The Democrats hold their third presidential debate Saturday evening in Manchester, New Hampshire. Until now, the Democratic candidates have spent far less time than their Republican counterparts discussing foreign policy and national security issues, both in the debates and on the campaign trail.
The last Democratic debate took place just one day after Islamic terrorists gunned down 129 people in Paris. This prompted moderators to ask the candidates more questions than originally planned about foreign policy and terrorism. But as the Washington Examiner’s Byron York pointed out, the candidates mostly just touched on security matters before pivoting to issues related to the economy and other domestic matters.
It’s easy to see why. Democratic voters are less concerned than Republicans about national security. York cites a New Hampshire town hall meeting at which Democratic primary voters seemed more interested in domestic issues such as genetically-modified food and student loans than where the candidates stand on foreign affairs and terrorism.
A December 14 NBC/WSJ poll found that terrorism and national security have eclipsed the economy to become the top concern among Republican and independent voters, but not Democrats. Forty percent of voters say terrorism and national security are their topic concern, more than double the share that felt that way in April. But while 58 percent of Republicans consider terrorism and national security their top issue, just 26 percent of Democrats do.
Most voters have lost confidence in President Obama’s ability to keep the country safe. The Journal poll found that just 37 percent of voters approve of Obama’s handling of foreign policy, and 34 percent of his handling of the terrorist threat.
This presents problems for Hillary Clinton, who is linked to Obama’s foreign policy record by virtue of having been his chief diplomat during an era that saw a failed surge in Afghanistan, a disastrous diplomatic reset with Russia and inept responses to civil war in Syria and the killing of Americans in Benghazi.
Tonight’s moderators should press the candidates on whether and to what degree they support Obama’s Iran nuclear deal and drone policy and on the proper balance between national security and privacy rights. They should be asked about what, exactly, they would do to destroy the Islamic State and contain Russia.
The candidates should also be asked for their thoughts on the nature of modern terrorism. Democrats have mostly been reluctant to attach the “I-word” — “Islamic” — to terrorism. This is at odds with how most voters view the issue. A late November Rasmussen Reports poll found that majorities of voters, including 56 percent of Democrats, believe the U.S. is engaged in a conflict with radical Islam. More than nine in ten respondents believe radical Islamic terrorism is a “serious” threat to national security.
The recent terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino have dramatically reshaped the national political conversation. The Republican presidential candidates have so far dominated the conversation, and many are offering serious plans that speak to voters’ concerns over foreign policy and national security issues. It’s time for the Democrats to follow their lead.
