Saturday's Democratic debate focused heavily on the recent terrorist attacks in Paris — as well as how to deal with ISIS, which has claimed responsibility. What follows is a cheat sheet on what each candidate said about the tragedy as well as a representative quote that captures the way he or she talked about the problems posed by ISIS over the course of the night.
Here’s what each Democrat had to say about ISIS and the Paris attack
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Zack Beauchamp is a senior correspondent at Vox, where he covers ideology and challenges to democracy, both at home and abroad. His book on democracy, The Reactionary Spirit, was published 0n July 16. You can purchase it here.
Hillary Clinton
On the Paris attack:
Our prayers are with the people of France tonight, but that is not enough. We need to have a resolve that will bring the world together to root out the kind of radical jihadist ideology that motivates organizations like ISIS, a barbaric, ruthless, violent jihadist terrorist group.
Key quote on ISIS:
JOHN DICKERSON: Won’t the legacy of this administration, which you were a part of, won’t that legacy be that it underestimated the threat from ISIS?
HILLARY CLINTON: I think that we have to look at ISIS as the leading threat of an international terror network. It cannot be contained. It must be defeated. There is no question in my mind that if we summon our resources, both our leadership resources and all of the tools at our disposal, not just military force, which should be used as a last resort, but our diplomacy, our development aid, law enforcement, sharing of intelligence in a much more open and cooperative way, that we can bring people together.
But it cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president has consistently said — which I agree with — is that we will support those who take the fight to ISIS. That is why we have troops in Iraq that are helping to train and build back up the Iraqi military. Why we have special operators in Syria working with the kurds and Arabs so that we can be supportive. But this cannot be an American fight, although American leadership is essential.
Bernie Sanders
On the Paris attack:
All Americans who are shocked and disgusted by what we saw in Paris yesterday. Together, leading the world, this country will rid our planet of this barbarous organization called ISIS.
Key quote on ISIS:
Let me have one area of disagreement with the Secretary. I think she said something like the bulk of the responsibility is not ours. Well, in fact, I would argue that the disastrous invasion of Iraq, something that I strongly opposed, has unraveled the region completely and led to the rise of Al Qaeda and ISIS.
Martin O’Malley
On the Paris attack:
My heart, like all of us in this room, John, and all the people across our country, my hearts go out to the people of France in this moment of loss. Parents and sons and daughters and family members and as our hearts go out to them and as our prayers go out to them, we must remember this, that this is the new face of conflict and warfare, not in the 20th century but the new face of conflict and warfare in the 21st century.
Key quote on ISIS:
The great failing of these last 10 or 15 years, John, has been our failing of human intelligence on the ground. Our role in the world is not to roam the globe looking for new dictators to topple. Our role in the world is to make ourselves a beacon of hope. Make ourselves stronger at home, but also our role in the world, yes, is also to confront evil when it rises.
See More:
