Democratic debate a breakout chance for O'Malley, others

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Stuck far behind Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Martin O'Malley needs a breakout moment in the party's first debate to catch up to the front-runners.

And he knows it.

"This will really be the first time that nationally voters see that there's more than one alternative to this year's inevitable front-runner, Secretary Clinton," O'Malley said.

"It's a very, very important opportunity for me to not only present my vision for where the country should head, but also 15 years of executive experience, actually accomplishing the progressive things some of the other candidates can only talk about," he said.

The former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore got into the race at the end of May, after telegraphing his plans to seek the White House in 2016. The entries of the two others who will be onstage at 7:30 tonight in Las Vegas, former Virginia senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island senator Lincoln Chafee, were surprises to most.

Jim Webb

But they have one thing in common -- an inability so far to generate any of the enthusiasm among voters that has pushed Sanders into and kept Clinton at the top of the field. All three poll in low single digits in early preference surveys, well below even Vice President Joe Biden, who has yet to say whether he'll make a late entry into the race.

O'Malley has been critical of the Democratic National Committee and the decision to hold six primary debates, with four scheduled in early primary states before the Iowa caucuses Feb. 1. He has mounted a push for the party to expand the number, even encouraging protests in front of Democratic Party headquarters.

The party hasn't budged, but O'Malley is undaunted. He has campaigned aggressively in Iowa and New Hampshire, far more than Webb or Chafee. He is critical of Clinton for her shifts on policy issues, among them her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which he calls a "reversal."

O'Malley touts his executive experience in dealing with issues such as gun control, in which Sanders' record matches more with his largely rural home state than his place in the race as a liberal firebrand promising political revolution.

"We have to draw contrasts," O'Malley said. "I think we can do it in a respectful way."

Lincoln Chafee

Expect Chafee, the former senator and governor from Rhode Island, to go after Clinton for her 2002 vote to authorize the war in Iraq. Chafee, at the time a Republican, opposed the invasion, and he's said Clinton's support for the war, which she recently has called a "mistake," is at the center of his decision to run.

Webb, a Vietnam veteran and former Virginia senator, has deep experience on military issues and foreign policy and has been critical of Clinton's handling of the conflict in Libya.

Last year, he said the Obama administration's unilateral decision to use military force in Libya was improper.

One unknown is whether any of her challengers will poke at Clinton for her use of a private email account and server while serving as secretary of state. It's been a constant refrain from the GOP candidates, and the Republican National Committee released a new television ad Monday that focuses on Clinton saying she didn't send any classified information via the server.

Neither Chafee nor Webb has campaigned as much as the others in the race, but the highly rated Republican debates have proven that a good night can lift a candidate. Carly Fiorina has emerged as a contender in the GOP race after two strong showings.

"Fiorina was a complete unknown. Jim could make a lot bigger jump than that. It depends how many people are watching the debates," said David "Mudcat" Saunders, an informal adviser to Webb. "I'm thinking and hoping and praying by the end of the debate, people are looking at it like a three-horse race."

Even if they don't boost their own candidacies, less popular contenders can still have an impact on a debate stage. In an October 2007 debate, Clinton's campaign was damaged by her vague answers on providing drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants. One of the candidates who was critical of Clinton was then-Sen. Chris Dodd, who never broke into the top tier.

Tom Henderson, chairman of the Polk County Democrats in Iowa, said damage to Clinton could be an "unintended consequence" as other candidates try to seize on their chance to stand out.

"The front-runner is usually going to be the target of the other debaters," said Henderson, who has not publicly endorsed a candidate. "She could expect to get some tough questions from one of them on the stage."