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| At CNN Town Halls, Sanders Backs Voting Rights for People Now in Jail | At CNN Town Halls, Sanders Backs Voting Rights for People Now in Jail |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Senator Bernie Sanders backed voting rights for “terrible people” now in jail, including the Boston Marathon bomber and those convicted of sexual assault, saying that “the right to vote is inherent to our democracy.” | Senator Bernie Sanders backed voting rights for “terrible people” now in jail, including the Boston Marathon bomber and those convicted of sexual assault, saying that “the right to vote is inherent to our democracy.” |
| Senator Kamala Harris, asked about Mr. Sanders’s view, initially focused on restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated people. When pressed on voting rights for people currently in prison or on death row, she said, “I think we should have that conversation.” | |
| Senator Amy Klobuchar, pressed over her tentative positions on impeaching President Trump, said she believed “very strongly” that Mr. Trump should be “held accountable” — but stopped short of calling for his removal from office in response to the report from the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. | |
| Senator Elizabeth Warren said she wouldn’t be “Hillary’d” during the 2020 presidential race, referring to sexist attacks that damaged Hillary Clinton in 2016. | Senator Elizabeth Warren said she wouldn’t be “Hillary’d” during the 2020 presidential race, referring to sexist attacks that damaged Hillary Clinton in 2016. |
| Their remarks on Monday night came in response to questions at a marathon series of presidential town halls on CNN before an audience of college students in New Hampshire. Five candidates in all planned to attend the back-to-back forums through the night. | Their remarks on Monday night came in response to questions at a marathon series of presidential town halls on CNN before an audience of college students in New Hampshire. Five candidates in all planned to attend the back-to-back forums through the night. |
| The question of impeaching President Trump camp up repeatedly, and the answers underscored how Democratic candidates are gaming out their responses to the special counsel’s report. | The question of impeaching President Trump camp up repeatedly, and the answers underscored how Democratic candidates are gaming out their responses to the special counsel’s report. |
| Ms. Warren gave the sharpest response in favor of impeaching Mr. Trump, and Ms. Harris was blunter on the issue than she had been in previous comments. “I believe Congress should take the steps toward impeachment,” she said. | |
| By contrast, Ms. Klobuchar and Mr. Sanders avoided taking aggressive stands on impeachment. | |
| “If the House brings the impeachment proceedings before us, we will deal with them,” Ms. Klobuchar said. She added later: “What I will say is there are very disturbing things that would lead you to believe there’s obstruction of justice.” | “If the House brings the impeachment proceedings before us, we will deal with them,” Ms. Klobuchar said. She added later: “What I will say is there are very disturbing things that would lead you to believe there’s obstruction of justice.” |
| Ms. Warren, speaking after Ms. Klobuchar, insisted that Democrats could not ignore evidence that Mr. Trump tried to halt or derail the special counsel’s investigation. | Ms. Warren, speaking after Ms. Klobuchar, insisted that Democrats could not ignore evidence that Mr. Trump tried to halt or derail the special counsel’s investigation. |
| “There is no political inconvenience exception to the United States Constitution,” Ms. Warren said, referring to the concern among many Democratic leaders that trying to impeach Mr. Trump would only fail the Republican-led Senate and strengthen the president. | “There is no political inconvenience exception to the United States Constitution,” Ms. Warren said, referring to the concern among many Democratic leaders that trying to impeach Mr. Trump would only fail the Republican-led Senate and strengthen the president. |
| Mr. Sanders said, “There has got to be a thorough investigation” by House Democrats of Mr. Trump, and added that he wished that Republican senators had “the guts” to take action against the president. | Mr. Sanders said, “There has got to be a thorough investigation” by House Democrats of Mr. Trump, and added that he wished that Republican senators had “the guts” to take action against the president. |
| “We’ll see where it goes,” he said. | “We’ll see where it goes,” he said. |
| [Read more about how young people are organizing for 2020.] | [Read more about how young people are organizing for 2020.] |
| The town hall-style forums at Saint Anselm College were a chance for college students to question Democratic candidates and to share their own concerns and policy preferences. Here are some of the highlights for each candidate. | The town hall-style forums at Saint Anselm College were a chance for college students to question Democratic candidates and to share their own concerns and policy preferences. Here are some of the highlights for each candidate. |
| Mr. Sanders said he believed that people in jail, even “terrible people” like the Boston Marathon bomber and sex assault offenders, should have the right to vote, a view that is likely to draw rebukes from both Republicans and some Democrats alike. | Mr. Sanders said he believed that people in jail, even “terrible people” like the Boston Marathon bomber and sex assault offenders, should have the right to vote, a view that is likely to draw rebukes from both Republicans and some Democrats alike. |
