Former Vice President Joe Biden will face off against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the first one-on-one debate of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. It’s the first time the two have debated each other since Biden surged past Sanders in the delegate count, becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Here are five things to watch for during the Democratic debate, airing on CNN Sunday from 8-10 p.m. EST:
1. The effects of the coronavirus.
It’s the first Democratic primary debate of the 2020 election cycle that won’t be held in front of an audience.
The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday the campaigns had requested there be no live audience amid fears of the coronavirus. CNN, the network hosting the debate, has also closed off the event venue to journalists. The debate was supposed to be held in Phoenix but was moved to CNN’s studios in Washington, D.C.
Biden and Sanders, who have both canceled campaign events amid the outbreak, could decline to shake hands at the beginning and end of the debate, following guidance from public health experts. The candidates, who are both in their late 70s, are in an age group that is more vulnerable to the virus.
The virus and President Trump’s response to it could dominate the debate, especially as it forces the cancellation of events across the nation.
2. Will Sanders get personal?
Biden’s recent primary victories weakened Sanders’s argument that he can build a winning coalition to defeat Trump in November. It’s likely Sanders’s last chance to stop Biden’s momentum.
Sanders’s campaign believes he still has a slim path to winning the nomination, but it’s hard to see how he reaches the delegate threshold without unleashing attacks on his Democratic rival or a major gaffe from Biden.
“It’s going to be hard, this guy’s going to come at me, and throw everything, including the kitchen sink. I don’t mean Bernie, I mean in the general election. But Bernie is going to throw, he’s at least throw the dishwasher at me,” Biden said last week.
However, Sanders has indicated that he does not plan to make personal attacks on Biden.
“All I can say is Joe and I have very significant political differences, and I’m not going to be making, you know, personal attacks on Joe,” he said earlier this week.
3. Biden’s mental acuity under scrutiny.
Biden, 77, has faced increased scrutiny, especially from Republicans, about his mental acuity amid his repeated gaffes and stumbling over his words on the campaign trail.
Biden’s doctor released a report on the former vice president’s health in December that said he is being treated for an irregular heartbeat, high cholesterol, acid reflux, and seasonal allergies. His doctor added that Biden was a “healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.” The report did not mention any declining cognitive ability or mental function.
4. Does Biden woo Sanders supporters?
On Wednesday, Sanders previewed issues he would press Biden on during Sunday’s debate, including how Biden would address college affordability and student debt, what he would do about mass incarceration, and if he would really veto “Medicare for all” legislation. If Biden makes policy concessions, it could give Sanders peace of mind about exiting the race.
A day earlier, after his Michigan win, Biden reached out to Sanders supporters.
“I want to thank Bernie Sanders and his supporters for their tireless energy and their passion,” Biden said. “We share a common goal, and together we’ll defeat Donald Trump. We’ll defeat him together.”
5. Standing or sitting?
The campaigns clashed over whether the candidates should be seated during the debate. Sanders wanted to stand, and his campaign accused Biden of wanting to sit down.
The format determined by CNN had both candidates seated for the first time in a debate this election season. In the previous 10 debates, the candidates stood behind lecterns.
