Third debate for Democrats a fiery one

Democratic presidential candidates tackled the US-China trade dispute at their third debate Thursday, with most criticizing President Donald's Trump handling of it.

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who was the first to be asked about the trade issue, said: "I would not appeal the tariffs on day one, but I would let the Chinese know we have to hammer out a deal. We have to let the Chinese know that we recognize that President Trump has pursued an arbitrary and haphazard trade policy."

Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, used one of Trump's one liners against him. Buttigieg said Trump earlier this year derisively said he would like to see him try to negotiate with President Xi Jinping of China.

"I'd like to see him make a deal with President Xi Jinping," the mayor said.

US Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota talked about bins of soybeans sitting in the Midwest with no market because of the trade deal. She said Trump is "treating farmers like poker chips in one of his casinos".

US Senator Kamala Harris of California said the US needs to partner with China on the climate and North Korea.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said US trade policy is working for "giant multinational corporations", and she would like to see unions and environmentalists at the trade negotiating table.

Testy exchanges on healthcare also stood out, as the candidates argued whether Medicare for All was better than combining private insurance with a public option.

"I, who wrote the damn bill, intend to eliminate all out-of-pocket expenses, all deductibles, all co-payments. … no more than $200 a year for prescription drugs. We're going to stand up to the greed of the pharmaceutical industry," US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont bellowed.

"And while Bernie wrote the bill, I read the bill," Klobuchar rebutted, taking a more centrist stance. "And on … page 8 of the bill, it says that we will no longer have private insurance as we know it. And that means that 149 million Americans will no longer be able to have their current insurance."

"We are spending twice as much per capita on health care as the Canadians or any other major country on Earth, Sanders said. "We have got to recognize this country is moving to an oligarchical form of society where a handful of billionaires" control everything.

Former vice-president Joe Biden clashed with Sanders and US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on the cost of Medicare for All. Biden said their healthcare plans would increase taxes on the middle class. He said his plan "costs $740 billion. It doesn't cost $30 trillion" in reference to Medicare for All.