| “I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy. Yes, even for terrible people,” he said. “Because once you start chipping away, and you say, ‘Well that guy committed a terrible crime, not going to let him vote. Well that person did that, not going to let that person vote,’ you’re running down a slippery slope.” | “I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy. Yes, even for terrible people,” he said. “Because once you start chipping away, and you say, ‘Well that guy committed a terrible crime, not going to let him vote. Well that person did that, not going to let that person vote,’ you’re running down a slippery slope.” |
| “I believe that people commit crimes, they pay the price,” he added. “When they get out of jail, I believe they certainly should have a right to vote. But I do believe that even if they are in jail, they are paying their price to society, but that should not take away their inherent American right to participate in our democracy.” | “I believe that people commit crimes, they pay the price,” he added. “When they get out of jail, I believe they certainly should have a right to vote. But I do believe that even if they are in jail, they are paying their price to society, but that should not take away their inherent American right to participate in our democracy.” |
| Mr. Sanders stood by his answer even after Chris Cuomo, the CNN host and moderator, gave him a chance to walk it back. He said he knew he would get hit with attack ads over it. | Mr. Sanders stood by his answer even after Chris Cuomo, the CNN host and moderator, gave him a chance to walk it back. He said he knew he would get hit with attack ads over it. |
| “I think I have written many 30-second opposition ads throughout my life,” Mr. Sanders said. “This will be just another one.” | “I think I have written many 30-second opposition ads throughout my life,” Mr. Sanders said. “This will be just another one.” |
| [Make sense of the people, issues and ideas shaping American politics with our newsletter.] | [Make sense of the people, issues and ideas shaping American politics with our newsletter.] |
| Asked how he would reconcile his notion of democratic socialism with the failures of socialism in countries like the Soviet Union, Mr. Sanders was indignant. | Asked how he would reconcile his notion of democratic socialism with the failures of socialism in countries like the Soviet Union, Mr. Sanders was indignant. |
| “Is it your assumption that I supported or believe in authoritarian communism that existed in the Soviet Union?” he asked. “I don’t and never have and I opposed it. I believe in a vigorous democracy.” | “Is it your assumption that I supported or believe in authoritarian communism that existed in the Soviet Union?” he asked. “I don’t and never have and I opposed it. I believe in a vigorous democracy.” |
| He added: “What do I mean when I talk about democratic socialism? It certainly is not the authoritarian communism that existed in the Soviet Union and in other communist countries.” | He added: “What do I mean when I talk about democratic socialism? It certainly is not the authoritarian communism that existed in the Soviet Union and in other communist countries.” |
| It is among the questions that many voters across the country have about Mr. Sanders’s ideology, and one that Sanders advisers know he will have to answer if he hopes to win the Democratic nomination. | It is among the questions that many voters across the country have about Mr. Sanders’s ideology, and one that Sanders advisers know he will have to answer if he hopes to win the Democratic nomination. |
| Ms. Harris took a new step on impeachment Monday night, joining other Democrats in supporting efforts to start that process against President Trump. | Ms. Harris took a new step on impeachment Monday night, joining other Democrats in supporting efforts to start that process against President Trump. |
| “It is very clear there is a lot of good evidence pointing to obstruction,” said Mr. Harris, a former prosecutor and California attorney general, before calling on Congress to take steps toward impeachment. | “It is very clear there is a lot of good evidence pointing to obstruction,” said Mr. Harris, a former prosecutor and California attorney general, before calling on Congress to take steps toward impeachment. |
| She had previously said that the behavior of Mr. Trump’s administration was troubling but had stopped short of calling for the president’s ouster. | She had previously said that the behavior of Mr. Trump’s administration was troubling but had stopped short of calling for the president’s ouster. |
| Ms. Harris has also emphasized that she wanted Mr. Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill, saying “Congress needs to see the full, unredacted Mueller report and all of the investigation’s underlying evidence.” | Ms. Harris has also emphasized that she wanted Mr. Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill, saying “Congress needs to see the full, unredacted Mueller report and all of the investigation’s underlying evidence.” |
