Tulsi Gabbard Won First 2020 Democratic Debate, Says Poll
It’s probably impossible to pick one standout from the first night of the 2020 Democratic debates, but the Washington Examiner reports Tulsi Gabbard as the runaway winner. The publication’s poll shows Gabbard winning with 34.15 percent of the votes, with Elizabeth Warren in second with 23.06 percent of the votes. In addition, a Drudge Report poll shows Gabbard raking in almost 35 percent with 12,314 votes, with Warren pulling just below 13.5 percent with 4,791 votes.
Haaretz also reports that Axios data shows Gabbard was also the most Google-searched candidate during the debates, with Cory Booker and Warren falling into second and third place, respectively.
Warren is currently a frontrunner in the Democratic primary and Gabbard is a long shot. But while Warren was the highest polling debater on stage, Gabbard’s attack of President Donald Trump’s “chickenhawk cabinet” appeared to gain her a large amount of attention.
Gabbard also drew eyes when she shot down Tim Ryan’s push for United States engagement with the Middle East, which he said is necessary or “the Taliban will grow and they will have bigger, bolder terrorist acts.” When the 38-year-old Iraq War veteran told Ryan that the Taliban were around before the U.S. entered Afghanistan, he suggested they carried out the September 11 attacks, which prompted Gabbard to correct him, per USA Today.
“The Taliban didn’t attack us on 9/11, Al-Qaeda did. That’s why I and other people joined the military to go after Al-Qaeda. Not the Taliban,” she said.
JUST IN: Drudge instant poll shows Gabbard winning first Democratic debate in landslide https://t.co/jFrIuIpihD pic.twitter.com/6QAjGhd12V
— The Hill (@thehill) June 27, 2019
Ryan continued to try and justify his comments and suggest the U.S. needs to “protect those people who are plotting against us.”
Gabbard responded by highlighting the purported relationship between Al-Qaeda and Saudi Arabia — which continues to do business with the Trump administration.
“You know who is protecting Al-Qaeda right now? Saudi Arabia.”
You know who is protecting al-Qaeda right now? It’s Saudi Arabia. #DemDebate – #TULSI2020 https://t.co/n6rAgZ1sH7 pic.twitter.com/ywXNLexnCz
— Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) June 27, 2019
As The Inquisitr previously reported, Gabbard previously praised Jon Stewart for his impassioned speech in support of 9/11 victims and first responders receiving compensation for their heroism. She also attacked the U.S. government for maintaining friendly relationships with countries like Saudi Arabia and organizations such as Al-Qaeda.
“We applaud Jon Stewart for his advocacy and stand with all 9/11 first responders & their families who sacrificed so much for us,” she said.
“This is why we are so outraged at our government for supporting Saudi Arabia & Al-Qaeda — the terrorists who attacked us.”
Gabbard referred to continuing arms deals between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, as well as an Associated Press article that reveals that a U.S.-backed, Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen reached an agreement with Al-Qaeda commanders that let them retreat with their weapons, money, and supplies without repercussions.
