WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ten of the 18 Democratic presidential candidates are to face off in the party's fifth primary debate on Wednesday night in Atlanta, southeastern U.S. state Georgia, with "Medicare for All" and the ongoing House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump likely to be among hot topics on the stage.
Progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren continues to face criticism from former Vice President Joe Biden and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend in Indiana after she released plans to transition to and finance her single-payer insurance plan on Nov. 1.
Warren's proposal, which would cover health care and long-term care for everyone living in the United States, while eliminating private insurance, would cost 20.5 trillion U.S. dollars in new federal spending over 10 years, according to details published on her campaign website.
The Massachusetts Democrat said she doesn't need to raise taxes on the middle class "by one penny" to finance Medicare for all. Instead, she recommended new taxes on the rich, corporations and employers, as well as cuts to defense spending. A spokesperson for the Biden Campaign called the Warren proposal "unrealistic."
Some local analysts said that there is a question the candidates are almost sure to be asked: What do they think of the latest impeachment inquiry testimonies?
U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland on Wednesday testified that there was a "quid pro quo" linking the Ukrainian president's willingness to conduct investigations which are important to Trump, with getting a meeting with the U.S. president at White House.
Those also on the stage will include Senators Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar; Hawaii lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard; billionaire Tom Steyer and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. The divide between the left and moderate wings of the party remains acute.
Among the top-tier candidates, Buttigieg has seen a surge of support in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire ahead of the upcoming debate.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC), which announced the list last week, requires candidates to hit at least 3 percent in four DNC-approved state or national polls or 5 percent in two DNC approved polls from the four earliest primary and caucus states.
To qualify the stage, candidates also have to receive contributions from at least 165,000 unique donors, including at least 600 unique donors in 20 states.
