night for the candidates. front runner clinton, and bernie sanders went head to head on a lot of issues. for the three candidates pulling in the single digits, former governor mark o'mallee, and shavy and jim webb, it was about gaining traction. let's start with david shuster, who will be fact check, with help from our partners at pollitty fact. >> we are having a field day with hillary clinton comment on the oil pipeline. she said i never took a position on keystone until i took a position. the problem is that hillary clinton supported the keystone oil pipeline several times and rationalized the support. another issue, the trans-pacific partnership was negotiated last week, and meeting it it didn't reach my standards. the problem is she called the pacific transport the gold standard in trade deals, more than 45 times, she said she supported is it. since then, negotiations involved a move to the left. since labour oppose it, a lot thinks that is why hillary clinton has done so as well. the fact checker suggs it was political expedient and she was not completely honest. >> thank you. >>

i want to talk not about my e-mails. >> fluff of the e-mails. >> is bernie sander's tough enough on guns? >> no, not at all. >> this reckless economy. >> i was very pleased when governor o'malley endorsed me for president in 2008. >> are you saying you didn't eno what were voting for? >> i just arrived in the senate. >> leading us into iraq under false pretences was one of the worst blunders. >> being the first woman president would be quite a change. >> i don't think i am gambling, but you have not been in the united states congress. if we are a free country. we have the right to be free. >> this is "new day" with chris cuomo, allison camera that and mikaela pereira. >> well, well, well, good morning. welcome to your "new day." it is wednesday, october 14th. 5:30 in the east, allison, i hear in las vegas mikaela in new york. what a night we said the democratic race would change after this debate. you got to see, hillary clinton at her best. you got to see bernie sanders making his case. you got to see the introduction, really, of martin o'malley, they were going head-to-head in fro

coming her way. she was also given a big assist by bernie sanders, who said that he was sick and tired -- i'm not quoting him directly -- but sick and tired of discussing hillary clinton's e-mails, which kind of put an abrupt end of that topic of conversation. bernie sanders as i understand it is already sending out fund-raising e-mails on that issue, on that moment. but i think sanders obviously showing his fans out there the issues that he has been fighting for for decades. both of them had good nights but i don't think it's going to shake the race up too much. i thought martin o'malley had a decent night as well. is there a reason for majority or plurality who support hillary clinton or bernie sanders, i guess, to jump to him. chafee and webb i did not think were tremendous factor and i would be surprised if both of them were around for much longer in terms of their candidacies. >> doesn't look like these candidates are anxious to get out of this room. there you see bernie sanders, who is speaking with some of her supporters. she looks pretty happy, hillary clinton, after thes

candidates clashed on gun control, foreign policy and what bernie sanders called the worst foreign policy mistake in history, the iraq war. there was no discussion on e-mails and bernie sanders got the only standing ovation of the evening by saying clinton's e-mails should not be an issue in this campaign. joining us now, steve kornacki and columnist for the daily beast. and april ryan, the washington bureau chief for american urban radio networks. steve, your scorecard so far? >> it's a good night for hillary clinton. the one asterisk i put is it reminds me of a baseball series. the first hour of this debate be a home game for hillary clinton. they talked about guns, the issue with bernie sanders being most vulnerable. clinton came ready for an attack on sanders on the issue. she was backed up by martin o'malley. they went to foreign policy. there was a question about vladimir putin and russia, that bernie sanders was stumbling around. this is not the bernie sanders people have come to know. just as we're coming on the air right now, the second hour of the debate beginning. i saw they we

going to do the same thing. bernie sanders is there with chris cuomo. jake tapper, our chief washington correspondent, you've been watching and listening. do you have think this changed the race, this debate? >> i doubt that we'll see much in terms of numbers changing in the polls. i think hillary clinton showed this evening that she is indeed the most experienced debater and that practice and preparation for debates does indeed matter. she was very polished, she had answers ready for all of the charges coming her way. she was also given a big assist by bernie sanders, who said that he was sick and tired -- i'm not quoting him directly -- but sick and tired of discussing hillary clinton's e-mails, which kind of put an abrupt end of that topic of conversation. bernie sanders as i understand it is already sending out fund-raising e-mails on that issue, on that moment. but i think sanders obviously showing his fans out there the issues that he has been fighting for for decades. both of them had good nights but i don't think it's going to shake the race up too much. i thought mar

numbers could go up. who are restrained about going after bernie sanders would be less restrained about going after joe biden. i know the vice president is concerned about attacks coming against certain members of his family. he could get a bump up, but then be brought back down. >> iowa and new hampshire, so important. he might not get in before iowa and new hampshire. trump, carson, he could wait to see how hillary clinton does. let sanders rough her up, and then there will be clamor within the party. democrats may be looking for a savior. that could be joe biden later on. >> when we come back. what the people in iowa and new hampshire told us about clinton. that is after this. ♪ >> earlier today in an interview, hillary clinton came out against the transpacific partnership trade deal. she says there are too many "unanswered questions." >> what i know about it as of today, i am not in favor of what i have learned about it. there is one other element, because i think it is important. trade agreements don't happen in a vacuum. in order for us to have a competitive economy in a g

