It was actually 8 minutes, 16 seconds (give or take a moment or two) that Minnesota’s senior U.S. senator was speaking uninterrupted during the NBC debate that featured a total of 10 Democratic hopefuls. The event was televised live under the shadow that the next night, Thursday, June 27, would feature yet another 10 Democrats seeking to unseat President Donald Trump — and that event might very well overshadow Wednesday’s, since the top of Thursday’s fight card features Joe Biden vs. Bernie Sanders.
Like all the candidates, Kobuchar’s 8 minutes and change was actually broken up into chunks that maxed out at just over a minute — the rules of the debate — and the topics weren’t necessarily of her choosing. In all, she had 10 chunks that ranged from 12 seconds to 70 seconds.
Here’s how she spent them.
Klobuchar was the second to speak in the evening, following U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, with a question about the economy. Klobuchar suggested Warren and other candidates were giving unrealistic hopes by making “promises” about the economy, which she said “wasn’t working for everyone.” She then ticked off several initiatives to make college more affordable that stopped short of widespread free tuition and loan forgiveness.
She supports the “public option” but not a government-run single-payer system, which she equated to “kicking half of America off of their health insurance in four years.” Then she pivoted to pharmaceuticals, criticizing Trump’s promised action as “all foam and no beer.”
Grabbing a 30-second “follow-up” slot as the discussion swung to abortion, Klobuchar made an overture of solidarity with Warren and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, the only other two women on the stage. “There’s three women up here who have fought pretty hard for a woman’s right to choose,” she said, before adding that she supported Medicare for all as “the way you move to universal health care.”
Among her points: “Immigrants do not diminish America” and “our economy needs immigrants.”
The Iran nuclear deal signed by former President Barack Obama was “imperfect, but it was a good deal at the time,” she said. Then she lit into Trump’s approach, saying “he has made us less safe than we were when he became president. … I don’t think we should conduct foreign policy in our bathrobe at 5 in the morning.”
Asked about how to represent those who want change, as well as gun rights-supporting Democrats, such as those on the Iron Range, she offered her Uncle Dick test: “Does this hurt my Uncle Dick in his deer stand?” She offered a shout-out to Parkland, Fla., student activists and school shooting survivors. The debate was held in Miami.
Asked how she would energize African American voters, Klobuchar listed bills she sponsored to improve education, child care and retirement programs, noted blacks earn less than whites, said she would protect voting rights, and noted her recent work in Congress on criminal justice reform.
In a rapid-fire round, all candidates were asked: What is America’s greatest geopolitical threat?
Her answer: China for the economy, Iran for risk of military confrontation right now.
Late in the debate, Klobuchar briefly grabbed the floor, as many candidates did at various points, to say this on the topic of working with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the possible impeachment of Trump: “If we do not do something about Russian interference in the election and we let Mitch McConnell stop all the backup paper ballots, then we’re not going to get what we want.”
For her closing statement, Klobuchar said, “Three things to know about me: First, I listen to people, and that’s how I get things done.”
Second: I’m someone that can win and beat Donald Trump. … I have won in the reddest of districts — ones that Donald Trump won by over 20 points.”
Third: “I am not the party establishment candidate. … I don’t make all the promises up here that everyone makes, but I can promise you this: I am going to govern with integrity. I’m going to have your back.”