Keller @ Large: Clinton Vs. Sanders
BOSTON (CBS) - To paraphrase Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz," this campaign isn't in New Hampshire anymore. And while the approach that worked so well for Bernie Sanders there seemed unchanged in this latest debate, Hillary Clinton appeared to pivot toward a more racially-diverse working-class audience.
Right off the bat she tried to spread doubt about the price tag of Sanders' promises on key issues like health care. "It is absolutely fair and necessary for Americans to vet both of our proposals," she said.
Sanders insisted: "The family right in the middle of the economy would pay $500 more in taxes and get a reduction in their health care costs of $5,000."
But Clinton pressed on: "Based on every analysis I can find by people who are sympatheic to the goal, the numbers don't add up and many people will be worse off than they are right now." Sanders claimed that was "absolutely inaccurate," but the point was made, and the charge seemed to sting Sanders.
Moments later, he needled Clinton when she described post-inaugural tax code changes she would seek by saying "once I am in the White House I will have enough political capital to do that."
"Secretary Clinton," he responded, "you're not in the White House yet."
And there was this exchange over the prospect of our first female president.
Clinton: "I am not asking people to support me because I am a woman, I am asking people to support me because I'm most ready to be president."
Sanders: "Somebody with my views, who has spent their entire life taking on big money interests, I think a Sanders victory would be of some historical accomplishment as well."
Another noteworthy exchange came when Clinton was pressed on her ties to Wall Street. She observed that President Obama took plenty of Wall Street money when he ran but still took them on over policy, and claimed she would do the same.
It will be interesting to see how that response - and a later comment by Sanders that only one candidate on stage (Clinton) had ever run against Obama - plays with South Carolina's large African-American population, which remains staunchly supportive of Mr. Obama.