ELECTION 2020: A METROFOCUS SPECIAL

> TONIGHT ELECTION 2020, A 'METROFOCUS' SPECIAL.

LEADING CANDIDATES FACE OFF.

FOLLOWING THE FINAL DEBATE BEFORE THE IOWA CAUCUSES, AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC HOPEFULS STAND ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S UPCOMING TRIAL IN THE SENATE.

THEN IT'S NEW JERSEY SENATOR KORY BOOKER DROPS OUT, WHO IS REALLY TO BLAME FOR THE LACK OF DIVERSITY AMONG DEMOCRATIC CONTENDERS?

AND BERNIE SANDERS, ELIZABETH WARREN TAKE ON THE GLOVES.

I THINK YOU CALLED ME A LIAR ON NATIONAL TV.

LET'S NOT DO IT RIGHT NOW.

YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

YOU TOLD ME --

HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS THEIR FEUD AND WHAT COULD IT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF EITHER CANDIDATE?

THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS 'METROFOCUS' STARTS RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS 'METROFOCUS' WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES AND MERRYL TISCH, SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ, ROSALIND P. WALTER, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY --

> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO ELECTION 2020.

SIX OF THE LEADING DEMOCRATIC HOPEFULS FACED OFF THIS WEEK FOR THE FINAL DEBATE BEFORE THE IOWA CAUCUSES.

THE SHOWDOWN FOCUSED IN PART ON TWO CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS THAT HAVE DOMINATED THE NEWS CYCLE.

IRAN AND IMPEACHMENT.

TONIGHT WE'RE EXPLORING THESE ISSUES AND WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND.

WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT NEW JERSEY SENATOR CORY BOOKER'S EXIT FROM THE RACE AS WELL AS THE GROWING FEUD BETWEEN SENATORS ELIZABETH WARREN AND BERNIE SANDERS.

JOINING US NOW TO BREAK IT ALL DOWN FOR US, A POLICY STRATEGY AND IRAQ VETERAN, A POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NYC BOARD OF ELECTIONS, AND THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK CITY FOCUSED NEWS ORGANIZATION.

JUST ABOUT ALL THE CANDIDATES IN TUESDAY'S DEMOCRATIC DEBATE STRONGLY CONDEMNED, CRITICIZED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR HIS DECISION TO ATTACK SOLEIMANI AND HIS POLICY THIS GENERAL.

OUTSIDE THE POLITICAL BUBBLE, IT SEEMS LIKE THINGS ARE PLAYING OUT DIFFERENTLY.

FOR EXAMPLE, A NUMBER OF HEAVYWEIGHT FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS ARE SAYING THAT WHAT TRUMP DID IS ACTUALLY A GAME CHAN CHANGER IN A POSITIVE SENSE.

SOME OF OUR CLOSEST EUROPEAN ALLIES ARE DISCUSSING THE SANCTIONS.

AND IN IRAN, ANTI-REGIME AND PRO AMERICAN PROTESTERS HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS IN NUMBERS NOT SEEN SINCE 1979 WHEN THE SHAH WAS OVERTHROWN.

ARE THE DEMOCRATS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY HERE?

WELL, HISTORY IS ALWAYS SEEN, HINDSIGHT, 2020.

I THINK THE CANDIDATES ON DEBATE NIGHT, THE TRUMP IS AN EASY PUNCHING BAG AND HIS CLAIM FOR KILLING THE GENERAL WAS ESSENTIALLY THAT HE POSED AN IMMINENT DANGER TO THE SECURITY OF AMERICA.

AND REPORTING HAS SHOWN THAT HIS REASONING FOR THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY BASED OFF THREE THINGS AND HIS DEFINITION OF IMMINENT DANGER.

NUMBER ONE, THE FACT THE GENERAL HAD DONE TREMENDOUS TRAVEL TO LEBANON AND TO SYRIA, MEETING SPECI SPECIFICALLY.

AND THREE, THE FACT IRANIAN AGGRESSION RESULTED IN THE RECENT KILLING OF A MILITARY OF AN AMERICAN CONTRACTOR IN DECEMBER.

