Pro-abortion irony marks Democratic debate

South Carolina has 54 Democratic delegates to assign in its primary on Saturday, the last contest before next week’s crucial Super Tuesday elections. In a Tuesday night debate in Charleston, S.C., front-runner Bernie Sanders took fire from all sides. The independent senator from Vermont mostly stuck to his script of bashing billionaires and touting the need for universal free healthcare.

What did the candidates say about abortion? Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts went after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg over an accusation from a former employee who said he told her to “kill it” when he found out she was pregnant. Bloomberg denied it: “I’m sorry if she heard what she thought she heard.” Though Warren defended one unborn child in the debate, she has pushed for laws that would leave every other baby in the womb unprotected from abortion up until the moment of birth.

For the last question, moderators asked candidates to give their motto. Warren said her motto was Matthew 25:40 in the King James Version. Buttigieg meanwhile, said that his mottos are also informed by “the Scriptures” and referenced Jesus’ teaching of being a servant-leader. He carefully added he would never force his interpretation of his religion on others.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Hickman’s report in Vitals about Republican efforts to bring back the Born-Alive bill in Congress.