Just five days ahead of the New Hampshire primary, MSNBC will host the fifth DNC-sanctioned debate on Thursday, this one at the University of New Hampshire. The debate was a late-breaking addition the network announced on Jan. 31, one day before the Iowa caucuses, according to MSNBC.
This fifth installment will come just three days after the Iowa caucus, which was historically close, resulting in a virtual tie between the two remaining Democratic candidates, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Clinton was declared the winner with 701 delegate equivalent votes (equalling 23 delegates) to Sanders' 697 (21 delegates), The New York Times reported. The caucuses were tense, with six precincts' results determined by coin flips – all of which Clinton won. The total vote numbers (which the DNC does not use to determine the winner) have been withheld, despite the Sanders' campaign requesting the raw data be revealed, as reported by The Guardian.
Clinton has ridden the wave of her win into her trip to New Hampshire, sending 150 of her staffers to the state to prepare for next Tuesday's primary. Meanwhile, the Sanders campaign spent time raising funds, amassing a reported $3 million within the 24 hours following the Iowa caucuses.
Tension has carried over into New Hampshire, as the Vermont senator had previously threatened to boycott the MSNBC debate if Clinton did not agree to at least three more debates beyond the DNC's schedule. However, he announced Wednesday that he would attend, Politico reported. Clinton stated that her campaign has "accepted all of [the Sanders campaign's] conditions" regarding additional debates, according to The Hill.
Clinton will be looking to swing momentum her way into New Hampshire, a state which Sanders has a 91 percent chance of winning, according to FiveThirtyEight metrics. Regardless, she stands to win big following the Granite State's primary in South Carolina, a state with one of the highest percentage of black voters, a demographic Clinton holds strong numbers with, according to Fox News.
What: The 5th Democratic debate.
When: Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016.
Where: The University of New Hampshire in Durhma, N.H.
Who: Moderators include Chuck Todd, host of "Meet the Press," and Rachel Maddow, an MSNBC anchor.
Candidates participating
9 p.m. debate - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
How To Watch
MSNBC will be live streaming the debate on its website and on NBC's. You can watch it here on MSNBC, or here on NBC.
Online: Follow HNGN President and Editorial Director Michael Q. Bullerdick (@mbullerdick) for his live tweets during both events!
Bullerdick's Predictions: After previous debates that played more like infomercials, the candidates will finally square off. Who knows, Sanders might even mention her email scandal? Expect Clinton to throw the first punch. What she called a "win" in Iowa was actually a major setback given how close Sanders came to the prize with New Hampshire, his home turf, already in his back pocket. Who'll Win: It'll be a tie, but immediately after the debate and in the days that follow, the Clinton-friendly media will convince us she was the victor.
Drinking games!
After a calculated, deep investigation, we found these sites' drinking games to be most exciting and fun for viewers, regardless of party affiliation. Or if you are solely watching to get drunk.
A word to the wise, though! Know your limit and drink in moderation, because as Surgeon General Vivek Murthy points out, "You simply can't drink every time one of these guys says something silly... It's just a formula for disaster."
This is only the fifth debate of the 2016 presidential cycle. Many more are set to take place. Some have exact dates and sponsors already set, while others are still being planned. Check below to see all of the debates scheduled between now and election day 2016, courtesy of USPresidentialElectionNews.com.
Remaining Debate Schedule
Thursday, February 11, 2016
PBS Democratic Primary Debate
Location: Wisconsin
Sponsors: PBS
Candidates: Sanders, Clinton
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Univision Democratic Primary Debate
Location: Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida
Sponsors: Univision, The Washington Post
Candidates: Sanders, Clinton
*Note: Both the Sanders and Clinton campaigns are attempting to add up to four additional debates, however, none have been confirmed yet.