SO HIS REASONING FOR THE ASSASSINATION WAS ALL THESE THREE THINGS, CREATED IN HIS MIND IMMINENT DANGER.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE AS THE AMERICAN PUBLIC DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW EXCEPT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING FORTH.

SO WILL WE BE ON THE WRONG OR THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY, IT IS HARD TO TELL AT THIS POINT.

WE DO KNOW THAT THAT WAS THE REASONING THE THE PRESIDENT USED.

IT SEEMED LIKE, IF IT WAS SUCH A GOOD IDEA WITH THESE POLICY EXPERTS SAYING IT, WHY BE LESS THAN CANDID ABOUT THE REASONS FOR DOING IT?

IT HAS BROKEN DOWN.

THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.

IT'S NOT TRUE.

THE PRESIDENT HAS.

WHO CARES?

WHY LIE ABOUT IT?

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LIE.

IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE A KNEE JERK REACTION IN THE ECHO CHAMBERS OF CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK CITY, NAMELY, WHERE WE AUTOMATICALLY BEGIN TO SOMEHOW CREATE THIS NEFARIOUS MOVEMENT.

EVERYTHING THE PRESIDENT DOES, ESPECIALLY THIS, IS WRONG AND EVIL.

AND THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BEHIND IT.

I WOULD SAY LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENED.

HEY, THIS GUY SOLEIMANI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 600 AMERICAN DEATHS.

THOUSANDS OF MAIMED AMERICANS WOUNDED TODAY, PARAPLEGIC, PEOPLE HAVE LOST LIMBS.

AND NOT TO MENTION HE'S BEEN SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLING OF OVER 1500 UNARMED PROTESTERS IN HIS OWN REGION.

THIS IS SOMEONE PRESIDENT BUSH, PRESIDENT OBAMA ALL WANTED GONE.

HE WAS A KEY TERRORIST IN THE WORLD.

THE FACT THAT HE'S NO LONGER WITH US IS A GOOD THING FOR THE UNITED STATES.

AND I THINK OUR SOLDIERS AND OUR TROOPS IN THE REGION WIN WHEN THE GUY THAT WAS IN CHARGE FOR.

SO TERRORISM IS NO LONGER IN THE PICTURE.

WHY NOW?

IS IT BECAUSE OF IMPEACHMENT?

YOU CAN HAVE THOSE POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS BUT WHAT AMERICA SAW BALTIMORE DEMOCRATS WERE SAYING THE FOLLOWING.

HE WAS A BAD GUY.

WE'RE NOT MOURNING HIS DEATH BUT WHY IS HE DEAD?

WHY DID HE DO IT NOW?

GOING BACK TO THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY, WHY DID THE DEMOCRATS BLOCK A RESOLUTION BY THE REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE TO SUPPORT THE PROTESTERS?

WHY AS FAR AS I KNOW HAS IT, BIDEN AND KLOBUCHAR BEEN THE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THE PROTESTERS?

DO YOU KNOW?

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE DEMOCRATS BUT THERE IS A RELUCTANCE TO BACK ANTI-REGIME PROTESTERS.

IT CAN BE A WAD THING FOR THE PROTESTERS.

IF YOU CHANGE THAT MOVEMENT FROM AN INTERNAL, ORGANIC, DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT TO CHANGE THE REGIME INTO SOMETHING THAT APPEARS TO BE A PUPPET OF THE U.S. POLICY, YOU CAN ENDANGER PEOPLE IN IT.

SO AVOIDING THE U.S. AND REGIME CHANGE COULD BE SMART.

I THINK IT IS FAIR TO NOTE AND IT CAME UP IN THE DEBATE, THE DEATHS SOLEIMANI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DID OCCUR IN THE CONTEXT OF THE IRAQ WAR.

A WAR THE U.S. STARTED OF CHOICE.

MANY WOULD CALL IT AN ILLEGAL WAR.

I THINK A LOT OF THE REACTION TO THE TRUMP BOMBING AND THE IRAN RETALIATION WHICH CAUSED NO LOSS OF AMERICAN LIFE, IT IS HARD TO SAY HOW IT WOULD PLAY OUT IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE HORRIFYING DOWNING OF THE UKRAINIAN JET.

SO THE WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IF THERE IS NO OTHER CONFRONTATION, POLITICALLY, WHO DOES IT HELP?

DO YOU THINK IT HELPS TRUMP OR WHOEVER HIS DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT IS?

IF NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS, IT FADES TO THE BACKGROUND.

THE OVERTHROW OF THE SHAH, THE DOWNING OF THE USS STARK, MANY OTHER EVENTS SINCE.

I THINK HE BENEFITED POLITICALLY WHICH HE TOOK OUT OSAMA BIN LADEN.

I THINK REPUBLICANS WERE VERY HAPPY WHEN HE DID THAT.

I THINK TRUMP GOES INTO THIS ELECTION CYCLE SAYING, I HAD A, I TOOK OUT SOLEIMANI.

SO POLITICALLY, I HATE TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, BUT I THINK IT BENEFITS A COMMANDER IN CHIEF BEING STRONG ON TERRORISM.

OKAY, FINALLY, THE SENATE, IT LOOKS LIKE NEXT WEEK, THEY'LL START THE TRIAL.

THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL AFTER THE PELOSI STARTED THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

THE DELAY DIRKTS BENEFIT OR HURT THE DEMOCRATS?

WELL, IT DEPENDS.

POLITICS IS ALL ABOUT SPIN.

WHETHER OR NOT IT COULD BE SEEN.

SPEAKER PELOSI, HER STRATEGY WAS TO HOLD ON TO THE ARTICLES UNTIL McCONNELL GAVE HER WHAT SHE WANTED WHICH WAS GIVE US THE RULES THAT WILL DEFINE HOW WE'LL WALK INTO THIS TRIAL.

HE SAID HE HAD THE VOTES.

WHAT SHE WAS ASKING FOR WAS NULL AND VOID.

SHE WOULD SAY AS SHE HAS SAID BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION HOLDING ON TO THE ARTICLES, THAT TIME SPENT HAS IN FACT GATHERED AND SHE QUOTED, MORE INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE THAT COULD PROVE TO BE HELPFUL TO THE CASE OF THE DEMOCRATS.

I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO VERY BRILLIANT LEADERS.

LEADER McCONNELL AND SPEAKER PELOSI.

I THINK SPEAKER PELOSI DID A BRILLIANT MOVE.

IT GAVE US MORE TIME ON GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON.

WHAT IS THE UNDERLYING EVIDENCE THAT MAY COME OUT IN THE MEDIA.

IT PUT SENATORS WHERE THEY HAVE TO DEFEND NOT WANTING WITNESSES SO A BRILLIANT MOVE ON HER PART AND McCONNELL WAS ABLE TO BE, TO BE BRILLIANT.

NOT ONLY THE 51 VOTES BUT IF IT IS SO IMMINENT WE NEED TO GET HIM OUT, WHY ARE YOU DELAYING?

SO I THINK AMERICA SAW TWO OF THE BEST LEGISLATORS IN HISTORY DO THEIR GAMESMANSHIP.

A QUESTION WAS POSED TO VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN.

AND HE GAVE AN INTERESTING AND ALMOST MOVING ANSWER TO A QUESTION ABOUT IMPEACHMENT AND HOW IT AFFECTED HIM.

WE HAVE A CLIP OF THAT.

I UNDERSTAND HOW THESE GUYS ARE.

THEY'VE GONE AFTER MY SURVIVING SON, TOLD LIES THAT YOUR NETWORKS AND OTHERS WON'T EVEN CARRY ON TELEVISION BECAUSE THEY'RE FLAT OUT LIES.

AND I DID MY JOB.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT HE DID HIS JOB.

AND HE HASN'T DONE HIS JOB.

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER OR NOT HE'S GONE AFTER ME.

