Opinion: Clinton vs. Sanders: She didn’t crack, he wasn’t a crackpot

“We’re not Denmark,” remarked Hillary Clinton as she went nativist in a swipe at European socialism and her Democratic presidential rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, America’s only elected democratic socialist. That dig was one of several cutting remarks meant to separate Clinton from the socialist Brooklyn native hot on her heels.

During the first Democratic presidential debate, Sanders fired back at Clinton’s coziness with Wall Street, saying he “believes in a system where all people do well.” All night they (and the three lackluster Democrats they shared the stage with) tussled on income inequality, gun control, tax cuts, criminal justice reform, climate change and Glass-Steagall.

Both Clinton and Sanders were winners Tuesday night, because she didn’t crack and he didn’t come across as a crackpot. The other good news for Hillary is that she put the #DraftBiden movement to bed with her strong performance. Sanders aided Clinton by failing to take her legs out on Wall Street, the Iraq War, income inequality and her email controversy. It appeared that the debate was his to lose.

In an attempt to burnish her leftist credentials, Clinton had a moment during the debate that must have sent chills down the back of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who fancies himself the face of the progressive movement. When asked if she labeled herself as a progressive or a moderate, Clinton channeled de Blasio’s rival, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying, “I’m a progressive, but a progressive who likes to get things done.” Shots fired, Bill and Bernie!  

Although the income gap is greater today than in 1933, Sanders missed an opportunity to tie Clinton to the people (Wall Street and big banks) and policies (deregulation in the financial sector) that have tilted the scales against working-class men and women.

Hillary parried Sanders’ awkward income inequality thrusts with her deft counter on the gun-control issue to knock Sanders while he was flat-footed.  

Clinton looked visibly relieved when the round on Wall Street and big banks ended. I had to admire the way she smoothly pivoted to climate change. But had the topic gone on another few minutes, she would have pulled the “grandma” card. She adeptly pulled the “woman” card more than once in response to Anderson Cooper’s questions. At one point she declared that women were the ultimate outsiders.

In contrast, Sanders fully embraced his outsider status. When asked if he was a socialist, he didn’t say he was a “Franklin Roosevelt New Dealer.” I give him points for his ideological honesty. His stance is a rarity in politics today (outside of the tea party faithful).

I’m very annoyed that criminal justice reform has become THE racial justice issue. If you listen to the presidential candidates you’d believe that racism is only defined by police brutality and mass incarceration. Only Sanders said, "We need to combat institutional racism from top to bottom.” But while he understands institutional racism as the problem, he believes resolving income inequality is the cure-all.

Hillary, on the other hand, infantilizes racism and inequality by constantly championing the need to “do more about the lives of children.” In reality, if you improve the lives of black adults, the lives of black children will improve as well.

Scots-Irish champion Jim Webb’s only real moment occurred when he expressed support for affirmative action for African-Americans based on their history of being discriminated against coupled with the “need to elevate the economic hardships of Appalachian whites” – drawing on his background. But Anderson Cooper was so self-absorbed, and largely dismissive of Webb, that he missed an opportunity to follow up on an unscripted moment.

Cooper’s performance was disappointing. He set my hair on fire when he called on his African-American colleague Don Lemon to ask the obligatory #BlackLivesMatter question. From his haughty Vanderbilt perch, Cooper called on the Latino correspondent Juan Carlos Lopez to ask the immigration question. As if to achieve a warped trifecta, Dana Bash obligingly asked Clinton about expanding family leave. Later, in a fit of pique, I tweeted, “Shouldn’t CNN’s token (yes, double entendre) stoner have asked the medical marijuana question?”

My final debate takeaway: “Free the drug dealers and thugs. Jail the bankers and Edward Snowden.”

Webb, Martin O’Malley and Lincoln Chafee did little to prove that they are worthy competitors. O’Malley tried hard but missed the opportunity to become Joe Biden Lite; he only stood out to me because his voice sounds a lot like former Gov. George Pataki.

Hillary’s Denmark diss stuck in my craw because all four of my grandparents were born under the Danish flag in the Virgin Islands. Thankfully for Clinton, the Danish-American vote is probably too tiny to matter as her march to the Democratic nomination in 2016 continues.

Former Assemblyman Michael Benjamin (on Twitter) represented the Bronx for eight years.