20 OF THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES MET OVER TWO NIGHTS THIS WEEK IN DETROIT. FOR A CNN-SPONSORED DEBATE. HERE IS THE FIRST NIGHT WITH 10 OF THE CANDIDATES. THE DEBATE IS 2.5 HOURS. WE BEGIN WITH REMARKS BY MEMBERS OF MICHIGAN'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND DNC CHAIR, TOM PEREZ. THIS IS 15 MINUTES. ...

NOW, PLEASE WELCOME THE CHAIR OF THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY. [APPLAUSE]

HELLO, HELLO. WELCOME TO DETROIT, MICHIGAN, THE MOTOR CITY. MY NAME IS LEVORA BARNES, AND I'M THE PROUD CHAIR OF THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY. ONCE THE HEARTBEAT OF AMERICA, DETROIT IS NOW THE PULSE OF OUR NATION, TELLING US IT IS TIME TO REMEMBER WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND TO WE STAND FOR US DEMOCRATS. THAT IS WHY WE ARE THRILLED TO BE HOSTING THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES IN MICHIGAN. A STATE THAT HAS SHOWN US HOW TO GO FROM BLUE TO RED AND BACK AGAIN. [APPLAUSE] IN TWO YEARS, MICHIGAN WENT FROM NARROWLY GIVING ITS ELECTORAL VOTES TO THE MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE, TO OVERWHELMINGLY ELECTING DEMOCRATS UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT IN 2018. INCLUDING OUR AMAZING GOVERNOR. OUR HARD-WORKING PROMISE KEEPER ATTORNEY GENERAL. AND OUR AMAZING U.S. SENATOR. WHILE THE VOTERS OF MICHIGAN AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY GET READY TO HEAR FROM OUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR SPENDING TIME IN MICHIGAN. HERE NOW, HERE AGAIN NEXT WEEK, HERE AGAIN THE YEAR AFTER. THEY KEEP COMING BACK. WE KNOW WE ARE A BATTLEGROUND STATE AND THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE CLEARLY RUNS THROUGH MICHIGAN. I HAVE TRAVELED UP AND DOWN THROUGHOUT THIS GREAT STATE THE LAST SIX MONTHS TALKING AND LISTENING TO VOTERS, HEARING THEIR CONCERNS, AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS, MICHIGAN IS READY FOR 2020. MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS ARE PAYING ATTENTION. THEY ARE ENGAGED, AND THEY ARE READY TO GET RID OF DONALD TRUMP. [APPLAUSE] YOU ALL ARE READY, TOO. MICHIGAN HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE COMEBACK STATES, BUT WE KEEP THINGS REAL HERE, AND NOT ALL OF US HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE RISING TIDE. WE STILL HAVE SERIOUS CHALLENGES WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND URBAN AREAS AND RURAL TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS WORRIED -- IT RAINED THE WORST IN THE NATION. THE GREAT STATES ARE UNDER THREATS AND THE PEOPLE OF FLINT CONTINUE TO GO WITHOUT SAFE DRINKING WATER. ALL THE WHILE, WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE WORKING TWO JOBS TO THREE JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET BECAUSE MINIMUM WAGE IS NOT ENOUGH. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SURVIVE ON OR TO SUPPORT A FAMILY, BUT REAL TALK DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE NOT ON THE RIGHT TRACK. MICHIGAN IS NOW TRULY ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL WITH GOVERNOR WITMER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL DANA NESTLE, SECRETARY OF STATE JOCELYN BENSON, SENATORS, AND SENATOR GARY PETERS WHO WILL RETURN TO THE U.S. SENATE. [APPLAUSE] THESE ARE GREAT PROGRESSIVE LEADERS WHO KNOW WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND JUST HOW FAR WE CAN GO IF WE ARE UNITED AS DEMOCRATS AND WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A BETTER STATE FOR OUR PEOPLE AND MORE PERFECT UNION FOR ALL OF US. THAT'S GET TO WORK. ...