I'VE GOT TO BE IN A POSITION, I CAN'T HOLD A GRUDGE.

I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY FIGHT BUT ALSO HEAL.

AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THAT'S WHAT I WILL ATTEMPT TO DO.

YOU KNOW, BIDEN AND HIS SON HUNTER HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THIS ALMOST AS MUCH AS TRUMP HAS.

HOW DO YOU THINK IT HAS AFFECTED HIS CANDIDACY?

I THINK IF ANYTHING IT HAS ENDEARED HIM TO SOME DEMOCRATS WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON THE FENCE ABOUT HIM.

MAYBE NOT SWITCHING PEOPLE TO HIS SIDE AS A CANDIDATE BUT REMINDING PEOPLE HE'S BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.

HE BOTH EMPHASIZED THE ADDITIONAL STAKES BUT ALSO, THIS IS ABOUT SOMETHING BIGGER.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO HEAR THIS AS GRUDGE MATCH OVER SONS AND DAUGHTERS AND BUSINESS ENTANGLEMENTS.

THAT WOULD GET OLD PRETTY FAST.

WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, HEALING WOULD STRIKE THAT THEME.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I THINK THE ANSWER WAS GREAT.

I THINK THAT A LOT OF DEMOCRATS WILL BE ENDEARED TO HIM, ESPECIALLY IN THIS THE PROCESS.

I THINK, HONESTLY, THIS WHOLE ISSUE WITH UKRAINE AND THE BDS HAS HURT BIDEN AND DECISION MAKERS IN WISCONSIN THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW, HOW DID THIS GUY GET $60,000 A MONTH?

IF THEY'RE NOT HAPPY WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP BECAUSE THEY THINK HE'S CORRUPT, IS THIS MORE OF THE SAME?

AND I THINK THAT HURTS HIM WITH.

AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE DEMOCRATS.

MY QUESTION REALLY IS, IF THE REPUBLICANS BEGIN TO CALL PEOPLE WHO MAYBE THE DEMOCRATS DON'T WANT THEM TO CALL, WHO IS IT GOING ON BENEFIT?

I THINK AT THIS POINT, THIS IS POLITICAL THEATER, RIGHT?

I THINK PEOPLE WON'T BE SWAYED BY PARTICULAR WITNESSES.

AT LEAST FOR THE PRIMARY PRESIDENTIALS.

FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OVERALL, NOT GOING TO BE A MUCH CONSEQUENCE.

THE HOUSE VOTED ALONG PARTISAN LINES, AS DID THE SENATE.

I THINK ONE, IT'S NOT DURING IN A VACUUM.

I THINK ONE PROBLEM FOR THE DEMOCRATS, AS LEGITIMATE ASWOMAN SAY, THE REQUIREMENTS ARE REALLY LEGITIMATE.

THERE'S ONLY SO MANY TIME AND OXYGEN IN THE ROOM.

THE MORE WE TALK ABOUT THAT, WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'LL DO FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, TO FIGHT FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO VOTED FOR TRUMP OR DIDN'T VOTE AT ALL.

THAT MIGHT BE THE REAL IMPACT ON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

I'M CAUTIOUS WITH WITNESSES.

THEY WERE COMPLETE THUDS.

BOB MUELLER CAME IN.

DIDN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE.

NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.

WE SAW TRUMP'S FIXER AND IT DIDN'T MOVE AT ALL.

AND THE IMPEACHMENT PERIOD IN THE HOUSE.

HIS NUMBERS WENT UP.

REMEMBER, IT WON'T BE THE STRONG REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.

IN WISCONSIN, PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN, IF THEY'RE MOVED BY WITNESSES AND THEY COME OUT AND VOTE IN FAVOR OF VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN, THIS MAY IN FACT TILT THE ELECTION.

THIS IS ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT VOTERS.

IF IMPEACHMENT STARTS NEXT WEEK, THE IOWA CAUCUSES ARE NEXT WEEK, IF IT TAKES TWO WEEKS, THE SENATORS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT HAVE TO BE BY RULE, HAVE TO SIT IN THE SENATE AND MISS CAMPAIGNING IN IOWA.

