Iowa watchers split on who won Democratic debate

Asked if corporate America should love her, Hillary Clinton answered with a confident smile: "Everybody should."

It was one of the best lines Saturday night in the third Democratic presidential debate, according to a handful of undecided college-age caucusgoers who weighed in on the performances for The Des Moines Register.

"This definitely highlighted exactly what this debate seemed to be about: Hillary Clinton," said Jessica Lynk, a 19-year-old Drake University student from Arlington Heights, Ill., who will be caucusing for the first time.

"I guess it was funny, but it was also awkward," said John Wingert, 20, of San Antonio, Texas, who is studying political science, international relations and German at Drake.

By the debate's end, the college-age debate watchers were split on who won. But on a night when all three candidates were credited by many national politics watchers with doing well, the lack of a big moment is typically thought to leave the advantage with the current front-runner: Clinton.

The former U.S. secretary of state explained that she wants to help everybody — the struggling, the striving and the successful.

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Asked the same question, about whether corporate America should love him, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders pivoted to his signature theme about the greed of the billionaire class and the undue influence of Wall Street.

"No, I think they won't," he said, to wild applause from the Iowans.

"It was certainly a refreshing moment in what has been a policy-heavy debate with more in-fighting than usual," said Olivia O'Hea, a 22-year-old public relations and law double major at Drake.

Another of the most striking lines of the night: "I apologize."

That's what Sanders told Clinton when a moderator asked him if his staff "stole" from Clinton during the recent breach in the Democratic National Committee database. Committee officials' fury over the problem had fueled suspicions by backers of Clinton's rivals that the national party is unfairly aiding her candidacy.

"I think it was fascinating how quickly Sanders and Clinton got over their 'feud,'" Wingert said. "It seemed like it would be a huge fight based on prior statements and accusations."

Download: Iowa caucuses app now on Android, iPhone

Sanders said a similar breach happened once before: Clinton campaign data had somehow crossed a firewall and ended up on Sanders' campaign computers a couple of months ago, too, he said. "We didn't go running to the media," Sanders said, but instead quietly notified national party officials. This time, at least one Sanders staffer looked at the data, he said.

"In this case our staff did the wrong thing," Sanders said. "Yes, I apologize."

Clinton said that her campaign was understandably upset, but that it was best to "move on."

"I very much appreciate that comment, Bernie," Clinton told him.

The Iowa college students said they were amazed both candidates moved on so coolly and so quickly.

"There was certainly a large online movement on sites like Reddit and even Twitter critiquing (DNC Chairwoman) Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the party," O'Hea said. "Clinton's response was a bit surprising. I expected her to jump on to this issue more. However, given popular support for Sanders and against the DNC, she doesn't have a lot to gain from continuing an attack against him."

But underdog Martin O'Malley, almost as if he hadn't heard them, launched into what the Iowans said seemed like rehearsed outrage about Clinton and Sanders "bickering."

Later, O'Malley went on the attack on gun control, prompting Sanders to say: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's calm down a little bit, Martin."

Clinton joined in: "Yeah, let's tell the truth, Martin."

Linley Sanders, a 22-year-old Drake senior majoring in both journalism and international relations, said: "Oh goodness, Martin O'Malley looked a little desperate by grabbing the mic and giving his gun control speech."

"O'Malley needed to step into the spotlight in order to inspire caucusgoers tonight, but fighting the moderators and attacking other candidates came across as desperate, not presidential," said Linley Sanders, whose hometown is Overland Park, Kan. "The Democratic party has prided itself on staying above petty comments, and O'Malley really shifted away from that in order to make cheap shots at his opponents."

But Lynk was impressed that O'Malley, a former Maryland governor, bulldozed forward, breaking the debate rules to talk over the moderators. It showed "how he is fed up with the DNC supporting Clinton," she said.

Lynk, news editor at Drake’s news publication, the Times-Delphic, said she's now leaning more heavily toward caucusing for O'Malley.

"I still see Bernie mobilizing votes by saying buzzwords and not showing plans. I see Clinton as running again for Obama and her husband, so at the moment, O'Malley seems like the best option," Lynk said.

Another take-home message for the college students: GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump seems to be a clear and present danger in the Democratic candidates' minds.

They repeatedly mentioned him, they noted, such as when Clinton said Trump is becoming "ISIS's best recruiter."

It made the Iowans think the Democrats believe Trump will win the nomination.

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The debate illustrated a distinct difference in branding between Sanders and Clinton, O'Hea said.

"Sanders is incredibly knowledgeable about income inequality and relays his points well with punchy one-liners that people can latch onto," O'Hea said. "Clinton is incredibly knowledgeable about foreign policy yet relays her points poorly with an over-reliance on jargon and a general assumption that viewers know way more about Middle Eastern conflicts than they do."

The Iowans also loved Clinton's closing line, a reference to the new "Star Wars" movie released this week: "Thank you, goodnight, and may the Force be with you."

"Best new line of the night!" O'Hea said.

O’Hea originally considered herself a Sanders supporter, but for the last few months has been leaning toward Clinton — and Saturday’s debate helped her decide.

"I will be caucusing for Clinton," she said.

Wingert said the debate didn't help him untangle the conundrum of whom to caucus for.

Linley Sanders also said she's still not fully decided, "but I really respect that Bernie was straightforward in admitting a wrong was committed, apologized for it, and moved forward." But she thinks Clinton "will maintain her lead nationally since there were no major gaffes."

The Iowa students were surprised and puzzled by the timing of Saturday night's debate, hosted by ABC News and the New Hampshire Union Leader at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire.

"It seems unlikely that many of my peers, who are stronger supporters of Sanders, would take the evening off to watch, especially the Saturday evening before Christmas," O'Hea said. "I know O'Malley and Sanders' campaigns have spoken out about how it seems calculated by the DNC to maintain the status quo — Hillary's lead."

The college students said they suspect Iowa caucusgoers were likely more absorbed by the Big Four Classic, a basketball doubleheader at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, especially because of University of Northern Iowa's upset win over undefeated Iowa State University.

Up next in the 2016 presidential race: The sixth GOP debate will be Jan. 14 in South Carolina. The fourth Democratic showdown will be Jan. 17, also in South Carolina.