Clinton, countering Sanders 'revolution,' cites experience

Democratic presidential candidates clashed late Jan. 17 in their final debate before first votes are cast in Iowa, with Hillary Clinton presenting herself as best qualified as she parried attacks from pugnacious rival Bernie Sanders.

The pair, along with former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, took the stage in Charleston, South Carolina as frontrunner Clinton feels the heat from challenger Sanders in a tightening nomination race.
 
All three are aware that their performance could be the best opportunity to reshape the race ahead of Iowa, which votes two weeks from Monday.
 
Sanders and Clinton sparred, sometimes intensely, over plans for universal health care, guns, battling Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) extremists and reining in Wall Street.
 
Clinton raced out of the gate touting her vast experience as former secretary of state, senator and point-woman for her husband Bill Clinton's efforts to reform health care, saying Americans need a president who can do "all aspects of the job" and signaling that her rivals were not up to the task.
 
"I understand that this is the hardest job in the world. I'm prepared and ready to take it on," she said.
 
Clinton, whose campaign has been surprised by the resilience of what Sanders called his "political revolution," said she was best qualified to "bring our country together" during polarizing times.
 
Sanders, who polls show is nearly even with Clinton in Iowa, sent shockwaves hours before the debate when he unveiled his "Medicare for All" proposal, which he said would save average American families thousands of dollars per year.
 
But the plan would raise taxes across the board and require a 6.2 percent health care payroll tax on...