CNN hosted the first Democratic Party presidential debate on the night of Tuesday, Oct. 18, pitting five leading candidates against one another in a bid to gain popular support in light of the looming 2016 election. Hillary Clinton, currently the leading Democratic candidate in the polls, touted her political experience as Secretary of State, repeatedly deflecting charges of opportunism from both the other candidates and the moderator, CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Key moments from the debate include Sen. Bernie Sanders’ statement that “your millionaire and billionaire friends caused this [economic recession]” and his description of Republican candidate Donald Trump as a “carnival barker.” Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley surprised audiences with a strong, emotional message and a gripping closing statement that painted him as a serious competitor to Clinton and Sanders. Compared with the earlier GOP debates, the stage had a more friendly, united atmosphere, with candidates frequently defending one another from attacks, such as Sanders’ comment that “America is sick and tired of hearing about [Hillary Clinton’s] damn emails.” The remaining two candidates, former senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee came into the debate with little fanfare, and left without a chance of winning the nomination. As for the debate’s “winner,” Bernie Sanders’ populist message about checking the power of corporate America seemed to carry the audience, although Clinton and O’Malley each gave a polished performance as well.