rivals led by senator bernie sanders may have some surprises in store when they play their cards in the debate. clinton may be building a lucky streak. two new cnn/orc polls show that she has sizable leads in key states, the key states of nevada where we are, as well as south carolina. there's a new wild card in the presidential running, that would be the vice president joe biden the non-candidate. he outpolls sanders in south carolina. president obama's record may be a big factor in the debate as he struggles to defend his national security policies. isis is being blamed on a massacre to an ally capital. the u.s. fight against isis is resulting in more arms being sent to so-called moderate rebels in syria. meanwhile, iran has tested a long-range missile. our correspondents, analysts and guests have full coverage of the day's top stories. we're live from the wynn hotel, beautiful wynn hotel here in las vegas where democrats will square off. three trailing candidates will be trying to hit the jackpot. martin o'malley, jim webb, lincoln chafee desperately need a strong showing here to

how well do you know socialisms answer to a question no body asked? bernie sanders. watch our panel play fact or fix and i hit streets of new york to find out how popular is soci kennedy: the best way to learn is to play, that is why i asked my friends to buckle up for a game of fact or fiction, bernie. sanders, edition. >> let's go here question number one. bernie sanders fact or fiction, bernie sanders believes cable tv price are too damn high, and has asked ftc to investigate. >> that is a fact. kennedy: you would be right. question two, bernie sanders, hugo chavez, recognized bernie sanders as the legitimate government of united states, until 2010, and referred to hip as quote, elel presidente. >> so true. kennedy: i wish it was true. that means president messy hair. number 3, bernie sanders recorded folk album we shall overcome in 1987, that is true. here is a clip.s i saw below me that golden valley ♪ this lap land was made for you d me ♪ this land is your land ♪ this land is my land ♪ kennedy: i love socialism ♪ , the question, bernie of ment to sing but the produc

think hillary clinton won it. some people think bernie sanders took it. martino mal knee's people think he won. hillary clinton had quite a feat despite her record as a long moderate and voting record she managed to swing to the left of a socialist. bernie sanders when asked if she flip flopped for political purposes she tried to assuage the senator and the audience. >> i have been consistent my entire life. i do absorb new information. i do look at what's happening. >> for the record are you a progressive or a moderate? >> i am a progressive. but i am a progressive who likes to get things done. >> she faced questions on the ongoing e-mail scandal answering it defending and apologizing for the use of a private server. instead of being attacked by bernie sanders he had the moment of the night last night when he rushed to her defense. let me say something is that i mott be great politics but i think the secretary is right. the american people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn e-mails. >> she ducked the question on benghazi. none of the opponents went after her. >> hthey l

. she got a big assist from her closest rival, senator bernie sanders last night. >> let me say something that may not be great politics. but i think the secretary is right. and that is that the american people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails! >> thank you. me, too! me, too! >> enough of the e-mails! let's talk about the real issues facing america. >> thank you, bernie. >> the former secretary of state was also confronted with other issues, including whether she's changed positions on a series of issues based on political expediency. >> well, actually, i have been very consistent over the course of my entire life. i have always fought for the same values and principles, but like most human beings, including those of us who run for office, i do absorb new information, i do look at what's happening in the world, you know, take the trade deal. i did say when i was secretary of state three years ago that i hoped it would be the gold standard. it was just finally negotiated last week. and in looking at it, it didn't meet my standard. >> it all unfolded as former

, bernie sanders, at 34%. clinton leads in another early voting state, south carolina. she holds an even larger edge against bernie sanders there, 49% to 24%. hillary clinton will be front and center on the debate stage tomorrow night here in las vegas. our senior white house correspondent jim acosta is inside the debate hall here at the wynn hotel. walk us through the debate setup. >> reporter: you got it, wolf. and to continue the gambling parlance you would say, hillary clinton is holding the best cards right now if you're looking at the poll numbers. that explains why. i'll show you what the debate stage looks like right now. she has the center position. as you can see, those aren't the candidates up on the stage. those are some fill-ins standing at those podiums as our cnn crews go through the motions of getting this debate stage ready for tuesday night. you can see it from my right to left, lincoln chafee on the end, martin o'malley, the former governor of maryland, hthen hillary clinton is in the center position, the front-runner, then to her right, bernie sanders, the self-descri

