Biden, situated at center stage as the race's front-runner, spoke for 12 minutes and 53 seconds over the course of 18 answers to questions or follow-ups.

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Harris spoke fewer times, but when she did, she made the most of her hold on the mic. Harris spoke for a total of 11 minutes and 37 seconds, including three answers that spanned more than a minute and a half each, the three longest stretches that moderators allowed for any candidate over the course of both Wednesday and Thursday's debates.

Sanders, situated to Biden's right as the second highest polling candidate on stage, got to answer as many questions as Biden. But many of the questions directed to the Vermont senator were follow-ups, and he talked for a shorter amount of time on average when moderators threw questions his way.

Sanders spoke for an average of 38 seconds each time he faced a question, shorter than every candidate except Swalwell. Harris had the longest average talk time, at a minute and 13 seconds each — capped by one follow-up question, for which she was allotted 30 seconds, in which she spoke for a minute and 45 seconds.