Democratic debate kicks off with all-female panel of moderators

The fifth Democratic primary debate kicked off Wednesday night, featuring the first all-female panel of moderators of the 2020 campaign cycle.

Rachel Maddow, host of “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC; Andrea Mitchell, host of “Andrea Mitchell Reports” on MSNBC and NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent; Kristen Welker, NBC News White House correspondent; and Ashley Parker, Washington Post White House reporter moderated the debate, which was hosted jointly by MSNBC and The Washington Post.

In January 2016, Trish Regan and Sandra Smith moderated a Republican presidential debate on the Fox Business Network. Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff of PBS co-moderated a Democratic debate in February 2016, according to Vox.

Audiences at home were quick to celebrate the team of women. 

SQUAD GOALS #DemDebate

The first all female moderator panel in Debate history. pic.twitter.com/X8EvNuZGes

— Arielle Mitropoulos (@AMitrops) November 20, 2019

Gotta say, it is really nice to see the all-female moderator lineup #DemDebate

— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) November 20, 2019

OH I am ALL IN on this all-female moderator panel #DemDebate

— Joanne Norell (@jvnorelli) November 20, 2019

Seeing an all-female moderator panel is beautiful #DemDebate

— Alexis (@alexiscole) November 20, 2019

Earlier this year, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced that each debate it holds it will have at least one female moderator.

“We have taken an innovative and inclusive approach to debates so that we reach the widest audience and give our historically large field of candidates a fair chance to make their case to the American people,” DNC senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill told Refinery29 at the time of the announcement.

Ten presidential hopefuls faced off Wednesday night in Atlanta: former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.),  Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), former tech executive Andrew Yang, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer — all of whom are hoping for breakout moments of their own.