Democratic Primary Debate at The Citadel, sponsored by YouTube and CNN: on Jobs


Barack Obama: Pres. candidates can afford minimum wage; most folks can’t

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

EDWARDS: Yes.

CLINTON: Sure.

OBAMA: Well, we can afford to work for the minimum wage because most folks on this stage have a lot of money. I mean, we don’t have Mitt Romney money, but we could afford to do it for a few years. Most folks can’t. And that’s why we’ve got to fight and advocate for.

Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

Bill Richardson: Would accept minimum wage as president

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

GRAVEL: Oh, yes, I would, but I would say that we don’t need a minimum wage; we need a living wage. We don’t have that in this country because of what they passed.

DODD: I don’t think I could live on the minimum wage, but I’m a strong advocate to seeing to it that we increase it at least to $9 or $10.

EDWARDS: Yes.

CLINTON: Sure.

OBAMA: We could afford to do it for a few years. Most folks can’t. And that’s why we’ve got to fight and advocate for [an increase].

Q: Would you serve at minimum wage?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I would.

BIDEN: I couldn’t afford to stay in the Congress for the minimum wage. But if I get a second job, I’d do it.

KUCINICH: I think we need to increase the minimum wage and so all my neighbors can get an increase in their wages.

Q: So would you work for it?

KUCINICH: I would. But I wouldn’t want to.

Source: [X-ref Clinton] 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate Jul 23, 2007

Chris Dodd: Couldn’t afford living at minimum wage; advocates raising it

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

A: I have two young daughters who I’m trying to educate them. I don’t think I could live on the minimum wage, but I’m a strong advocate to seeing to it that we increase it at least to $9 or $10 to give people a chance out there to be able to provide for their families. That’s leadership in the country.

Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

Dennis Kucinich: Would accept minimum wage as president, reluctantly

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

A: I live in the same house I purchased in 1971 for $22,500. I think we need to increase the minimum wage and so all my neighbors can get an increase in their wages.

Q: So would you work for it?

A: I would. But I wouldn’t want to.

Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

Hillary Clinton: No salary increase for Congress until minimum wage increased

I got to vote to raise the minimum wage. I put in legislation which said that Congress should not get a salary increase until they did raise the minimum wage, and I am putting that back in, because I agree that by the time we got it raised after 10 years, it was already out of date.
Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

Hillary Clinton: Would accept minimum wage as president

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

GRAVEL: Oh, yes, I would, but I would say that we don’t need a minimum wage; we need a living wage. We don’t have that in this country because of what they passed.

DODD: I don’t think I could live on the minimum wage, but I’m a strong advocate to seeing to it that we increase it at least to $9 or $10.

EDWARDS: Yes.

CLINTON: Sure.

OBAMA: We could afford to do it for a few years. Most folks can’t. And that’s why we’ve got to fight and advocate for [an increase].

Q: Would you serve at minimum wage?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I would.

BIDEN: I couldn’t afford to stay in the Congress for the minimum wage. But if I get a second job, I’d do it.

KUCINICH: I think we need to increase the minimum wage and so all my neighbors can get an increase in their wages.

Q: So would you work for it?

KUCINICH: I would. But I wouldn’t want to.

Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

Joe Biden: Couldn’t afford living at minimum wage; advocates raising it

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

A: My net worth is $70,000 to $150,000. That’s what happens you get elected at 29. I couldn’t afford to stay in the Congress for the minimum wage. But if I get a second job, I’d do it.

Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

John Edwards: Would accept minimum wage as president

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

GRAVEL: Oh, yes, I would, but I would say that we don’t need a minimum wage; we need a living wage. We don’t have that in this country because of what they passed.

DODD: I don’t think I could live on the minimum wage, but I’m a strong advocate to seeing to it that we increase it at least to $9 or $10.

EDWARDS: Yes.

CLINTON: Sure.

OBAMA: We could afford to do it for a few years. Most folks can’t. And that’s why we’ve got to fight and advocate for [an increase].

Q: Would you serve at minimum wage?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I would.

BIDEN: I couldn’t afford to stay in the Congress for the minimum wage. But if I get a second job, I’d do it.

KUCINICH: I think we need to increase the minimum wage and so all my neighbors can get an increase in their wages.

Q: So would you work for it?

KUCINICH: I would. But I wouldn’t want to.

Source: [X-ref Clinton] 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate Jul 23, 2007

Mike Gravel: Minimum wage as president OK, but we need living wage

Q: If you’re elected to serve as president, would you be willing to do this service for the next four years and be paid the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour?

GRAVEL: Oh, yes, I would, but I would say that we don’t need a minimum wage; we need a living wage. We don’t have that in this country because of what they passed.

DODD: I don’t think I could live on the minimum wage, but I’m a strong advocate to seeing to it that we increase it at least to $9 or $10.

EDWARDS: Yes.

CLINTON: Sure.

OBAMA: We could afford to do it for a few years. Most folks can’t. And that’s why we’ve got to fight and advocate for [an increase].

Q: Would you serve at minimum wage?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I would.

BIDEN: I couldn’t afford to stay in the Congress for the minimum wage. But if I get a second job, I’d do it.

KUCINICH: I think we need to increase the minimum wage and so all my neighbors can get an increase in their wages.

Q: So would you work for it?

KUCINICH: I would. But I wouldn’t want to.

Source: [X-ref Clinton] 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate Jul 23, 2007

  • The above quotations are from 2007 Democratic Primary Debate at The Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina, July 23, 2007, sponsored by YouTube and CNN.
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2016 Presidential contenders on Jobs:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI) 		Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Nov 30, 2018