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JUDY WOODRUFF: The very first 
presidential primary debates 
for the 2020 cycle are now

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over, but last night's round 
two brought a new twist to the 
Democratic contest, a twist

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whose repercussions 
stretched into today.

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Lisa Desjardins starts there.

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LISA DESJARDINS: Today, another 
important stage for former 
Vice President Joe Biden.

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JOSEPH BIDEN (D), Presidential 
Candidate: I would like to 
say something about the debate

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we had last night.

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LISA DESJARDINS: In 
Chicago, talking to Jesse 
Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH 
Coalition, he stressed

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his history working for civil 
rights and clarified he is not 
for states' rights on the issue.

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JOSEPH BIDEN: These rights 
are not up to the states 
to decide. They are the 
federal government's

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duty to decide.

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LISA DESJARDINS: This after 
a week of criticism, starting 
with Biden's words about working

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in the past with people he 
disagreed with, and he named 
two senators known as ardent

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segregationists.

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On last night's debate stage, 
California Senator Kamala Harris 
raised that directly to Biden.

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SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), 
Presidential Candidate: 
I do not believe you 
are a racist and I agree

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with you when you commit 
yourself to the importance 
of finding common ground.

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But, I also believe -- and 
it's personal. And I -- I was 
actually very -- it was hurtful.

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JOSEPH BIDEN: That's 
a mischaracterization 
of my position across 
the board. I did not

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praise racists.

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That is not true.

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LISA DESJARDINS: But Harris' 
most forceful criticism of 
the former vice president came

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after she told a personal 
story about being bused to an 
integrated public school as a

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child.

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SEN. KAMALA HARRIS: Do you 
agree today that you were wrong 
to oppose busing in America

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then?

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JOSEPH BIDEN: No.

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SEN. KAMALA HARRIS: 
Do you agree?

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(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

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JOSEPH BIDEN: I did not 
oppose busing in America. 
What I opposed is busing 
ordered by the Department

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of Education. That's what I 
opposed. I did not oppose...

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KAMALA HARRIS: Well, there 
was a failure of - - of 
states to -- to integrate...

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JOSEPH BIDEN: No, but...

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KAMALA HARRIS: ... public 
schools in America.

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LISA DESJARDINS: Today, 
Biden tried to clarify, 
but stopped short of saying 
the federal government

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should have enforced all busing.

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JOSEPH BIDEN: I never, never, 
ever opposed voluntary busing. 
And it's a program that

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Senator Harris participated in.

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LISA DESJARDINS: Harris' 
name is ringing. Hers was the 
performance that most resonated

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last night at a Democratic 
debate watch party in Miami.

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FRANCES KNAPP, Miami: I think 
she was forceful. She was to 
the point. She was empathetic.

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She was really sharp tonight.

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ALLIE GEIGER, Miami: I think 
Kamala Harris has a really 
good chance. I think women are

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tired of being ignored. 
I think minorities are 
tired of being ignored.

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LISA DESJARDINS: But Biden 
too had fans, who said he 
can win with swing voters.

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LOUIS BONDI, Miami: He is middle 
of the road and he explains 
things to them. And he's a

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centrist.

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LISA DESJARDINS: The debate 
itself was more raucous than the 
previous night, with candidates

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early on speaking over 
each other in attempts to 
get time. And there was 
more heat and challenge.

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California Congressman Eric 
Swalwell said Biden had his 
time in leadership, and should

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step aside now.

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REP. ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA), 
Presidential Candidate: 
Joe Biden was right 
when he said it was time

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to pass the torch to a new 
generation of Americans 32 years 
ago. He's still right today.

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(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

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JOSEPH BIDEN: I'm still 
holding on to that torch.

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LISA DESJARDINS: Vermont Senator 
Bernie Sanders aimed to contrast 
himself with the more moderate

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Biden, invoking his 
2016 battle cry.

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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), 
Presidential Candidate: 
We need a political 
revolution. People have

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got to stand up and take on 
the special interests. We 
can transform this country.

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LISA DESJARDINS: South Bend, 
Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg 
tackled questions about how

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he is handling the shooting 
of a black man killed by a 
white officer there and why his

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city's police force has 
few officers of color.

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PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), Presidential 
Candidate: We're obviously 
not there yet. And I accept

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responsibility for that, 
because I'm in charge.

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(CROSSTALK)

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REP. ERIC SWALWELL: You 
should fire the chief.

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LISA DESJARDINS: For the second 
night in a row, candidates 
showed a divide on health

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care. The more moderate 
candidates, like former 
Colorado Governor John 
Hickenlooper and Colorado

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Senator Michael Bennet, 
pushed back on Sanders' 
sweeping Medicare for 
all plan, instead arguing

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for an optional government-run 
insurance plan instead.

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SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO), 
Presidential Candidate: And that 
every family and every person in

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America can make a choice for 
their family about whether 
they want a public option.

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LISA DESJARDINS: With a crowded 
stage and front-runners getting 
the most early questions,

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other candidates, like Senator 
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York 
in particular, fought to insert

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themselves into the debate.

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QUESTION: We are going to talk 
about health care at length, 
Senator, but at -- for the

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moment, my colleague...

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(CROSSTALK)

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SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY), 
Presidential Candidate: I wrote 
the part in Senator Sanders'

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bill -- I wrote the part in 
Senator Sanders' bill that is 
the transition, which merges

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what the two senators said.

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LISA DESJARDINS: 
Political outsiders 
author Marianne Williamson 
and entrepreneur Andrew

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Yang spoke the least. Yang 
said today his microphone was 
turned off most of the night,

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a charge NBC flatly denied. 
Both raised ideas not brought up 
otherwise, including this from

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Williamson on race:

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MARIANNE WILLIAMSON (D), 
Presidential Candidate: 
And the Democratic 
Party should be on the

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side of reparations for 
slavery for this very reason.

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LISA DESJARDINS: All 
10 candidates agreed 
on one significant 
issue, that their health

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care plans would covered 
undocumented immigrants.

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The Democratic candidates 
will share the debate 
stage again next month.