Transcripts For CNNW CNN Flint MI Democratic Debate 20160307

CNNW CNN Flint MI Democratic Debate March 7, 2016

[ cheers and applause ] please welcome former secretary of state hillary clinton. [ cheers and applause ] ladies and gentlemen, the Democratic Candidates for president of the United States [ cheers and applause ] before we begin tonight, we want to take a moment to remember former first lady nancy reagan. As you probably know she passed away this morning at the age of 94. Her grace and elegance in the white house, her deep love for president reagan, and her strength and advocacy in the fight against alzheimers and drug abuse will always be remembered. We would like to pause for a moment of silence in honor of mrs. Reagan. And now will you please rise for the National Anthem performed by the flint citywide choir conducted by darnell ishmael. Oh, say can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the home of the brave [ applause ] our thanks to the first citywide choir. Candidates, please take your positions behind the podium. Before we begin as the candidates take their positions, i want to set out ground rules. As moderators, ill ask questions, ill ask followups and guide the discussion. The candidates will have one minute and 15 seconds to answer questions. Theyll have 30 seconds for followups. Cnns don lemon will join me in the questioning, as will members of our audience here tonight. They are democrats and independents from flint and elsewhere in michigan. We reviewed questions so they dont overlap. Now, weve come to flint because this is a city in crisis. A city where, as you probably know, the tap water is toxic. Public servants, Public Institutions not only failed to prevent the crisis, their decisions created this crisis. The state of michigan in an effort to save money switched flints water source to a cheaper but riskier alternative, the flint river. Safeguards were ignored. That river water corroded residential pipes and for nearly two years lead leaked into the water used in peoples homes. For much of that time the state downplayed the danger even in the face of growing complaints and physical evidence. For 100 days the federal government knew about it and yet in all that time nobody told the people of flint. They bathed in the water, they drank it, and so did their kids. Even today lead is still present in some of the water. Tonight the Democratic Candidates are here to answer questions about what they would do for flint as well as about other issues facing the country right now. Each candidate has one minute for an opening statement. Senator sanders is first. We begin with him. Senator sanders . Anderson, thank you very much. Over the last several weeks i had the opportunity to meet with a number of residents of flint, had a town meeting in flint, and i have to tell you, what i heard and what i saw literally shattered me and it was beyond belief that children in flint, michigan, in the United States of america in the year 2016 are being poisoned. That is clearly not what this country should be about. As anderson indicated, there is a lot of blame to go around. And one of the points that i have made is i believe the governor of this state should understand that his dereliction of duty was irresponsible. He should resign. [ applause ] but more importantly, what is happening in flint to a lesser degree is happening throughout this country. In recent years, we have seen a proliferation of millionaires and billionaires and increase in income in wealth inequality and all over this country middle class families are struggling, cities and towns are struggling in order to provide basic services. Among many other things, we need to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, our Water Systems, our wastewater plants, our roads and our bridges. The wealthiest country in the history of the world has got to get its priorities right, take care of the people, no more tax breaks for billionaires. Thank you, senator. [ applause ] secretary clinton. I will start by saying amen to that. We are here in flint. I am very grateful that my request that we hold this debate be held here so we can continue to shine a very bright spotlight on what has happened in this city. I agree, the governor should resign or be recalled, and we should [ applause ] support the efforts of citizens attempting to achieve that. But that is not enough. We have to focus on what must be done to help the people of flint. I support 100 the efforts by your senators and members of congress to get the money from the federal government in order to begin the work that must occur to fix the infrastructure. The state should also be sending money immediately to help this city [ applause ] i know the state of michigan has a Rainy Day Fund for emergencies. What is more important than the health and wellbeing of the people, particularly children . It is raining lead in flint. And the state is derelict in not coming forward with the money that is required. Secretary clinton and well get to what we need to do to help the children and the people when i have a little more time because thats just as important as fixing the pipes. Were going to have a lot of time for that. We want to begin tonight with the people of flint themselves. This is mickey wade. Shes a Public Housing Program Manager and the mother of two kids. She says shes currently undecided and has a question that both of you will be able to weigh in on. Miss wade . The water has impacted our lives in such a way that living comfortably in our home isnt the same anymore. The constant drives to pick up water just so my children can wash their hair, to wash fruits and vegetables, and to brush our teeth is incredibly difficult. Once the pipes are replaced, im not for sure if i will be comfortable ever drinking the water. If elected president , what course will you take to regain my trust in the government . Secretary clinton . Well begin with you. Well, mikki, its a very fair question because your government at all levels have let you and your children and the people of flint down. So i think there are several things. All the repair work that is being done and mayor weaver announced a program that we support to begin to help train people in flint to be able to do some of this work, to distribute the water. Everything that is done has to be triplechecked to regain your trust. And to hold those who are responsible for fixing the pipes and delivering the clean water which as you said you bathe in it, you drink it, you wash food in it. You do everything with it. Every one of us should have to just run through in our minds how we use water every single day to understand the pressures and the real pain that families are going through. So i will make sure as president that i double and triple check. I will work with elected officials who i trust like your mayor, like your senators, like your member of congress, so that we can assure you that when its fixed you can trust it. You deserve nothing less. Secretary clinton, let me follow up with you on that. The people here, they still cant drink the water in their own homes as you well know. They cant bathe their kids in the water here. And they are desperate for accountability and specifics. As president can you give any specific about what you could do if you were president that would make ms. Wades life better and life better for people here . I support what president obama is doing. He called for and got accountability from officials at the epa, who should have done more to make sure the state was doing its job. He has expanded medicaid to begin the process of helping kids particularly get the health care they need. Hes also ordered that there be a head start program. I support that. When it comes to the water itself, we are supporting a program that mayor weaver announced today, flint waterworks, to actually pay people in flint, not outsiders, people here to deliver the water while we are fixing the pipes. And i would do even more of that. As president , what we were able to put together was a beginning. As president i would concentrate resources on this city for Economic Development for more jobs as we fix the water and provide the health and education interventions that children need. Senator sanders . For miss wade specific. What is going on is a disgrace beyond belief. As president of the United States this is what i would do. Is if local government does not have the resources, if State Government for whatever reason refuses to act, children in america should not be poisoned, federal government comes in, federal government acts. [ applause ] what is absolutely incredible to me is that water rates have soared in flint. You are paying three times more for poison water than i am paying in burlington, vermont for clean water. First thing you do is you say people are not paying a water bill for poison water. [ applause ] and that is retroactive. Second of all, to ease anxiety, cdc has got to come in here and examine every child and adult in this community in terms of the amount of lead they may have. [ applause ] thirdly, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world we have got to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, our Water Systems. Ive got a bill for a trillion dollars. Creates 13 million jobs. Rebuilding flint, michigan and communities all over this country. Thank you, senator. [ applause ] were going to have more on infrastructure shortly but i want to follow up with you. This crisis in flint as you know, as everybody in this room knows, was created by the government. Your policies are about expanding government. Why should people from flint trust that more government is the answer . Well, thats a good point, anderson. I suppose they can trust the corporations who have destroyed flint by a disastrous trade policy which have allowed them to shut down plants in flint and move to china and mexico. We can trust them, im sure. [ applause ] or maybe, anderson, maybe we should let wall street come in and run the city of flint. Because we know their honesty and integrity has done so much for the American People. Look, we live in a democracy. And im the last person to deny the government is failing in many respects. But at the end of the day i will trust the people to create a government that works for them rather than wall street or Corporate America. [ applause ] secretary clinton, youve now both called for the governor to resign. I believe thats new for you. Previously you had not called for that. But youre calling for that tonight. Its easy to blamt republican governor, rick snyder. But the federal government also dropped the ball here. According to section 1414 of the Safe Drinking Water act, the epa has to step in and take action when a state is informed about water problems and doesnt do anything for 30 days, as the state here didnt do. The epa knew for months and months, never warned the people of flint not to drink the water. As president would you fire the head of the epa . Well, i think that the people here in the region who knew about this and failed to follow what you just said rightly, the law required, have been eliminated from the epa. So far one person has resigned. Well, i dont know how high it goes. I would certainly be launching an investigation. I think there is one. I was told some of higherups were pushing to get changes that were not happening. So i would have a full investigation, determine who knew what when, and yes, people should be fired. How far up it went, i dont know. But as far as it goes, they should be relieved. Because they failed this city. But let me just add this, anderson. This is not the only place where this kind of action is needed. We have a lot of communities right now in our country where the level of toxins in the water including lead are way above what anybody should tolerate. We have a higher rate of tested lead in people in cleveland than in flint. So im not satisfied with