Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate At University In Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Just one day after President Donald Trump became just the third president in U.S. history to be impeached, the Democratic candidates vying to challenge him for his position took part in a primary debate Thursday night at Loyola Marymount University.
Seven candidates took part in the debate at the Gersten Pavilion: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and businessmen Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer.
Prior to Monday night, the debate was at risk of being postponed or canceled due to a labor dispute involving food service workers at the university. All seven candidates said they would not cross picket lines.
However, the food service workers' union, Unite Here Local 11, reached a last-minute labor deal with global services company Sodexo — the company which contracts with the university — allowing the debate to move forward.
"Working families are faced with two options," Warren said at a news conference announcing the deal Tuesday. "They can back down, or they can roll up their sleeves and get in the fight. The workers of Unite Here get in the fight, and they win."
Thursday's debate had been originally scheduled to take place at UCLA, but a labor dispute there forced the DNC last month to move it to Loyola Marymount's Gersten Pavilion.
The debate began at 5 p.m. Pacific time. It was hosted by PBS NewsHour and Politico and aired live on PBS and was live-streamed across PBS NewsHour digital platforms and on Politico's digital and social platforms.