Social Media Reacts To MSNBC Democratic Forum: Live Updates Of Quotes From Clinton, Sanders And O'Malley

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley took a break from the debate cycle Friday night for a forum dubbed the “First in the South Democratic Candidates Forum,” hosted by the South Carolina Democratic Party at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. The forum, moderated by Rachel Maddow, aired on MSNBC, and instead of featuring group discussions, focused on individual conversations with the candidates.
The forum was expected to touch on an array of topics including the economy, policing, race relations and the state of the Democratic Party in the South. While there are 11 debates scheduled for the Republican debate season, the Democrats are planning only six for the 2016 election cycle. Party leaders were reportedly in discussions last month about new ways to give their candidates more national airtime, according to the vice chairman of the party.
“There’s an impression gap, a free media gap, between Democrats and Republicans, and we have to close it. It’s too big for comfort,” said Simon Rosenberg, president and founder of the New Democrat Network and a candidate for Democratic National Commission chairman in 2005, Time previously reported. “There’s enormous anger and resentment.”
Maddow, however, made clear that Friday night’s forum was very different from a formal, DNC-sanctioned debate.
“It’s not a debate. Both the Republican and Democratic parties made decisions this year that they would pick a specific number of debates and require that the candidates would only participate in those. … And that means I am not allowed to put these candidates on the stage at the same time. I have to talk to them sequentially, one on one,” Maddow told the Charlotte Observer.
However, as is common with debate nights, social media still erupted Friday night as people criticized and praised the candidates. Twitter users also seemed pleased with Maddow and the forum format as opposed to the theatrical, back-and-forth debate style. Below are some reactions to the forum from Twitter.
"Symbol of our country is not the barb wire fence but the statue of liberty" #MartinOMalley #DemForum @MSNBC
— Jamira Burley (@JamiraBurley) November 7, 2015
.@MartinOMalley: We need to wrap the challenge of climate change with the promise of more jobs. #DemForum #MSNBC2016
— Sierra Club (@sierraclub) November 7, 2015
I appreciate that disheveled is part of his brand, but maybe Bernie could have put a comb to his head before coming on JUST SAYING #DemForum
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) November 7, 2015
O'Malley was excellent and has a great record to run on. Perhaps not his time but the future looks very bright for him. #DemForum
— Comedian Sean Kent (@seankent) November 7, 2015
It sure would be great if the Republicans had to answer questions from Rachel Maddow. #DemForum
— Doug Benson (@DougBenson) November 7, 2015
Policy wonk nightmare: the answer @MartinOMalley gave at #DemForum that's getting the most #Twitter love -- the fact that he owns a kilt.
— EJ Dionne (@EJDionne) November 7, 2015
So far it seems both O'Malley & Sanders have done themselves some good in the #DemForum - very important for relative unknowns. #MSNBC2016
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) November 7, 2015
"I knew we would end up talking about hair," @hillaryclinton to @maddow showing her a picture of her wedding day w @billclinton. #DemForum
— Lynn Sweet (@lynnsweet) November 7, 2015
Wow, #BernieSanders hitting a grand slam at this #DemForum -- looser, funnier than any time I've seen him in this race
— Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) November 7, 2015
.@HillaryClinton brings up Eric Garner: "Maybe he shouldn't have been selling cigarettes, but did he deserve to die?" #DemForum
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) November 7, 2015
Awesome: someone from @theMRC made it past security at the #DemForum and on to @MSNBC. #Caring pic.twitter.com/wj3PKXNyxa
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) November 7, 2015
I liked this Dem Forum format more than I thought I would. Need to see this in the GOP field. Policies, or lack thereof on display tonight
— Jayar Jackson (@JayarJackson) November 7, 2015
Final thought: Debates are important but this format should be used more, especially when we are still getting to know candidates #DemForum
— Dawn DiCicco (@DawnDiCicco) November 7, 2015
Good job @maddow on this @msnbc forum. Well done. #DemForum
— Hilary Rosen (@hilaryr) November 7, 2015
It’s really tough to imagine any GOP candidate outside of maybe Graham being able to handle long-form questions like these. #DemForum
— Jason Karsh (@jkarsh) November 7, 2015
This is what a #DemForum should look like tough direct questions and no candidates winning #DemDebate
— JR Gaillot (@jrgaillot) November 7, 2015
So far I like this format. I’m so intrigued it’s difficult to live tweet. #MSNBC2016 #DemForum
— L. Joy Williams (@ljoywilliams) November 7, 2015
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