RIGHT?

WARREN, SANDERS, KLOBUCHAR.

THEY HAVE TO SIT THERE.

HOW WILL THAT IMPACT THE RACE?

THE FACT SO MANY HAVE TO GO EVENS IT OUT.

AND AN ADVANTAGE TO BIDEN WHO CAN STAY OUT THERE AND BUTTIGIEG AS WELL.

THEY'LL BE SEEN DOING SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.

THEY MIGHT BE SEEN AS A STAR MOMENT.

IN IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE VISUALS AND THE ACTUALS.

SO THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT OF THE.

OF COURSE, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ALREADY TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES.

AT LEAST THE ACHIEVEMENTS AS HE SEES THEM.

MINORITIES, BLACK, ASIAN, HISPANIC, EMPLOYMENT RATES ARE AT HISTORIC LOWS.

IF DEMOCRATS DON'T GET TO RESPOND, WHAT HAPPENS?

IT IS PROBLEMATIC.

THE BREAD AND BUTTER ISSUES ARE THOSE THAT WILL APPEAL TO THE WORKING CLASS VOTERS, BLACK OR WHITE IN MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, OHIO.

THE PRESIDENT IS TALKING EMPLOYMENT.

THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM COME NOVEMBER.

IF AS EXPECTED, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, THE SENATE DOES NOT CONVICT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO WINS AT THE END?

IS TRUMP HURT BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS?

OR ARE THE DEMOCRATS HURT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T ACHIEVE THE KICKING OUT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP?

I THINK POLITICALLY, TRUMP BENEFITS BECAUSE HE CAN GO BACK TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND SAY I'VE BEEN VINDICATED.

I DID NOTHING WRONG.

I'VE BEEN CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES.

ELECTORALLY, TIME WILL TELL.

REGARDLESS OF THE RESULTS OF THE IMPEACHMENT, DEMOCRATS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN SWING STATES IN THE HOUSE, COULD ELECTORALLY POSSIBLY FACE CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND EXPLAIN WHY THEY WERE PART OF A PROCESS OF IMPEACHING PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO IN FACT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND TO DO NOTHING WRONG.

I THINK IT BENEFITS THE PRESIDENT IF HE GETS ACQUITTED IN THE SENATE.

NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

I THINK IF WE GET MORE EVIDENCE AFTER THE TRIAL THAT SHOWS CORRUPTION TOOK PLACE, IT MAY IMPACT THOSE INDEPENDENT VOTERS WHO WILL DECIDE THE ELECTION.

LET'S TURN TO THE RACE ITSELF.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, A LOT WAS MADE ABOUT THE BREWING FEUD BETWEEN SENATOR SANDERS AND SENATOR WARREN.

THE CLAIM IS, AN ANONYMOUS CLAIM, WAS THAT SENATOR SANDERS TOLD SENATOR WARREN IN A PRIVATE CONVERSATION THAT A WOMAN COULDN'T WIN THE PRESIDENCY IN 2020.

AND THEN SHE SAID THAT ACTUALLY DID HAPPEN.

IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE DEBATE.

AND HE DENIED IT TWICE AND SHE REITERATED THAT IT WAS IN FACT TRUE.

THE INTERESTING THING WAS WHAT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER THE DEBATE.

WE HAVE THAT CLIP.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

I THINK YOU CALLED ME A LIAR ON NATIONAL TV?

LET'S NOT DO IT RIGHT NOW.

YOU CALLED ME -- YOU TOLD ME -- LET'S NOT DO IT NOW.

I JUST WANT TO SAY HI.

HOW BIG A DEAL IS THIS?

WHAT COULD BE THE LONG TERM REPERCUSSIONS?

I THINK, YOUR TERM, EVERYONE KNEW THIS WOULD COME.

THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME SEPARATION BECAUSE THEY WERE SO SIMILAR AND SO CLOSE IN THE POLLS AS THE PRIMARIES ARE APPROACHING.

