One week after Senator Elizabeth Warren obliterated Mike Bloomberg in Las Vegas, the Democratic presidential candidates are back for the third and final debate of February. Tonight, February 25, seven of the final eight remaining candidates will duke it out onstage at the Gaillard Center in Charleston, South Carolina, to prove that they’re the best person to win the Democratic nomination. The event, hosted by CBS and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, airs at 8:00pm ET on CBS networks, BET, and Twitter. For the first time, viewers have the opportunity to submit questions to the candidates on Twitter, which could be read on air, using #DemDebate.
CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell, CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King, Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan, CBS chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett, and 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker will serve as moderators during the debate. Look for the candidates to once again attack Bloomberg during his second debate, for his past sexist remarks, racist “stop and frisk” and redlining policies during his three terms as mayor of New York City, and for spending over $400 million on advertising while not qualifying for any of the primaries thus far. Senator Warren went for the jugular at the last debate, and it was clear from the first few minutes that Bloomberg was woefully unprepared for the event.
Senator Bernie Sanders will likely face major heat from the other candidates after winning the New Hampshire primary, Nevada caucus, and the Iowa caucus (that one’s still up for debate). The most repetitive complaint from his peers — how is he going to pay for his healthcare plan? — may not work anymore. During a CNN town hall on February 24, the election frontrunner pulled out a comprehensive plan now posted to his website. The continued discussion about the “Bernie Bros” will certainly continue.
The candidates who have qualified for the February 25 debate are:
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders
Businessman Tom Steyer
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren
This is the last debate before Super Tuesday, March 3, arguably the most important day of the primaries race. Tune into the next debate on March 15, when we very well could see a much different lineup. FYI: if you haven’t registered to vote yet, you can fill out the form below to make sure you’ll be able to participate in the presidential primaries, and in the November 2020 general election: