Democratic Debate Night 2: Kamala Harris, Joe Biden in tense exchange on busing at Democratic debate

Sen. Kamala Harris made the moment on the second night of the debate. [View in browser]( [Image](  JUNE 27, 2019 The second night of the Democratic Debate aired Thursday night on MSNBC. Did you miss it? You can listen to it [via podcast here]( and watch the [full debate here](. [Image]( Photo: Reuters / Mike Segar Below are [some observations]( as transcribed from MSNBC's post-debate coverage:  Brian Williams: Part two of round one of the Democratic debates is now history. It occurs to me that the most indelible picture of the evening is a [photo we did not see](, of a young girl named Kamala at the bus stop on her way to school. It was at that point, she forged a moment against the front runner, Joe Biden.  Nicolle Wallace: I think [the candidates] were all closer to the beating pulse of the hopes and desires of the most urgently desperate-to-beat-Donald-Trump wing of the Democratic party. Kamala Harris has not been showcased in a moment that did not elevate her. She changed the dynamics of the debate tonight.  Joy Reid: I think tonight the candidates... needed to give us a vision in our minds of what it would look like for them to debate Donald Trump. And the one person who did that was Kamala Harris.  She had a strategy, and the courage to attack Joe Biden. She destabilized him on the race question. And she did a bank shot off of Barack Obama -- heresy in the Democratic party -- on the deportation policy. It was brave and it went well for her. Harris presented herself as a front-runner tonight.  Lawrence O'Donnell: Sen. Harris went straight at Joe Biden. She knew she was going to do it. She did it well and strongly, [using his history on school bussing](. It’s hard to imagine that you’re in an election in the 21st century that refers back to the 1970s. She was powerful on immigration and other issues.  Steve Kornacki on Twitter: The Harris-Biden exchange seems like an obvious threat to his black support because of the topic, but the *way* he defended himself -- choppy, aimless, ending with "I must be out of time" -- could really advance the idea that he's past his prime. [Kornacki (on air)](: Can Biden turn it around? Does this [debate] wake him up? If you get the same performance like that, as the race goes, I think that’s trouble for him. [Image]( Former Sen. Claire McCaskill:  Kamala obviously had a big night. I do think Mayor Pete handled himself well, he showed that he deserves some of the attention he’s getting. Comparing his performance to Beto last night, he was substantively better. He delivered in a calm way and I could see him also debating Donald Trump.  Kirsten Gillibrand tried to almost do a de Blasio, trying to break in. But she ended up only with 7 ½ minutes of total time talking.  Really strong candidates. The party could start to decide which one is the one to take the mess in the White House out.  I don't though know about [[Marianne Williamson](] calling the prime minister of New Zealand though. Huh?   Lawrence O’Donnell: I don't think anyone up there had a bad debate. I think Joe Biden was overshadowed. It doesn't mean the others didn't do well.   [Rachel Maddow:]( Not all of them can be front-runners, but nobody is going to walk away thinking they did poorly. They all performed. Eric Swalwell, for example, the way he has taken on the gun issues is earnest and deep... he challenged Sen. Sanders, going after Pete Buttiegieg on the issue of body cams. This is not a gloves-off primary anymore. It’s on substance. It’s not ad hominem. I think it’s good.  Wallace: For people who are excited about all 20 people they've seen over the last two nights, just about everybody helped themselves in some way. On that stage, there was a lot for everybody.   Watch the candidates' closing statements [here](. Videos from the debate [Image]( [Watch highlights from round 2 of the first Democratic debate]( Ten 2020 presidential candidates faced off in round two of the first Democratic debate, sparring over inequality, immigration and race. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Image](  [Harris breaks up quarrel: ‘America does not want to witness a food fight’]( Kamala Harris told fellow Democrats on stage that “America does not want to witness a food fight, they want to know how we’re going to put food on their table.” [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Image](  [Pete Buttigieg talks South Bend shooting, systemic racism]( South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg talks about the officer-involved shooting that left one dead and his hopes to eliminate systemic racism. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Image](  [Joe Biden defends himself, says Kamala Harris mischaracterized his positions]( NBC's Garrett Haake interviews former VP Joe Biden and allows him to respond to criticisms leveled at him by Sen. Kamala Harris during Night 2 of the democratic debate. “It should be about the future," Biden said, "It should be about what we’re gonna do about institutionalized racism.” [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Image](  [Maddow: Second night candidates took debate into their own hands]( Rachel Maddow remarks on the themes and dynamics of the second night of the first Democratic primary debate in which the candidates confronted each other more directly. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( From the Spin Room [Image]( Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images - [Kamala Harris: If segregationists had their way, I wouldn’t be senator Â]( - [Eric Swalwell: I’ve laid out a comprehensive plan to end gun violence]( - [Michael Bennet: It's time for new leadershipÂ]( - [Kirsten Gillibrand: I will never compromise on women's reproductive freedomÂ]( - [Sanders: Swalwell's comments on 'passing the torch' were ageist]( Other Top News [How Robert Mueller's testimony before Congress will work.]( Mueller has agreed to testify before the House in July, but there are conditions, according to a congressional aide with knowledge of the arrangement.  [Manafort pleads not guilty to state mortgage fraud charges.]( The longtime GOP operative known for his dapper suits shuffled into the courtroom in downtown Manhattan dressed in a navy blue prison jumpsuit. [De Blasio apologizes after quoting Che Guevara at South Florida rally.Â](After Wednesday's debate, de Blasio ended a speech to a union crowd by chanting Guevara’s slogan “hasta la victoria siempre” or “until victory, always.” [Supreme Court tosses citizenship question from 2020 census forms, a victory for Democratic states.Â](The court found that while the Commerce Department has a right to reinstate the question, it did not provide an adequate justification for doing so.  [Supreme Court justices 'turned their backs on voters' in gerrymandering ruling, advocates say.Â](Groups calling for an end to partisan gerrymandering disagree with Chief Justice John Roberts' assertion that states and Congress are the ones who can solve the problem.  [Trump spoiling for a deal as leaders gather in Japan.]( As leaders gather for the Group of 20 Summit, the president is eager to show he's a man of action who gets things done on the world stage. Coming up Friday More post-debate analysis and discussion, live from Miami on Morning Joe Friday, 6a.m. ET.  Plus: President Donald Trump has arrived at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan. Tune in for continuing coverage of Trump's meetings with world leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin.  [What did you think of the candidates on the second night's debate? Drop us a note.](mailto:msnbc.digital.editors@nbcuni.com?subject=What I thought of Dem Debate Night 2)  This newsletter was prepared for you by Cameron Oakes and Sam Go, and the videos published tonight were from our NBC News and MSNBC digital teams, including Stephanie Haberman, Geet Jeswani and Nick Ramsey.  Were you forwarded this email from a friend?  [Subscribe here](. Follow MSNBC [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [LinkedIn]( Check out the MSNBC channel on Apple News  Download the NBC News Mobile App and watch MSNBC [Image] [Image] [Privacy]( [Unsubscribe](listvar=sub_daily)