EARLIER IN THE WEEK, SANDERS' PEOPLE BEGAN LOOKING AT DOING BASE CLAY PUSH-PULL, TALKING ABOUT HOW WARREN WAS ONLY PULLING AFFLUENT VOTERS.

NOT ADDING ANYONE TO THE PROCESS.

WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT SPECIAL WHEN I THE IOWA CAUCUS COMING UP, THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY AT ONE ANOTHER'S SECOND CHOICE.

IF YOU'RE A BERNIE VOTER --

ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE CAUCUS CONTEXT.

THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CASE NOW.

IF YOU LOOK AT TWITTER, JUST TALKING TO MY FRIENDS WHO WERE EITHER FOR SANDERS OR WARREN.

NO MORE.

NO MORE.

THE #NEVER WARREN WAS TRENDING ON TWITTER.

YOU LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA.

PEOPLE SUPPORTING SENATOR SANDERS, THEY'RE VERY ANGRY AT WHAT'S GOING ON.

I THINK THIS HURTS SENATOR WARREN.

I THINK SENATOR SANDERS HAS A LOT MORE SUPPORT GOING INTO THIS AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE GOES AFTER THIS.

THE IMPLICATION THE SENATOR SANDERS IS A SEXIST?

COMING OUT AND SAYING THAT?

I DON'T THINK ANYONE WILL BUY IT.

I HAVE TO MOVE ON BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT OF TIME AND I WANT TO GET INTO CORY BOOKER'S LEAVING THE RACE.

HE SAID NOW THERE ARE MORE BILLIONAIRES THAN BLACK CANDIDATES IN THIS RACE.

HE JUST WASN'T MAKING AN OBJECTIVE STATEMENT.

HE WAS SAYING, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG HERE.

WHO IS TO BLAME?

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT NOW THE DEMOCRAT IC DEMOCRATS AE BUY AND LARGE, WHITE?

I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND.

IT IS INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING THAT THIS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CYCLE BEGAN AS THE MOST DIVERSE SLATE OF CANDIDATES TO THROW IN THEIR HAT FOR THE RING.

AND HERE WE ARE IN JANUARY, AN ESSENTIALLY ALL WHITE DEBATE STAGE WHICH IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING, CONSIDERING A LARGE NUMBER OF BLACK INDIGENOUS AND LATINO CONSTITUENTS AND RESIDENTS AND AMERICANS ARE PART OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY BUT DO NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION AT THIS LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE THE IMPLICATION OF THE CRITICS IS THAT THE FAULT LIES IN THE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS ARE NOT SUPPORTING BLACK.

OBVIOUSLY THESE PEOPLE LEFT THE RACE.

BECAUSE THE MONEY AND THE STRUCTURES WEREN'T THERE FOR THEM.

IN 201890% OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE WENT TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

70% OF THE LATINO VOTE, LATINA VOTE, WENT TO THE DEMOCRATIC VOTE.

AND 70% OF THE ASIAN VOTE WENT TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WHAT WE SEE TODAY, THERE IS NOT ONE BLACK OR LATINO OR LATINA.

THIS IS A MISTAKE CONSIDERING IT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY HOMOJEANOUS.

IF YOU AT THE A CANDIDATE YOU NEED TO RAISE THAT'S OF DOLLARS BY X AMOUNT OF DATE TO GET ON THE STAGE, THAT REALLY HURTS VOTERS THAT ARE NOT FROM AN AREA.

I THINK THAT'S CLEARLY THE CASE.

AND I THINK THE SIZE OF THE FIELD HURT, TOO.

IF YOU HAD A SMALLER FIELD, SOMEONE LIKE CORY BOOKER MAY HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO STAND OUT.

YOU THINK OF THE EARLY DEBATES.

HE WAS OFF CAMERA FOR SO MANY OF THEM.

IT MIGHT HAVE HE RESONATED.

I THINK THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN SUFFERED FROM SOME CLEAR INTERNAL PROBLEMS, VERY PROMISING CANDIDATE WHO KIND OF SEEMED TO COLLAPSE VERY QUICKLY.