right now. in just hours, hillary clinton and bernie sanders head-to-head for the very first time in the cnn democratic debate. who will come out on top? who will come out swinging or will they? will there be a breakthrough from a lesser known candidate? we are live. welcome to "early start." i'm christine romans at the anchor desk in new york. >> and i'm john berman on the las vegas strip. it is tuesday, october 13th. it is 5:00 a.m. in the east. it means it is 2:00 a.m. here. that means we are just getting started. it has arrived. the first democratic presidential debate of the entire election cycle. tonight, here behind me at the wynn las vegas only on cnn. the frontrunner hillary clinton on top of the polls. she is center stage. bernie sanders, who is leading in new hampshire, right next to her. the big question can he make a wider audience feel the bern? martin o'malley and lincoln chaffee and jim webb. they have to breakthrough tonight? one surprise in las vegas. hillary clinton at a cameo rally at the trump hotel. she could bash donald trump and appeal to organized labor. we have

democratic presidential debate in las vegas. hillary clinton and bernie sanders go head to head for the very first time. they'll be joined by martin o'malley, lincoln chafee and jim webb in what could be a breakout moment. all of this as new polls show lincoln with a commanding lead in nevada and south carolina. let's bring in cnn's jim acosta. he's in las vegas, where final preparations are now underway. good morning, jim. >> reporter: good morning, carol. i'm inciside the wynn hotel on e las vegas strip, where the debate set is already ready to go. you can see the five paid yum behind me. clinton, the front runner, has the middle podium. to her right will be sanders. he has been the insurgent candidate, firing up the liberal base of the democratic party. these new polls show, as you mentioned, carol, that clinton has a comfortable lead in the battleground states, including nevada. we'll put that on screen, according to the new cnn/orc poll. clinton has 50% with sanders, 34% and the undeclared joe biden at 12%. if you take biden out, it helps clinton. she rises to a bigger lead. 58% fo

clinton, vermont senator bernie sanders, former virginia senator jim webb, former rhode island governor lincoln chafee and mrs. clinton took on a grilling on everything from support to the iraq war. >> it was like a gentle saute. senator sanders got some of the biggest applause lines of the night and each tried to climb his moment. some fierceest exchanges came out on income inequality, credibility and gun control. >> very proud over 30 years i have had no scandals. >> i did say it was a mistake. what i did was allowed by the state department but wasn't the best choice. >> i am very comfortable that i'm the most qualified person to be the commander in chief. >> i have been very consistent over the course of my entire life. >> this campaign is about whether we can mobilize our people, take back our government from the handful of billionaires. >> we have comprehensive gun safety legislation. not by looking at pollings, we did it. >> what i can tell secretary clinton, but all of the shouting in the world is not going to do what i hope all of us want, keep guns out of the hands of people wh

bernie sanders of vermont. and the long shot candidates, former maryland governor, martin o'malley, former virginia senator, jim webb, and former rhode island governor, lincoln chafee. for the underdogs, this is a make or break moment. big chance to make an impact that could keep them in this race. for sanders, self-described socialist with a strong core following, it's a chance to appeal to a wider audience of democrats. and for clinton, a chance to move beyond her e-mail controversy, answer her critics and boost her status as front-runner. clinton took some shots at donald trump on the ooen eve of the debate as she joined a union rally outside the trump hotel in vegas. trump will be watching the debate and promises to live tweet as the democrats do battle. our correspondents, analysts and guests have full coverage of the extraordinary event coming up. let's begin with cnn john berman, down on the stage where the candidates will debate. set the stage for us, john. >> wolf, right now, right behind me, bernie sanders, getting his tour of the debate stage. such an interesting moment

could have anticipated bernie sanders' response to the hillary e-mail question. >> actually, that's not the case actually. >> you did? >> i actually -- there's a whole team of folks who are working on questions for days and weeks and weeks and weeks, and so you -- you know, like three-dimensional chess so you try to anticipate what somebody is going to say. my money was on bernie sanders. i didn't know the wording he was going to use. i didn't know -- i thought it obviously played very well in that room and a lot of viewers who are watching the debate, but i actually did not think he was -- he was going to go after her in any way. i very much thought he was going to turn it and say we shouldn't be talking about these e-mails on this. >> i'm sick of hearing of your damn e-mails the way he did it. >> the wording, i think, and i think they -- i haven't -- i don't know this for a fact from the campaign, but i would imagine that they worked out that wording in advance. i think they knew the e-mails was going to come out and they probably wanted to figure out a line, but, again, i don't know

the handshake afterwards. i later asked bernie sanders why he said it. his response and a lot more coming up next. >>> full house. i also spoke with hillary clinton's campaign chairman late last night about the shadow non-candidate joe biden. >> if there's going to be the next debate, then there are going to be six candidates, then he should announce his intentions and get in. >> and do it now as you said. >> well, at some point he needs to make a decision. >>> and trump's take. after live tweeting during the debate, donald trump talks exclusively to nbc's katy tur how he thought hillary clinton did last night. >> i think he did her job. i think she got through the debate. i personally thought she won the debate. i thought bernie was off. he was not doing so well. i thought that the other people shouldn't even be up there, to be honest with you. >>> hello, everyone. the day after the big debate here in las vegas where hillary clinton scienced some doubters and may have ended any draft biden readers, she hopes. the debate shows why democrats think the former secretary of state remai