just doing everything we must do for flint. I want to tackle this problem across the board. And if people know about it and they are not acting and they are in the government at any level, they should be forced to resign. Senator sanders, would a president sanders fire the head of the epa . President sanders would fire anybody who knew about what was happening and did not act appropriately. [ applause ] and president sanders would make the point that how does it happen in the wealthiest country in the history of the world . What are our priorities when, among others, republicans today are fighting for hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks for the wealthiest people . How did we have so much money available to go to war in iraq and spend trillions of dollars, but somehow not have enough money not just for flint the secretary is right. There are communities all over this country. Its not just infrastructure. It is education. Detroits Public School system is collapsing. Thank you, senator. Anderson, the bottom line is and what my campaign is is changing our national priorities. We need a government that works for all of us, not just wealthy campaign contributors. I want to go to lee ann walters, one of the first people to report problems with the water in flint. One of her twin boys stopped growing. Her daughter lost her hair. She said shes undecided and has a question for both of you to answer. But well start with senator sanders. Ms. Walters . After my family, the city of flint and the children of d. C. Were poisoned by lead, will you make a personal promise to me right now that as president in your first 100 days in office you will make it a requirement that all public Water Systems must remove all lead Service Lines throughout the entire United States and notification made to the citizens that have said Service Lines . I will make a personal promise to you that the epa and the epa director that i appoint will make sure that every water system in the United States of america is tested and that the people of those communities know the quality of the water that theyre drinking and that we are going to have a plan to rebuild Water Systems in this country that are unsafe for drinking. Let me just point out for accuracys sake, there are 10 million lead Service Pipes delivering water to people all across this country tonight. Secretary clinton . Well, i agree completely. I want to go further, though. I want us to have an absolute commitment to getting rid of lead wherever it is. Because its not only in Water Systems. Its also in soil and its in lead paint that is found mostly in older homes. Thats why 500,000 children today have lead in their bodies. So i want to do exactly what you said. We will commit to a priority to change the Water Systems and we will commit within five years to remove lead from everywhere. We were making progress on this in the 1990s. I worked with then senator obama to get more money, more support to do more to remove lead. That has unfortunately been in many ways moved to a lower priority. I will elevate it and i will do everything i can. Water, soil, and paint. Were going to get rid of it. Thank you, secretary. I want to go to my colleague don lemon. Anderson, thank you very much. Secretary clinton, you called for the resignation of Governor Snyder or for him to be recalled. There are residents who want to see criminal charges brought against those who are responsible. Do you think people should go to jail . Well, thats going to be up to the legal system, don. I cant standing here i dont have all the facts. But people should be held accountable wherever that leads. If it leads to resignation or recall if youre in political office, if it leads to civil penalties, if it leads to criminal responsibility, there has to be an absolute accountability and i will support whatever the outcome of those investigations are. Senator sanders, do you think people should go to jail . Well, i agree. We cant sit up here, i cant sit up here and make judgment over whether or not somebody committed a criminal act. But i will tell you this. That after an investigation if people in fact were found to have committed a criminal act i talked to a mother. Imagine this for a second. A mother who had a bright 7yearold gregarious girl doing well in school. Two years later that child is now in special education. Intellectual capability significantly deteriorated. That is a crime against that child and the people of flint, and clearly people are going to have to be held accountable. Thank you, senator. Thank you, secretary. I want to turn to brent nicholls, editor of the flint journal, hes our local partner in this debate and he has our next question. Bryn . Secretary clinton, it took this water crisis for politicians like yourselves to notice we are a city in trouble. Youve only both recently started talking about flint, holding Campaign Events here in just the past few weeks. Secretary clinton, you even made the crisis the centerpiece of a new campaign ad. Why should the people of flint believe that you arent just using this crisis to score political points . Well, i think because throughout my throughout my public career i have been evening the odds for people in every way i could. I started out with the Childrens Defense Fund and worked throughout my time as a young lawyer, as a person and activist, certainly in arkansas, then in the white house, to try to fix problems wherever i saw them. And this problem is one that is particularly outrageous and painful at the same time. So when i heard about it, i immediately sent people here to find out what was going on. It was almost unbelievable. We had this problem in other places, but we dont say it was actually caused by decisions made by Public Officials in positions of authority as this one was. Then when i talked to the mayor i basically said, what can i do to help . Then when i came here and i met with som

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