Hillary Clinton scores strong in first Democratic debate, and it's still her race to lose
Front-runner Hillary Clinton dominated the debate stage as she clashed with her main rival Bernie Sanders over the economy and gun control
Bernie Sanders' mission was to broaden his appeal beyond liberal Democrats and come across as a potential president. He didn't, and the Democratic race for the White House remains Hillary Clinton's to lose.
The former secretary of state was tough, nimble and largely unruffled on Tuesday in the Democratic presidential candidates' first debate of the 2016 campaign.
She still has far to go to close the deal. She still faces charges she's too quick to change her views to suit her political needs.
She still has to explain to the Democratic base her ties to Wall Street and the wealthy class that Sanders has effectively railed against. And she still has questions to answer about the contents of and need for a private email server while at the State Department.
But she showed important political savvy when she highlighted an important difference with the US senator from Vermont on guns, one of the nation's most emotional issues.
Sanders voted against the 1993 Brady Bill signed into law by President Bill Clinton, which required federal background checks for gun purchasers and a waiting period. Sanders also supported a 2005 measure shielding firearms makers and dealers from liability lawsuits in certain cases. Clinton, then a US senator from New York, voted no.
