NBC News' live blog tracked the fifth Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential election cycle, co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post.
With the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump taking center stage,the 2020 candidates clashed over their visions to replace him. South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg escaped unscathed after it was expected he'd draw heavy fire as the newly minted front-runner, while former Vice President Joe Biden stumbled with gaffes on women, marijuana and race.
Catch up quickly via our analysis and fact checks, and get a look at who came out swinging via our attack tracker. Or, see how the night unfolded below.
Steve Kornacki, national political correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, corrected on Twitter the part of this segment in which he misstated Booker's support among black voters in South Carolina. Booker is polling at 2 percent with black voters in the latest poll.
Fact check: Biden claims Steyer produced more coal than all of England
While touting his support of climate change bills during his time in Congress, Biden lobbed an attack against Steyer's history as a hedge fund manager who invested in the coal industry.
"My friend [Steyer] was producing more coal mines and producing more coal around the world, according to the press, than all of Great Britain produces,” he said.
This appears to be true. Biden appears to be referencing a 2014 New York Times investigation that examined the coal production of companies in which Steyer's fund had invested.
The Times concluded that since receiving money from Steyer's hedge fund, the coal mines increased their annual production by about 70 million tons — “more than the amount of coal consumed annually by Britain.”
Still, though Biden was likely referencing the Times, the Financial Times reported that Britain produced just 2.6 million tons of coal in 2018, definitely less than Steyer's investments fueled.
Biden skips post-debate spin room to spend time with supporters
Trump campaign responds after heavy focus on the president
Kayleigh McEnany, the national press secretary for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign, noted how much of the night revolved around the current occupant of the White House and the ongoing impeachment inquiry.
"Tonight, 2020 Democrats were short on solutions and heavy on their unhealthy obsession with taking down President Trump via an illegitimate coup," McEnany said in a statement. "They know they cannot beat President Trump’s record-breaking economy, landmark criminal justice reform, falling health care costs, and historic trade deals, so they are set to defeat him in the halls of Congress rather than at the ballot box."
Buttigieg, newly minted front-runner, escapes fifth debate unscathed
Buttigieg had a target on his back and no one really even tried to hit it.
The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is at number one with a bullet in polls this week, including the gold-standard poll of all-important Iowa, so everyone expected he would bear the brunt of attacks in Wednesday night’s Democratic presidential debate, sponsored by MSNBC and The Washington Post.
Instead, the other candidates let Buttigieg off the hook over the nearly two-and-a-half hour debate.
Read about how Buttigieg ended the debate largely unscathed.
Yang says he’d consider pardoning Trump
Andrew Yang said he does not think Trump should be facing criminal charges and would consider pardoning Trump if he were in fact prosecuted.
"We do not want to be a country that gets in the pattern of jailing past leaders," Yang said, adding that "there's a reason why Ford pardoned Nixon."
"I'd actually go a step further and say not just, hey, it's up to my [Attorney General]. I would say that the country needs to start solving the problems on the ground and move forward."
"Would you consider a pardon then?" NBC News asked.
"I would," Yang said.
Kamala Harris: 'Lot of evidence' on grounds for impeachment
New Hampshire voters react to debate
NBC News' New Hampshire team checked in with voters from around the state throughout and at the conclusion of tonight’s debate. Here are some highlights and impressions from those text conversations.
Shared views among multiple voters:
- Memorable moments: Gabbard/Buttigieg exchange, Booker suggesting Biden was high when he said he wouldn't support marijuana legalization, Buttigieg saying there’s over 100 years of Washington experience and look where it’s gotten us, Harris/Booker/Biden on black support
- Candidates who struggled: Gabbard, Biden, Harris
- Candidates who stood out: Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Booker, Warren
- Topics: happy that voting rights/voter suppression was discussed, surprised by lack of confrontation over Buttigieg given his recent polling surges
