Meet the Candidates
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The Questions
1. In an ideal world, would anyone own handguns?
2. Would your focus be improving the Affordable Care Act or replacing it with single payer?
3. Do you think it’s possible for the next president to stop climate change?
4. Do you think Israel meets international standards of human rights?
5. Who is your hero, and why?
6. Would there be American troops in Afghanistan at the end of your first term?
7. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
8. Do you think illegal immigration is a major problem in the United States?
9. Where would you go on your first international trip as president?
10. Describe the last time you were embarrassed. Why?
11. Do you think President Trump has committed crimes in office?
12. Do you support or oppose the death penalty?
13. Should tech giants like Facebook, Amazon and Google be broken up?
14. Are you open to expanding the size of the Supreme Court?
15. When did your family first arrive in the United States, and how?
16. What is your comfort food on the campaign trail?
17. What do you do to relax?
18. Does anyone deserve to have a billion dollars?
The Candidates Joseph R. Biden Jr. declined to participate despite repeated requests since late April. Candidates who dropped out after the project published are indicated below.
Congresswoman from Hawaii, 38
Next: Kirsten GillibrandAn Iraq war veteran serving her fourth term in Congress, Ms. Gabbard has made opposition to foreign wars the central theme of her long-shot campaign. She said she would withdraw American troops from Afghanistan and “end the wasteful regime change wars.”
“I support our Second Amendment rights.”
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“I support our Second Amendment rights.”
“The current system that we have continues to be broken, even with the advances made in the Affordable Care Act.”
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“The current system that we have continues to be broken, even with the advances made in the Affordable Care Act.”
“The United States alone can’t accomplish this.”
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“The United States alone can’t accomplish this.”
“I think that there are some challenges with Israel that need to be addressed.”
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“I think that there are some challenges with Israel that need to be addressed.”
Hero: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Hero: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“I will end the wasteful regime-change wars that have taken such a toll on our troops and on the American people.”
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“I will end the wasteful regime-change wars that have taken such a toll on our troops and on the American people.”
“Our broken immigration system is a major problem in this country.”
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“Our broken immigration system is a major problem in this country.”
“I’ll get back to you on that.”
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“I’ll get back to you on that.”
“I don’t know the answer to that.”
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“I don’t know the answer to that.”
“The report came back showing that there was no collusion.”
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“The report came back showing that there was no collusion.”
“Even one of those wrong convictions, taking an innocent life, is wrong.”
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“Even one of those wrong convictions, taking an innocent life, is wrong.”
“These tech giants, like Facebook and Google, have such monopolies and such power that there have been examples of their abuse of that power.”
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“These tech giants, like Facebook and Google, have such monopolies and such power that there have been examples of their abuse of that power.”
“I don’t think that expanding the size of the Supreme Court solves the problem that we’re facing.”
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“I don’t think that expanding the size of the Supreme Court solves the problem that we’re facing.”
“My mom’s family came from different parts of Europe and my father’s family came from New Zealand.”
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“My mom’s family came from different parts of Europe and my father’s family came from New Zealand.”
“Those who work and earn money in this country it’s not a bad thing.”
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“Those who work and earn money in this country it’s not a bad thing.”
About the project
The New York Times reached out to 22 Democratic presidential candidates to ask them the same set of questions on video. Twenty-one accepted the invitation.
Most of the candidates visited the studio in our New York City office; for a few who could not, we traveled to Iowa, Texas and Washington, D.C. The sessions took place between the beginning of March and early June. During the interviews, we asked candidates to answer each question briefly — with a simple yes or no, or another terse, direct reply — before explaining their views at greater length.
One candidate, Elizabeth Warren, who was the first to be interviewed, returned for a second session after we added a number of questions to our initial list. We did not ask John Hickenlooper when his family first arrived in the United States because we added that question after his interview.
In the case of one question — regarding President Trump’s legal issues — the candidates answered at different points during the completion of the investigation by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III, so their answers reflected the facts available to them at the time.
- Reporters/Producers
- Alexander Burns
- Sydney Ember
- Jonah M. Kessel
- Haeyoun Park
- Director of Cinematography
- Jonah M. Kessel
- Design/Development
- Larry Buchanan
- Alastair Coote
- Rebecca Lieberman
- Umi Syam
- Cinematography
- Yousur Al-hlou
- Tony Cenicola
- Michael Cordero
- KC McGinnis
- Edythe McNamee
- Julio Quintana
- Emily Rhyne
- Abe Sater
- Joshua Thomas
- Ainara Tiefenthäler
- Photography
- Tony Cenicola
- Tanner Curtis
- Todd Heisler
- Editors
- Meg Felling
- Shane O'Neill
- Additional Editors
- Alexandra Eaton
- Dave Horn
- Robin Lindsay
- Will Lloyd
- Ainara Tiefenthäler
- Additional Production
- Aaron Byrd
- Amanda Cordero
- Michael Cordero
- Dave DeCristo
- Alex Garces
- Abe Sater
- Jessica White
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