hillary clinton and vermont senator bernie sanders, those are the top two we're watching. the question, one of many, will they attack tonight? so far, they have been playing pretty nice. the experts will tell you with everything on the line tonight that could change. and by all accounts this is shaping up to be hillary clinton's race to lose. the latest fox news poll has hillary clinton still leading the pack amongst likely democratic votes with 45% support to take the nomination. you see the numbers with me. bernie sanders is fading slightly, his support down 5 points since september to 25%. then you have the other three, former governor martin o'malley, jim webb, and lincoln chafee. this is truly make or break for them. brianna keilar has been here, as we all have for the last couple days, getting ready for the event. she's outside the debate hall. do we know when the candidates will start doing the walk throughs and getting the feel for the space at the podiums? >> we expect that's going to take place here in a couple hours. that's really what's interesting. sheryl crowe is doing th

center podium on the debate stage, front-runner hillary clinton. to her right bernie sanders, to the left martin o'malley, lincoln chafee and jim webb. dana bash will be here. cnn espanol washington correspondent juan carlos lopez. don lemon will bring in questions via facebook. there's been a lot of activity and the excitement is palpable. we're joined now on the floor from brianna. >> hi there anderson. i want to give you a look at the stage behind me me. you can see where dana bash and juan carlos will be. you'll be asking questions of the candidates. their five lecterns stand ready for them. they're not far from the debate hall. they're in their green room trailers. we were just out behind the hotel. martin o'malley has a guitar in his trailer. lincoln chafee, jim webb, we saw them out there. also, as we await hillary clinton and bernie sanders at their trailers, it's really interesting as we await for them certainly to come through what really is sort of the back of the hotel here and eventually make their entrance on to the stage. they did, at least a couple of them get a welco

to change the world for the better." bernie sanders had this to say" i thank the vp for his support of the middle class." and this this is from debbie wasserman schultz. will continue and to dedicate his life to helping every american do better. could not be prouder to call him a fellow democrat." what's your reaction to this news? alexandria, virginia. you are supporting hillary clinton. what do think about joe biden not running? sorry.'m i was going to call on another question. but biden not running. i'll tell you the way he has been flip-flopping for the last letter two, i'm glad he decided not to, because if you cannot make up his mind in the length of time he was given, then, but my question on the benghazi hearings, why i called. it'snow, what gets me is unfortunate four deaths. whenack in the iraqi war were.n. peacekeepers requesting two weeks to verify whether there was wmd -- aboutwe are going to talk the benghazi hearing because that is happening on capitol hill today. hillary clinton will be testifying up there 10:00 a.m. eastern time. that will be shown on c-span 3 as we

clinton goes in with lead in the polls and bernie sanders drawing huge crowds wherever he goes and other three candidates have their work cut out for them. names that have not been out there on the national stage very much. clinton got another boost today from new polls from two key states, brianna keilar reports on that. >> as democratic presidential contenders get ready for the first debate, hillary clinton is the candidate to beat in two starts that could be key to slowing a bernie sanders surge. a new cnn orc poll shows her besting sanders by 16 points. the spread is even bigger in south carolina. clinton leads sanders by 31 points and the vermont senator sees opportunity. >> i don't get into personal attacks, you know that but differences of opinion should be discussed. that's what that election is about. >> sunday on nbc sanders tried out a main debating point, clinton is late to positions he supported like her opposition to a trade deal she backed as secretary of state. >> people have to contrast my consistency and willingness to stand up to washington corporations, big corp

had to do last night, grabbed the democratic mother load? is it true that bernie sanders used his first grade national audience to enlist many new recruits. you heard the conventional wisdom. major headlines are strong declaring hillary clinton the victory. hillary clinton dominates first democratic debate. "time" magazine hillary clinton takes control in first democratic debate. washington post. democratic bait turns hillary clinton's way after months of difficulties. politico, clinton crushes it. donald trump also ruled that clinton came out on top. here he was with katy tur today. >> i think she did her job. i think she got through the debate. i thought she won the debate. >> the data from social media tells a different story. it shows that bernie sanders attracted far more interest during the debate. according to google sanders was most searched candidate followed by clinton then webb, o'malley and chaffe. today it is my view that banks are much bigger than they were when we bailed them out. we have to breakic them up. >> facebook revealed sanders was most discussed and on twi

