Washington (CNN) Sen. Kamala Harris dismissed attacks from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in Wednesday's Democratic presidential debate, accusing the Hawaii congresswoman of being an "apologist" for Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Harris said as a "top-tier candidate," she expected she "might take hits" from other candidates on the debate stage, when asked by CNN's Anderson Cooper about Gabbard's attacks on her record as a prosecutor.

"Especially when people are at zero or 1% or whatever (Gabbard) might be at," Harris added.

The senator said Gabbard has "embraced" Assad -- "who has murdered the people of his country like cockroaches" -- by refusing to call him a war criminal.

"I can only take what she says and her opinion so seriously," Harris said, adding, "I'm prepared to move on."

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