The Democratic presidential contest has thus far been a snoozfest. Bernie Sanders has attracted big, young and enthusiastic crowds, but when asked to take the fight to Hillary Clinton he has mostly demurred.

The tone was set in the party’s first debate when at the height of public interest in the Clinton email scandal, Sanders exclaimed that he and the American public were tired of hearing about the front-runner’s “damn emails.” Clinton laughed approvingly and shook his hand. “Thank you, Bernie,” she said, with visions of a coronation dancing in her head.