going after bernie sanders would be less restrained about going after joe biden. we have heard the reports of opposition research already underway. i know the vice president is concerned about attacks coming against certain members of his family. we have to look out for that. he could get a bump up, but then be brought back down. >> the other things these groups remind you, iowa and new hampshire, so important. he might not get in before iowa and new hampshire. in this crazy year of trump and carson he could wait to see how , hillary clinton does. let sanders rough her up, and then there will be clamor within the party. those people now may not like joe biden. democrats may be looking for a savior. that could be joe biden later on. >> when we come back. what the people in iowa and new hampshire told us about clinton. her record and her personality after this. ♪ >> earlier today in an interview with judy woodruff hillary clinton came out against , the transpacific partnership trade deal. she says there are too many "unanswered questions." >> what i know about it as of today, i am

moines register" three democrats, hillary clinton, bernie sanders, and martin o'malley, speaking to democrats. iowa is just now stepping up to the plate for the first in the nation caucuses and plenty of opportunities for shakeups before february 1. democrats lost three choices for president -- vice president joe biden opting against running, and jim webb, and lincoln chafee bowing out. inforecast what will happen the hundred days, look at who has the most in the bank account, who is pulling, and who is reeling in the most influential endorsements. that story this morning from "the des moines register." here are some headlights from -- highlights from last night, including bernie sanders. [video clip] you back to atake very of the full-year, and decision in the modern history of our country. the year is 2002. the issue is whether congress should vote to invade iraq. public opinion and most of the media were for the war. , the big majorities pro-war as were well. overwhelming support in the house and the senate. i listened carefully to what bush and cheney and rumsfeld had to say, an

bernie sanders ratcheting up his fire against hillary clinton. sanders took failed shots, let's say, during his speech at the jefferson jackson dinner in iowa. he characterized her as an inconsistent candidate. >> meanwhile clinton at the event didn't fire back as aggressively. making her case she would be best equipped to take on the republicans. cnn jeff zeleny is live in des moines with the latest. >> reporter: good morning. it was the most aggressive we've seen bernie sanders yet. he challenged hillary clinton on her principle positions. he's trying to convince the democrats in iowa, the state that kicks off the road to the white house that they still have a choice in the campaign. but hillary clinton, i can tell you, all but ignored that criticism and focussed her fire power on the republicans. ♪ fireworks in the presidential race. democratic rivals descending on iowa 100 days before the first votes of 2016 primary. hillary clinton seizing on the star power of katy perry. >> fight on 2016 is right around the corner! >> and the political power of bill clinton. in his campaign

anticipated because bernie sanders and hillary clinton had been fairly tentative about engaging one another. once they got on the stage, both were ready to do it and particularly hoipthoint. you have a lot of issues covered, issues you don't hear in a republican debate. it was quite a window into the two parties. gwen: we get caught up justifiably in a lot of these explosions, but there was a discussion about climate change, inequality and guns. chuck: it was and i'm struck by the contrast between the republicans and democrats. they are talking about two different sets of issues. republicans talk about national security. you didn't have much about national security. you had more on domestic issues. look, they are all speaking to their voters, the people that are going to show up to their polls. i agree with what dan said, the surprise was hillary clinton's aggressiveness. she never missed an opening to create a distinction between her and bernie sanders. and it wasn't just bernie sanders, and i felt like she was sending a few messages to the guy not on that stage. gwen: let's listen

immediate concern is this democratic primary in this insurgent candidate by the name of bernie sanders who has some labor support. so i think it was smart politically. ultimately in in ways clinton has a problem in terms of people thinking she has sort of a center in a principled stand on things. so here it sort of doesn't hurt her because people think that anyway. so she has union support i think. >> in gay marriage, or the keystone pop line or what have you, she's going to the left of obama. not on gay marriage obviously. court the grassroots base. say she is going further even on gun control or what have you. that is good for politics at the present time >> you have to get through the primary before you worry about anything else. great to have you here with us. >>> behind me in the wynn las vegas there has been a flurry of activity. the ballroom transformed into a debate arena. we have been watching all of the meticulous preparations. jim? >> reporter: here we are inside the wynn hotel two days and counting. the first democratic debate of this cycle. the stage is just about set. five bo

clinton, vermont senator bernie sanders, former virginia senator jim webb, former rhode island governor lincoln chafee and mrs. clinton took on a grilling on everything from support to the iraq war. >> it was like a gentle saute. senator sanders got some of the biggest applause lines of the night and each tried to climb his moment. some fierceest exchanges came out on income inequality, credibility and gun control. >> very proud over 30 years i have had no scandals. >> i did say it was a mistake. what i did was allowed by the state department but wasn't the best choice. >> i am very comfortable that i'm the most qualified person to be the commander in chief. >> i have been very consistent over the course of my entire life. >> this campaign is about whether we can mobilize our people, take back our government from the handful of billionaires. >> we have comprehensive gun safety legislation. not by looking at pollings, we did it. >> what i can tell secretary clinton, but all of the shouting in the world is not going to do what i hope all of us want, keep guns out of the hands of people wh