I THINK A LOT OF IT WAS, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE BILL de BLASIO'S OF THE WORLD, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN QUITE DIFFERENT.

YOU CAN SEE IT IN RECENT POLLS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

THERE IS A POLL THAT SAYS 34% OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS WOULD GO WITH TRUMP.

ONE THAT SAYS 20 SOMETHING PERCENT.

THE SMALLER SAYS 16%. EVEN IF IT IS SC16%, THAT IS TWE AS MANY VOTES AS IN 2016.

A REAL CONCERN?

IT SHOULD BE A CONCERN FOR THE DEMOCRATS.

THE BLACK VOTE IN THE UNITED STATES IS NOT MONOLITHIC.

THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAME THINGS EVERYONE ELSE IS CONCERNED ABOUT.

IF YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE VERY FAR TO THE LEFT, RUNNING AS A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE, YOU WILL SEE A LOT MORE AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND LATINOS AND LATINAS SUPPORTING PRESIDENT TRUMP.

WHEN WE THINK OF MINORITY VOTERS, HE THINK THEY'RE FAR LEFT AND THEY'RE NOT.

MANY MAY FIND TRUMP A VIABLE CANDIDATE.

THE BLACK ELECTORATE IS A KEY CONSTITUENCY.

NO DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE CAN BE THE NOMINEE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT OF THE BLACK ELECTORATE.

IF TRUMP IS INCREASING HIS SUPPORT AMONG BLACK VOTERS, THAT MEANS THAT HE'S CHIPPING AWAY AT THE BASE OF VOTERS WHO USED TO BE DEMOCRATS WHICH IS A CONCERN.

REAL QUICKLY, THE BLOOMBERG FACTOR.

THE VAST AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT HE SPENT, PARTICULARLY HIS FIRST MAYORAL RACE, REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE.

HE'S SPENDING AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY.

IS IT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

I THINK IT IS ALREADY.

CERTAINLY WITH HIS HUGE AMOUNT OF SPENDING, HE'S SHOWN SOME MOVEMENT IN SOME POLLS.

IF NO CLEAR WINNER EMERGES, THEN HE HAS THE ADVANTAGE.

I THINK IT COULD BE HARDER FOR HIM TO COME IN AS SOMEONE WHO HASN'T BEEN IN THE DEBATES AND SAY RT HE'LL BE RECEPTIVE.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE IOWAN CAUCUS?

I DON'T THINK IT IS THAT IMPORTANT.

4% WILL BE DECIDED.

34% WILL BE DECIDED ON SUPER TUESDAY.

THAT'S WHAT MIKE BLOOMBERG IS FOCUSED ON.

HE'LL BE FOCUSING ALL HIS ATTENTION THERE.

IF HE COPS OUT WITH ENOUGH DEGS, THESE IOWA CAUCUSES WON'T EVEN MATTER.

IF SENATOR SANDERS WINS IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, IS THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE GOING TO TRY TO GET IN HIS WAY AS THEY DID IN 2016?

WILL THEY TRY TO STOP HIM?

I DON'T THINK SO.

IF BERNIE DOES IN FACT COME OUT ON TOP IN IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, I THINK THE REAL LITMUS TEST IS SUPER TUESDAY AND THE AMERICANS OTHER ARE MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION WILL COME OUT AND MAKE THEIR CHOICES ON ELECTION DAY.

WHO WINS IOWA?

BERNIE SANDERS AND KLOBUCHAR AS A CLOSE SECOND.

BIDEN.

OKAY.

I THINK THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

WE'VE COVERED A LOT OF MATERIAL I LEFT OUT SOME QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VEX.

THIS IS VERY ENLIGHTENING.

WE'LL TALK AGAIN.

FOR MORE OF OUR CONVERSATION OF THE 2020 ELECTION, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT METROFOCUS.ORG OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES AND MERRYL TISCH, SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ, ROSALIND P. WALTER, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY --