Biden-Harris clash adds drama to party debate

While the issues of healthcare, immigration, income inequality and education were passionately discussed at the Democratic presidential debate on Thursday night, a clash between former US vice-president Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris of California brought a hush to the audience in Miami, Florida.

"I do not believe you are a racist, but it was hurtful to hear you talk about two United States senators who built their reputation on the separation of races," Harris said, referring to Biden's recent remarks about how he was able to work with people he disagreed with.

Harris also talked about her own experience of being bused while in elementary school in Berkeley, California. She was referring to a period when some school districts across the United States began busing students outside their home towns to desegregate school districts.

"It's a mischaracterization of my position across the board," Biden said, his voice rising in his strongest response of the debate. "I was a public defender.... As the vice-president of the United States, we worked very hard to deal with these issues in a major way. ... I ran because of civil rights. I did not oppose busing in America," he said.

Harris said: "That's where the federal government must step in."

The showdown, the second Democratic debate this week, featured a generational clash.

"I was 6-year-old when a presidential candidate came to the California Democratic convention and said, 'It's time to pass the torch to a new generation of Americans'," said US Representative Eric Swalwell of California. "That candidate was then Senator Joe Biden. Joe Biden was right when he said that 32 years ago. He is still right today."

Biden, 76, grinned and replied: "I'm still holding on to that torch."

"The issue is not generational," said Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, 77. "It's who has the guts to take on Wall Street, the fossil fuel industry ... "

The issue of "Medicare for all" versus maintaining private healthcare insurance also sparked exchanges.

Sanders declared that "healthcare is a human right".

New York US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand attacked the "greed of insurance companies and drug companies".

"We have a sickness care system in the United States," said author Marianne Williamson.... We need to talk about why so many Americans have unnecessary chronic illnesses," which she blamed on chemical and environmental policies.

All 10 candidates said they would support free healthcare for undocumented immigrants. Half of them said they favored decriminalizing migrants crossing the border.

Sanders called the issue "a hemispheric problem".

Sanders and Harris, when the candidates were surveyed, said they would abolish private insurance in place of a government plan.

"Medicare is the most popular insurance plan in the country," Sanders said.

Biden called for jailing pharmaceutical executives for distributing misleading information on opioids.

On education, Sanders said: "We must make public universities and colleges tuition free. We do that by placing a tax on Wall Street."

Biden called for freezing college debt for graduates making less than $25,000 a year.

hengweili@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 06/29/2019 page8)