6 Times Bernie Sanders Stole the Show During the Graham-Cassidy Debate

The Vermont senator proved yet again why he's the most popular politician in the country.

By Dan Engelke / AlterNet September 26, 2017, 8:51 AM GMT

The prognosis for Graham-Cassidy, Republicans' latest effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, looked bleak even before its authors sat down to debate Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) at a CNN town hall Monday night. Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have both indicated they're likely to vote against the legislation, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who helped kill the last Republican health care proposal, could soon follow. Meanwhile, the bill is polling at a piddling 20 percent with the American public.

Monday night's debate was unlikely to change anybody's mind. Amy Klobuchar offered pointed criticism of Graham-Cassidy, including its failure to protect patients with pre-existing conditions, but the evening belonged to Bernie Sanders, who not only made a passionate case for single-payer but proved himself quite adept at defending Obamacare as well. So much for centrist Democrats' concerns that he might sabotage the party's efforts to block a Republican health care bill.

Here are six of his best lines from Monday night's debate, each a reminder why he was such a compelling presidential candidate in 2016.

1. On Graham-Cassidy

“But here's the point. Every major health organization in this country, whether it is the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer's Society, every single major medical organization in this country thinks that their proposal is a disaster."

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