tonight, and he said, listen, bernie sanders is not coming out here to attack anybody, but he wants to talk about the issues and economic fairness and wall street, and he knows it is a debate, and in the words of tad devine he said you can't tame this tyiiger, and th is the firstst time i have ever heard bernie sanders described as a tyiiger. he going to be looking the claws tonight. and each candidate will have a minute when they are questioned and 30 seconds if one of the candidates mentions him or her, and then anderson cooper the moderator will have the flexibility to extend the time if need be, and in terms of the strategy, ashleigh, it is sim e simple. for hillary clinton she is the obviously clear front-runner the race, and she cannot make any mistake, and she has not debated since 2008, and she has no make no mistakes. when she arrived, she has to go over to the trump hotel, and started to the fire off on the gop front runder, and she has to make sure that she is not looking past the democratic contenders on the stage tonight. and as for bernie sanders he understands the knock

and my experience. >> reporter: issue number two was guns. >> is bernie sanders tough enough on guns? >> no. not at all. >> what i can tell secretary clinton that all the shouting in the world is not going to do what i would hope all of us want and that is keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have those guns. >> reporter: issue number three, the middle east crisis. >> we don't want american troops on the ground in syria. i never said that. >> reporter: former maryland governor martin o'malley. >> i believe that a no-fly zone in syria this time, actually, secretary, would be a mistake. >> reporter: on benghazi and hillary clinton using private e-mails, bernie sanders to the rescue. >> the american people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails. >> thank you. me, too. me, too. >> enough of the e-mails. let's talk about the real issues facing america. >> reporter: sanders and clinton holding their own in the democrats' first debate. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, las vegas. >> social media was on fire during the two-hour exchange. facebook says 4.2 mil

find out how real bernie sanders' insurgent campaign really is. will hillary clinton reaffirm her status as front-runner? will the two go after each other in front of america? and can the three guys at the bottom of the polls get any kind of boost for their campaigns? and how many snarky tweets will donald trump send out in two hours? all of these will be answered in our showdown. the candidates, no doubt, making last-minute preparations as well. i want to go inside the debate hall to the suddenly very famous senior white house correspondent jim acosta. >> we knew you when. >> we knew you when. >>. >> well, you know. i always remember the little people. these podiums behind me are empty right now. they will not stay that way for much longer. we'll see candidate walk-throughs later on this afternoon. at least we hope so. hillary clinton, we know she's in town. one of the very first thing she did, she went over to the trump hotel looking past her democratic rivals and was trolling the tycoon, going off on donald trump in front of his hotel in las vegas. she has a lot at stake tonigh

, hillary clinton, bernie sanders. they got a chance to talk policy. it was largely kept clean and that gave more of an opportunity for them to be drilling down. they had anderson cooper really being mike a maestro, taking them through, holding them accountable, testing them. the question is who made the grade, who did not? >> what a night it was for people who liked policy, you got some of that. for people who liked substance, you got some of that. it was not boring as donald trump predicted. it was compelling. the candidates were looking for a breakout moment, some of them had it, some didn't. what happens to the democratic field from here? let's begin cnn's comprehensive coverage with john berman who has stayed up all night watching. he joins us now with highlights. >> back check true, staying up all night. what you saw here was a lot of preparations, candidates to looking to hit their marks on policy and personality. hillary clinton had done 25 presidential debates before this and last night it showed. >> it may have been the first democratic debate but it was clear it was not hilla

and bernie sanders front and center head to head in the first debate of the 2016 presidential campaign. were live, our continuing coverage of the las vegas showdown. let's go "out front." >>> good evening. i'm erin burnett. vegas showdown, we are live here in las vegas at the scene of the first democratic presidential debate. it is here at the wynn hotel. democratic front-runner hillary clinton and the self-described democratic socialist bernie sanders will go head to head tonight. most of the candidates toured the debate stage a short time ago. otherwise, sanders, clinton, martin o'malley, lincoln chafee and jim webb have been hunkered down and who knows what they do in the final minutes before the debate. the stakes are high. clinton must not stumble and they need to deliver a death blow to steal the show. we go to brianna keilar behind me. we have seen a few of the candidates come in, check things out. what's going on where you are right now? >> yeah, that's right, erin. as you can see behind me we have some stand-ins here for the candidates. as a lot of the photographers f

questions about the e-mails and the flip-flops, and can self-described socialist bernie sanders deliver a mainstream message and will martin oo'malley get a breakout moment, and what about jim webb? is this the last chance for lincoln cha feffechaffee. this is the last time we will see them shoulder to shoulder and toe to toe. and jim acosta is there and what are the ground rules for the two-hour debate? >> well, wolf, ground rules one minute for each question to be answered by the candidates and 30 second to respond if one of the candidates makes mention of one of the candidates on stage. i was talking to tad devine, an adviser for bernie sanders. and he said, look, bernie sanders is not coming out here to attack people, but in the words of tad devine, you cannot tame this tiger, and he was talking about the positioning of the lecterns, and he said that bernie sanders is going to be to the left of hillary clinton, and he said that is the last time you will see that happen according to left leaning bernie sanders. he knows that his criticism is that some say he cannot be elected with hi

. >> bernie sanders who has yet to do a mock debate insists he's going to play nice as long as his competitors do. the vermont senator continues to pick up traction, seeing crowds 13,000 strong in tucson, arizona. >> let's treat each other civilly. let's treat each other respectfully and let's not try to demonize people who may have disagreements with us. >> reporter: a stark contrast to the strategy of their counterpunching republican rivals. >> i'd love to run against her. she is so flawed. i think she's very beatable but she shouldn't be allowed to run. >> reporter: meanwhile, jim webb, lincoln chafee and martin o'malley have a tough road away, all looking for a breakout moment on a stage. but in a betting town like vegas, anything is possible. now, the campaigns are keeping their strategies pretty close to the vest. just like their cards at this point. one thing that hillary clinton's campaign is saying about her strategy is that she wants to put this e-mail, this benghazi controversy behind her, tray to cut through the politics, start talking about her views on the important p

a bit. hillary clinton dropped below 50% to 37%. she still has the lead in iowa. bernie sanders has been attracting these huge rockstar crowds. hillary clinton, i think, is trying to capture a little bit of that excitement. she has katy perry coming to campaign for her and iowa. -- in iowa. host: i did not know she is political at all. guest: indeed. on the republican side, it is still trump. people have been predicting his death in the race, but it is not happening. his high water mark was 16 points above his nearest rival, now he is only five points above ben carson. those two are pretty tight. everyone else seems to be second tier you have carly fiorina, and a club of people who have little experience below them. throw the samell question to you. to has the momentum in new hampshire? is the line of the same -- line-up the same? guest: it is, to a degree. donald trump still has the lead in new hampshire. the outsiders, whether it is ben carson, carly fiorina, are making a strong play. all the democratic side, you have hillary clinton and bernie sanders going head-to-head. bernie s

presidential debate right here on cnn. and bernie sanders is trying to gain ground on hillary clinton. he is pushing for support today in colorado. he is in boulder, colorado. he will be holding a rally there in just moments. you see people gearing up for him to take the podium. it is on the university of colorado's east campus. it will get under way this hour. the vermont senator is expected to speak about income inequality, prescription drug costs, and his college affordability plan among other things. our reporter joins me now live. in addition to those things, do you expect that he will take on his critics on how he's voted on gun control? >> reporter: yeah, poppy, it's really been interesting, just this weekend, we have noticed a shift in bernie sanders. last night starting in tucson, he really deviated from his standard stump speech to really almost explain his past voting history on gun control. certainly his history is facing a lot more scrutiny with these most recent shootings. and certainly a big message push by the hillary clinton campaign, really to kind of capitalize on what

country if bernie sanders is the next president. >> we have raised $2 million. >> i actually am aroused by him. i like an old jewish guy who is a socialist. that is my type of guy. >> who has better hair? you or donald trump? >> that goes without saying. >> yeah. >> it looks like a map that is finally ready for an old white president again. >> donald trump is tired. he is tired of being made tired by being forced to stand on debate stage just for more than two hours, many observers thought trump looked tired during the last republican debate which lasted three hours. now donald trump is threatening to boycott the next republican debate on cnbc, and in a letter to cnbc co-signed by donald trump and ben carson, they say they will not participate in a debate that is more than 120 minutes long including commercial debates. further, it must contain opening and closing statements from the candidates. cnbc then said our practice in the past has been to forego the opening statements to serve the public better. we will certainly take the candidates's format into consideration as we finalize the

, for instance. bernie sanders has been against gun laws. hillary clinton, way out in front of barack obama in terms of gun regulation. >> bernie sanders has definitely made it clear that he supports gun safety, he supports background checks. so what tonight will be about is the differing approaches to helping people succeed, helping people be empowered and a more inclusive forward-leaning america so that we can make sure we can continue the 67 months of job growth that have happened under barack obama's administration. >> without donald trump as he points out, he's going to be live tweeting, he says, without donald trump, without all the fighting, it won't be as interesting. >> we have over 230 debate watch parties all across the country. we are up to 35 nations where there's a debate watch party tonight. there will be tremendous enthusiasm. this is not a reality tv show. our debate is going to focus on our candidates and the very serious issues that americans care about, not, you know, trying to recreate a reality tv show that basically people are tuning in to -- just to watch the c

