CBS Democratic Debate Transcript 2015: Here Are the Full Remarks from Saturday's Debate

Impact

Democratic presidential candidates former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley took the stage in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday night for the second in a series of Democratic debates. A full transcript of the debate was made available online via CBS News, which hosted the evening. 

A second full transcript of the debate that includes commentary from political reporter Amber Phillips is available via the Washington Post

Among the topics featured prominently in the debate were border and gun control, race issues in the United States, national security and, in the wake of Friday's deadly terrorist attacks in both France and Lebanon, the terrorist group known as the Islamic State group, or ISIS. 

Charlie Neibergall/AP

"We have to look at ISIS as the leading threat of an international terror network," Clinton said in response to a question about whether the Obama administration "underestimated" ISIS. "It cannot be contained, it must be defeated."

"I would argue that the disastrous invasion of Iraq, something that I strongly opposed, has unraveled the region completely," Sanders said of the ISIS threat. "And led to the rise of Al Qaeda — and to — ISIS." 

Compared to the still large Republican candidate pool, the Democratic pool was relatively shallow. Just three candidates remain in the race after former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee withdrew in October. Despite much speculation surrounding his entry into the race, Vice President Joe Biden said last month he didn't have the time "necessary to mount a winning campaign for the nomination."