| Ms. Harris, who is a member of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, became a political star for her pointed questioning of other key members of Mr. Trump’s orbit, including former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. | Ms. Harris, who is a member of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, became a political star for her pointed questioning of other key members of Mr. Trump’s orbit, including former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. |
| On gun control, Ms. Harris announced that, as president, she would sign an executive order mandating background checks for customers of any firearms dealer who sells more than five guns a year. She would also include new regulation of gun manufacturers that could result in revoked licenses or prosecution. | |
| Ms. Klobuchar also highlighted her political successes in Minnesota, citing her electoral record there as proof that she can win back votes in heartland states that helped deliver Mr. Trump the presidency. | Ms. Klobuchar also highlighted her political successes in Minnesota, citing her electoral record there as proof that she can win back votes in heartland states that helped deliver Mr. Trump the presidency. |
| “I am someone that runs in a purple state,” she said. | “I am someone that runs in a purple state,” she said. |
| “Every single time I have run,” she added, “I have won every single congressional district in my state including Michele Bachmann’s.” | “Every single time I have run,” she added, “I have won every single congressional district in my state including Michele Bachmann’s.” |
| When the audience remained silent, she said, “That’s when you guys are supposed to cheer, O.K.?” Some students laughed and cheered while others appeared unmoved. | When the audience remained silent, she said, “That’s when you guys are supposed to cheer, O.K.?” Some students laughed and cheered while others appeared unmoved. |
| Ms. Klobuchar also answered questions on race relations, education, climate change, health care and the cost of higher education during the town hall. | Ms. Klobuchar also answered questions on race relations, education, climate change, health care and the cost of higher education during the town hall. |
| “I wish I could staple a free college diploma under every one of your chairs,” she said in response to a question about why she does not support tuition-free or debt-free college policies. (Ms. Warren on Monday proposed a $1.25 trillion plan to eliminate undergraduate tuition at public colleges and cancel loan debt for many students.) | “I wish I could staple a free college diploma under every one of your chairs,” she said in response to a question about why she does not support tuition-free or debt-free college policies. (Ms. Warren on Monday proposed a $1.25 trillion plan to eliminate undergraduate tuition at public colleges and cancel loan debt for many students.) |
| Ms. Warren has a well-earned reputation as a policy wonk, but on Monday night she talked about the sexism she has faced in politics, drawing in audience members with a personal anecdote that had nothing to do with her plans for government. | Ms. Warren has a well-earned reputation as a policy wonk, but on Monday night she talked about the sexism she has faced in politics, drawing in audience members with a personal anecdote that had nothing to do with her plans for government. |
| Asked by a student about sexist criticism of Hillary Clinton in 2016 and what lessons she learned from it, Ms. Warren noted that sexism in politics did not start two years ago, but rather has faced women in politics for decades. Then she recounted her 2012 Senate race against Scott Brown, then the Republican senator in Massachusetts, during which Ms. Warren’s personal appearances and likability were scrutinized in news coverage and among some voters. | Asked by a student about sexist criticism of Hillary Clinton in 2016 and what lessons she learned from it, Ms. Warren noted that sexism in politics did not start two years ago, but rather has faced women in politics for decades. Then she recounted her 2012 Senate race against Scott Brown, then the Republican senator in Massachusetts, during which Ms. Warren’s personal appearances and likability were scrutinized in news coverage and among some voters. |
| In response, Ms. Warren said she made it a priority to connect with young women on the trail. | In response, Ms. Warren said she made it a priority to connect with young women on the trail. |
| “I’m going to be in this race, and I’m going to make something count every day,” Ms. Warren recalled thinking. | “I’m going to be in this race, and I’m going to make something count every day,” Ms. Warren recalled thinking. |
| Then she got down on one knee to demonstrate how she talked to young girls on a regular basis: “I’d usually get down, I’m a teacher, and I would say, ‘Hi, my name is Elizabeth and I’m running for Senate because that’s what girls do.’” Ms. Warren also said she asked them to pinkie promise to run for Senate one day. | Then she got down on one knee to demonstrate how she talked to young girls on a regular basis: “I’d usually get down, I’m a teacher, and I would say, ‘Hi, my name is Elizabeth and I’m running for Senate because that’s what girls do.’” Ms. Warren also said she asked them to pinkie promise to run for Senate one day. |
| The crowd cheered as Ms. Warren got up, and she concluded by saying, “That’s how I’m going to become the first woman elected president.” | The crowd cheered as Ms. Warren got up, and she concluded by saying, “That’s how I’m going to become the first woman elected president.” |