation) July 31, 2019

Elizabeth Warren with her line of the night in a zinger against John Delaney.

(More live analysis: https://t.co/1kj4ssMNur) pic.twitter.com/99qMM4E5No

— POLITICO (@politico) July 31, 2019

We don’t have to wait for the next debate for Delaney to be gone. Warren just vaporized his ass.

— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) July 31, 2019

Elizabeth Warren to John Delaney #DemDebates pic.twitter.com/Gk7WlSKP2R

— Mekka Don (@MekkaDonMusic) July 31, 2019

911 i need to report that Elizabeth Warren just murdered John Delaney.

— David M. Perry (@Lollardfish) July 31, 2019

Senator Professor Warren just sent Delaney out of the ring in a blanket.#CNNDebate

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) July 31, 2019

As I said, I’m more sympathetic to Delaney’s position in this exchange but Warren totally pantsed him. https://t.co/dcjCleewzi

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) July 31, 2019

Someone edited John Delaney's wiki lmao pic.twitter.com/Q88cCo78On

— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 31, 2019

Massachusetts Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren got off a hell of a zinger when former Rep. John Delaney attacked her plans as unrealistic, shooting back “I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for.”

At Tuesday night’s CNN Democratic Presidential Debate, Warren finished a response by saying “Democrats win when we figure out what is right, and we get out there and fight for it. I am not afraid, and for Democrats to win, you can’t be afraid either.”

Asked to respond, Delaney said “So I think Democrats win when we run on real solutions, not impossible promises. When we run on things that are workable, not fairytale economics.”

When Delaney was finished, Warren shot back “You know, I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for.”

After huge applause, Warren added that “Our biggest problem in Washington is corruption. It is giant corporations that have taken our government and that are holding it by the throat, and we need to have the courage to fight back against that, and until we’re ready to do that, it’s just more of the same. Well I’m ready to get in this fight, I’m ready to win this fight.”

Watch the clip above, via CNN.

Anything’s possible when there are no lines between politics and entertainment, and Tuesday night Marianne Williamson, presidential candidate, substituted a casual interjection to stand for what Americans believe.

In the 2020 Democratic Debate Tuesday she tried to make her case against corporate money in politics by saying, “I don’t think the Democratic Party should be surprised that so many Americans believe yada, yada, yada.”

Debate moderator Jake Tapper asked Williamson how she would respond to the issue of gun control. “The issue of gun safety, of course, is the NRA has us in a choke hold, the pharmaceutical companies, the health insurance companies, so do the fossil fuel companies, and so do the defense contractors,” said Williamson. “None of this will change until we either pass a constitutional amendment or pass legislation that establishes public funding for federal campaigns.”

She slammed the politicians surrounding her, though not by name, for taking “tens of thousands and in some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars” from corporate donors, and that now they think they “have the moral authority to say we’re going to take them on.”

“We are going to establish public funding for federal campaigns. That’s what we need to stand up to. We need to have a constitutional amendment. We need to have legislation to do it, and until we do it, it’s just the same old same old,” concluded Williamson.

The media had a field day with “yada”:

How is Marianne Williamson the most verbally fluent, charismatic, and presidential person on this stage? How?

— Geoffrey Miller (@primalpoly) July 31, 2019

really the only good thing i can say about Williamson is that she introduced yada yada yada into the history of debates.

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 31, 2019

The one thing you can say about Marianne Williamson is that she is 100% the most qualified candidate on that stage to sell you healing crystals.

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) July 31, 2019

“Yadda yadda yadda” -George’s girlfriend or Marianne Williamson

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) July 31, 2019

“So many Americans believe yada yada yada.” – Marianne Williamson taking a strong anti-Seinfeld stance

— Ira thee Third (@ira) July 31, 2019

Just imagine Marianne Williamson getting crunk off white claw in the oval

— Joel Pavelski (@joelcifer) July 31, 2019

Marianne Williamson comes through, doesn’t disappoint, hits me with a “Yadda Yadda Yadda”#DemDebate

— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) July 31, 2019

And @marwilliamson for the win with a Seinfeld reference. Yada Yada Yada. #DemDebate

— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) July 31, 2019

Sen. Elizabeth Warren firmly cut off laughter from the Democratic debate audience when she returned to finish an anecdote about Ady Barkan, an ALS patient who has to beg his insurance company and others to pay the staggering healthcare costs he faces every month to keep himself alive: “This isn’t funny.”

“So giant corporations and billionaires are going to pay more. Middle-class families are going to pay less out-of-pocket for their health care. But I’d like to finish talking about Ady,” she said at the beginning of an answer about Medicare for All.

“This isn’t funny,” she then interjected, cutting off the crowd’s laughter that she was so insistent about telling his story. “The guy who has ALS, this isn’t this is somebody who has health insurance and dying. Every month he has about $9,000 in medical bills that his insurance company won’t cover. His wife Rachel is on the phone for hours and hours and hours begging the insurance company please cover what the doctors say he needs. He talks about what it’s like to go online with thousands of other people to beg friends, family, and strangers for money so he can cover his medical expenses. The basic profit model of an insurance company is taking as much money as you can in premiums and payout as little as possible in health care coverage. That is not working for Americans.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.

Independent Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders went after CNN anchor Jake Tapper over his line of questioning on health care, shouting “Your question IS a Republican talking point!”

During Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential debate, Tapper asked each of the candidates if they would support raising taxes on the middle class in order to pay for universal coverage, with
varying results.

But as Sen. Amy Klobuchar D-MN) was finishing up her response to a different question, Sanders cut in.

“As the author of the Medicare bill, let me clear up one thing,” Sanders said. “If people talk about having insurance, there are millions of people who have insurance that can’t go to the doctor, and when they come out of the hospital they go bankrupt. All right?”

“What I am talking about, and others up here are talking about, is no deductibles and no co-payments,” Sanders continued, then went after Tapper.

“And Jake, your question IS a Republican talking point,” Sanders said. At the end of the day, and by the way, and by the way, by the way, the healthcare industry will be advertising tonight on this program,” Sanders said, as Tapper tried to move on.

“Oh, can I complete that please? They will be advertising tonight with that talking point,” Sanders said, echoing remarks he made after Sen. Kamala Harris criticized him.

Watch the clip above, via CNN.

CNN is hosting tonight’s and tomorrow night’s debates, and as the first round kicked off, viewers were greeted with a dramatic movie-trailer-style CNN intro.

And it didn’t take long for people to start mocking CNN over the pageantry:

Why is this cnn debate intro like the opening to Monday night football?

— Ryan Lawler (@ryanlawler) July 31, 2019

Did cnn hire the producers of American Ninja Warrior for this intro?

— Emma Marris (@Emma_Marris) July 31, 2019

If you want to stick your face into sharp objects, this CNN debate intro is here for you.

— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) July 31, 2019

i forgot how painful the CNN intro hype is

— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) July 31, 2019

This @CNN intro is a joke. Seriously, we’re rofl

— Nicole Sandler (@nicolesandler) July 31, 2019

I mean, that CNN intro was only missing this pic.twitter.com/0JqyobxbuP

— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) July 31, 2019

@cnn’s gravel voiced narrated MMA style intro to the debate is really shameful.

— John Hodgman (@hodgman) July 31, 2019

my theory is that hans zimmer got blasted and watched an aaron sorkin show and then wrote this CNN intro music

— tc (@chillmage) July 31, 2019

The dramatic CNN opening is so at odds with the low energy clips of al these nerd candidates talking.

Getting through 50% of this will be an accomplishment

— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) July 31, 2019

praying for the cnn video producer who has to make these corny cringe “Honest Trailers” intros for #demdebate

— Gene Park (@GenePark) July 31, 2019

People: We treat politics like a sporting event

CNN: Hold my drink

— Ginger Gibson (@GingerGibson) July 31, 2019

This CNN “this is sports!” opening is hell. We are in hell. #DemDebates

— Louis Peitzman (@LouisPeitzman) July 31, 2019

That montage from CNN was the single dumbest thing I have ever seen. Beto could walk onstage wearing a fursuit and start rapping and it would be less embarrassing for everyone involved.

— Matthew Walther (@matthewwalther) July 31, 2019

Man, maybe I’m just getting precious, but CNN’s use of sports-announcer-bro voiceover to intro the debate was like… genuinely offensive.

— Jody Avirgan (@jodyavirgan) July 31, 2019

CNN’s NFL-style framing of this debate makes me want to dunk my head in acid.

— CJ Ciaramella (@cjciaramella) July 31, 2019

CNN is more interested in making people think politics is sports than MLB is in making people think baseball is sports https://t.co/XZGSvuPpPj

— Tim Murphy (@timothypmurphy) July 31, 2019

Seriously, what is with the opening of the #DemocraticDebate on @CNN? It’s not the fucking Olympics. #WaitingforMichaelPhelpstowalkout

— Judy Gold (@JewdyGold) July 31, 2019

Cool of CNN to blend the John Facenda NFL films voice with the Don La Fontaine movie preview (“In a world…” voice.

— Jeff Greenfield (@greenfield64) July 31, 2019

This CNN intro makes me feel like the candidates are all about to compete in the Super Bowl in order to determine who will lead us into battle with an alien race and I’m pretty sure that means democracy is healthy and fine

— Emily Crockett (@emilycrockett) July 31, 2019

Is it me, or did the opening to CNN’s Democratic Presidential Debate just now look and sound like the pre-game announcements to an NFL or WWE match? #DemocraticDebate

— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) July 31, 2019

CNN’s presentation for presidential debates is basically The Voice

— netw3rk (@netw3rk) July 31, 2019

And the pageantry starts. @cnn introduces candidates one-by-one. Kind of an All-Star Game/World Series/ sports feel. Different than how @NBCNews handled Miami debate when candidates just filed on stage. #DemDebate

— USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) July 31, 2019

People also weren’t happy there was a commercial break before any questions were asked:

Ten minutes in, we already get a commercial break? Man, CNN must be raking in the cash tonight.

— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) July 31, 2019

CNN gets a commercial break before any candidates speak

— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) July 31, 2019

CNN really milking this for the ad $$$

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) July 31, 2019

It’s sooo CNN (read: Zucker) to fill the first 10 minutes of the debate with hype and pageantry, then cut to an ad break, before actually starting the #DemDebate. Once a Supersizer, always a Supersizer.

— TVMoJoe (@TVMoJoe) July 31, 2019

CNN isn’t using our time well in this Democratic debate. Eleven minutes have passed, and no candidate has said anything except, “Nice to meet you.” #DemDebate

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) July 31, 2019

You can watch above, via CNN.