clinton saying i'm with unions, i'm a progressive, i can play on the same stage with bernie sanders in terms of these issues. >> she is a prolific tweeter. so she's talking about this issue because she says donald trump should be on the side of workers. is she taunting him? >> is she taunting donald trump? >> yeah. >> i think in some ways, yes. i think it's sort of fun. i think some of her best lines have been about donald trump and if you attack donald trump, it sort of makes news. >> and is he taunting her? she's a prolific tweeter, as well. >> i don't know if it's so much taunting, perhaps, but i think she is really trying to grab the attention of her spaufrters supporters. she's not taunting them and sort of teasing them, right? and when it comes to unions, this is part of her play book from 2007, 2008. this is all important for her, for winning nevada, and that's part of the strategy here. >> so brianna and i have known each other for a long time. i said you see yourself -- you've been covering and she goes, don -- but since you have been covering this campaign, how is she prepari

front-runner. to her right, bernie sanders. he's been doing well in the polls in places like new hampshire. it's somebody she'll have to worry about for the foreseeable future. former maryland governor, martin o'mall o'malley, lincoln chafee and jim webb. the x-factor in all of this is joe biden. the vice president is said to have been up in delaware over the weekend trying to determine whether or not he wants to run for president. no ig doeses have been made, according to his spokespeople. debbie wasserman schultz said on state of the union yesterday, if he decides to fly in at the last minute, he'll be more than welcome. >> he has been carefully considering whether he wants to run for president of the united states and, of course, in the democratic primary we would always have room and welcome the sitting vice president. >> now, just to run down where things stand right now in the latest polls, we have new polling from cnn orc in terms of where the race stands at this point. and the first poll we want to show you, which candidate has the best chance to win? there's hillary clin

? bernie sanders. watch our panel play fact or fix and i hit streets of new york to find out how popular is social implement answer - -- socialisms answer is terrifying. ... symbicort could help you breathe better, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. symbicort helps provide significant improvement of your lung function. symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. you should tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. symbicort could mean a day with better breathing. watch out, piggies! (children giggle) symbicort. breathe better starting within 5 minutes. call or go online to learn more about a free trial offer. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. kennedy: the best way to learn is to play, that is

in south carolina, as well. bernie sanders will be standing to her right. martin o'malley to her left, jim web and lincoln chafey on the ends. it starts tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. and cheryl crow will sing the anthem and she's excited to be there for the debate and we are, as well. we are talking about the candidates' road to las vegas, what they need to do tomorrow night and how they are getting ready tonight. i want to start with brianna keilar. what does hillary clinton, brianna, been doing in the last couple of days and what message has she been trying to get across? >> she's been down as we say in the last couple of days here. last few days, actually, anderson, she was campaigns last week in new hampshire and iowa and met with black lives matter activists in d.c. on thursday and then she went down on friday, saturday, sunday and so she's had some time to prep in ea earnest. her message here is to try to cut through the politics. she's spent so much of this early part of her campaign dealing with this e-mail controversy about her practicing on e-mail while she was secretary of state. s

their republican counterpart. hillary clinton stayed on message. bernie sanders found a wider audience and the three underdogs elbowed into the spotlight, if only for a moment. john burman live in las vegas on the morning after. >> a fascinating debate carol. you saw the experience of hillary clinton. the passion of bernie sanders. and you saw the granite of lincoln chafee. this morning, five campaigns declaring victory. take a look though what a debate it was. it may have been the first democratic debate but it was clear it was not hillary clinton's first rodeo. running down a debate checklist with surgical precision. >> i would not ask anyone to vote for me based on my last name. >> her name, check. her appeal to the grassroots and pragmatic wings of the party? check, check. >> i'm a progressive. but i'm a progressive who likes to get things done. >> her gender? check, check, check. >> i think being the first woman president would be quite a change from the presidents that have had up until this point. >> even apparently joking about an extended trip to the bathroom during c

sanders was to explain socialism. [video clip] bernie sanders: we will explain what democratic socialism is. what democratic socialism is t ist is saying i morally wrong but the top 10 of as muchis country own wealth as the bottom 90%. it is wrong today in a rigged economy that 57% of all the income is going to the top 1%. when you look around the world, you see every other major country providing health care to all people as a right come except the united states. you see every other major country saying to moms that when you have a baby, we will not separate you from your newborn baby because we are going to have medical and family paid leave like every other country on earth. the principles i believe in and i think we should look to countries like denmark, like sweden and norway and learn from what they have accomplished with their working people. host: bernie sanders from last night's debate. we get your thoughts on it. who won last night's debate? fredericksburg, virginia. republican. caller: of course, hillary .linton won bernie sanders came in second. everyone else was a