TO THE STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, THE UNFINISHED IS THIS OF AMERICA, AND TO THE LABOR MOVEMENT AND THE RESILIENCE. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE MIDDLE CLASS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THE FOLKS OVER THE NEXT TWO NIGHTS WILL HEAR FROM 20 EXTRAORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN. THE MOST DIVERSE FIELD OF CANDIDATES IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY, FOLKS. THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR. AND THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE THEIR VISION, THEIR INCLUSIVE VISION FOR AMERICA. AND AS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE STAND FOR IS ON THE BALLOT, AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR CANDIDATES AND THIS PRESIDENT ARE NIGHT AND DAY. WHILE THIS PRESIDENT HAS HAD A KNIFE IN YOUR BACK. DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING TO MAKE SURE IF YOU HAVE DIABETES OR SOME OTHER PRE-EXISTING CONDITION, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR COVERAGE. WE ARE FIGHTING THE SKYROCKETING COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. MEANWHILE, THIS PRESIDENT WANTS TO TAKE HEALTH CARE AWAY FROM YOU IN JUST GAVE PHARMA A BIG FAT TAX CUT. THAT IS NOT WHO WE ARE. DEMOCRATS WANT TO PROTECT AUTOWORKERS WHILE THIS PRESIDENT HAS MADE A SERIES OF BROKEN PROMISES. WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE IN 2009, THE AUTO INDUSTRY WAS ON LIFE SUPPORT. YOU KNOW WHAT THE REPUBLICAN SAID? WILL THE PLUG. -- PULL THE PLUG. DEMOCRATS SAID NOT ON OUR WATCH. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN FOLKS. I LEARNED EARLY IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK, YOU SHOULD NEVER BET AGAINST THE AMERICAN WORKER. I WILL TAKE THAT BET ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. AND WHILE BARACK OBAMA AND DEMOCRATS RESCUE THE AUTO INDUSTRY, THIS PRESIDENT PROMISED, REPEATEDLY, INCLUDING JUST NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM HERE IN WARREN, MICHIGAN. HE PROMISED AND WARREN, RUN RAPIDS, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, THERE WILL NEVER BE A PLANT CLOSURE ON MY WATCH, AND I QUOTE -- WELL, FOLKS, I DON'T INDUSTRY , THE JOB CUTS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY ARE THE FASTEST SINCE THE GREAT RECESSION. THE NEXT PLANT CLOSURE IS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR IN TWO DAYS IN MICHIGAN. ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE. HE SAID WE BETTER TAKE CARE OF AMERICA'S FARMERS AND THEN HE TURNED HIS BACK ON THEM. I WAS WITH THE PARTY CHAIR WISCONSIN WITH DAIRY FARMERS A FEW WEEKS AGO. WHEN HE WAS THERE A FEW WEEKS AGO, HE SAID FARMERS ARE "OVER THE HUMP." FOLKS, -- [LAUGHTER] FARMERS, HE IS RAKING THEM OVER THE COALS. THE FARM FORECLOSURE CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES, UNFORTUNATELY, IS AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND, WISCONSIN. WISCONSIN CURRENTLY LEADS AMERICA AND FARM BANKRUPTCIES. THAT IS NOT WHO WE ARE. PRESIDENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UNITER'S, NOT DIVIDERS. PRESIDENTS SHOULD INSPIRE US, NOT EXHAUST US. PRESIDENTS SHOULD MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER, NOT WORSE. IN ADDITION TO BEING INCREDIBLY DIVISIVE, IN ADDITION TO SINGLING OUT FAITH LEADERS, AND A REMARKABLY RACIST WAY -- REVEREND SHARP BRING -- REVEREND SHARPTON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR NOT SIMPLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR EVERYBODY. IN ADDITION TO HIS VISION, TO HIT -- TO HIS DIVISION, HIS DISTRACTION, THIS PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SINGULARLY INEFFECTIVE. HE VIOLATES THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH OF POLICYMAKING EVERY DAY -- DO NO HARM. HE DOES HARM TO AUTOWORKERS, FARMERS, AT THE BORDER. WE ARE LESS SAFE AS A NATION. CANADA IS OUR FRIEND, GET THE MEMO. FOLKS, OUR DEMOCRACY IS ON FIRE. AND IT IS A FIVE ALARM BLAZE. YET, FOLKS, I COME TO YOU WITH UNRELENTING OPTIMISM. BECAUSE I KNOW OUR CANDIDATES ARE ALL ON YOUR SIDE. THEY HAVE GOT YOUR BACK. WE HAVE GOT A REMARKABLY DEEP BENCH OF CANDIDATES, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO GET TO KNOW THEM, KICK THE TIRES, SPEED DATE, DATE THE SAME PEOPLE ACCOMMODATE MULTIPLE PEOPLE AT THE SAME TIME. I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT FOR OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE, BUT I DO RECOMMEND THAT FOR THIS. FALL IN LOVE. FALL IN LOVE WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL HAVE ONE NOMINEE. AN FOLKS, -- FOLKS, ONE THING IS CLEAR. OUR UNITY IS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH AS A PARTY, AND IT IS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH AS A NATION. IN ORDER TO GOVERN, AND IF YOU WANT TO GOVERN, WE MUST FIRST WIN. I JUST SAW MY FAVORITE CAMPAIGN BUTTON LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS IN CHICAGO. HERE IS WHAT IT SAID, PRETTY SIMPLE -- DEMOCRAT FOR PRESIDENT. I COULD AGREE MORE. [APPLAUSE] -- I COULD NOT AGREE MORE. [APPLAUSE] FOLKS, I AM PROUD TO BE A DEMOCRAT. I WAS PROUD TO STAND WITH THE CONGRESSMAN TODAY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TRAIL OF BROKEN PROMISES. IT IS TIME FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP BECAUSE THEY ARE THE PARTY OF DREAMERS AND DOERS. WE DREAMED OF A NEW DEAL WHERE SENIORS COULD RETIRE WITH DIGNITY AND WORKERS COULD FORM A UNION, AND WE CREATED SOCIAL SECURITY. DEMOCRATS DREAMED OF PUTTING A MAN ON THE MOON AND WE DID JUST THAT. WE DREAMED OF A GREAT SOCIETY, AND WE BUILT IT. WE DREAMED THAT SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR, COULD GET ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND 54 YEARS AGO TODAY, PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIGNED MEDICAID AND I DO CARE INTO LAW. -- MEDICARE INTO LAW. FOLKS, AND I WILL NOTE PARENTHETICALLY, WHAT DID REPUBLICANS WHO OPPOSED IT CALL THOSE LAWS? SOCIALISM. YES! THIS IS A CLASS EXERCISE. SOCIALISM. RONALD REAGAN SAID, AND I QUOTE -- "MEDICARE WILL LEAD TO SOCIALIZED MEDICINE." MEDICARE WILL LEAD TO SOCIALISM IN AMERICA. HE WAS FULL OF IT THEN, AND THESE FOLKS ARE FULL OF IT NOW AND THEY TRY TO DISTRACT YOU. WHEN YOU PUT DEMOCRATS IN CHARGE, WE PUT OUR VALUES INTO ACTION. WE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU WORK A FULL-TIME JOB, YOU OUGHT TO TURN A FULL-TIME WAGE. ONE GOOD JOB SHOULD BE ENOUGH. WE BELIEVE HEALTH CARE IS A RIGHT FOR ALL AND NOT A PRIVILEGE FOR A FEW. WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN WOMEN SUCCEED, AMERICA SUCCEEDS. WE BELIEVE WOMEN SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONTROL THEIR BODIES. WE STAND WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD. WE BELIEVE IN AN ECONOMY WHERE EVERYONE GETS A FAIR SHAKE, NOT JUST THE WEALTHY AND WELL-CONNECTED. WE BELIEVE THAT ENDING POVERTY IN AMERICA IS A MORAL AND ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE. WE BELIEVE THAT THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION BELIEVES IN EDUCATION. AND OUR EPA ADMINISTRATOR OUGHT TO GET THE MEMO ON CLIMATE CHANGE BECAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE IS AN ECONOMIC CRISIS. IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, IT IS A MORAL CRISIS. IT THREATENS OUR UNIVERSE, AND WE MUST TAKE ACTION NOW. WE BELIEVE THAT CIVIL RIGHTS IS THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF AMERICA. WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BE A NATION OF LAWS AND IMMIGRANTS. WE CAN SECURE OUR BORDERS. WE CAN SECURE OUR VALUES. WE CAN DO BOTH. I -- WE BELIEVE THAT CLEAN DRINKING WATER, WHETHER INFLAMED OR PUERTO RICO, IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. AND AS A PROUD MARYLANDER, WE ARE HERE TO SAY WE BELIEVE IN BALTIMORE. IN CITIES LIKE BALTIMORE. WE BELIEVE IN ELIJAH CUMMINGS. AND WE BELIEVE IN THOSE ATTACKS. THOSE ATTACKS ARE MEAN-SPIRITED, RACIALLY-MOTIVATED, AND PEOPLE SAY, STICKS AND STONES CAN BREAK MY BONES BUT WORDS WILL NEVER HURT ME, WHEN YOU USE DIVISIVE WORDS, IT SHOULD NOT COME AS A SURPRISE WHEN PEOPLE PUT THOSE HATE-FUELED WORDS INTO ACTION. I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I RAN A CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION AND I SAW THE INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES. WHEN YOU SET THE BAR AT THE TOP, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR. I AM DARN PROUD OF THESE VALUES, AND WE WILL PUT THESE INTO ACTION. THAT IS HOW WE WON IN MICHIGAN. WE WON IN WISCONSIN. WE WON IN 2018 AND WE WILL DO THIS AGAIN. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM TO BE PARTNERING TONIGHT WITH CNN. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR MAKING THIS DEBATE OF REMARKABLE SUCCESS. THEY HAVE PUT ON A SUCCESSFUL SHOW. THIS IS A REMARKABLE THEATER, AND IF YOU WANT UPDATES ON OUR UPCOMING DATES, TEXT WORD "DEBATE" TO 43367. THAT IS "DEBATE" TO THE NUMBER 43367. ENJOY THE DEBATE AND MAKE SURE YOU GET OUT AND VOTE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ...