Following Super Tuesday, the Democratic primary field is down to just three candidates: former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders (VT), and Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI). Many other former frontrunners, including Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA) and Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg (IN), withdrew from the race between South Carolina and days prior to the debate. Only Biden and Sanders qualified for the debate, making the night a showdown for the two frontrunners.

The coronavirus pandemic dominated the Democratic presidential debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders last night. See what the candidates had to say. #covid19 #coronavirus #ushealthcare pic.twitter.com/YEIrkloIPb — CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) March 16, 2020

Originally, the debate was scheduled to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, however, mounting concern about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic meant that CNN moved the debate to Washington, DC, and had no live audience present. To further practice proper safety precautions, Biden and Sanders greeted each other with an elbow-bump rather than a handshake and stood at podiums placed an appropriate distance apart. Most of the beginning of the debate centered around coronavirus and how each candidate would respond to the pandemic.

Biden’s Performance

Since the South Carolina primary, Joe Biden has been gaining momentum, and now leads in the number of pledged delegates. His strategy throughout the night reflected his status above Bernie Sanders; he acted like a leader and prevented Sanders from regaining the lead. He remained eloquent and polished throughout the night, which is something he had struggled to do in previous debates, and presented himself as a voice of reason.

After both candidates attempted to reassure Americans that they could deal with the coronavirus outbreak, the debate transitioned into a discussion about whether the Democratic party needs the revolution that Sanders calls for or Biden’s more moderate approach. Although this issue tends to be one where Sanders has the upper hand, Biden actually made a compelling case for “Results, not revolution.” Especially now, in a time of panic and hysteria, this sort of focus on addressing the nation’s most urgent needs rather than long-term systemic change could be appealing enough to voters for them to support a Joe Biden nomination. Biden’s most memorable, and arguably most strategic, the moment of the night came when he pledged to have a female Vice President. This has opened the door for speculation as to who that might be; Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, or Stacey Abrams, and it was a smart move for him to garner more support in the coming contests.

Sanders’ Performance

Although this debate probably isn’t enough to bring back his lead in the polls, Bernie Sanders did have a strong performance. A running theme throughout the night for Sanders was reminding viewers of the cornerstone of his campaign: fighting against structural inequality. In contrast to Joe Biden’s “Results now” approach, Sanders used the Coronavirus questions to discuss his healthcare platform. Addressing economic inequality in relation to the pandemic was a smart move for Sanders, allowing him to remind voters that large-scale structural change is why he’s running, but his message is getting repetitive.

His loftier, long-term goals don’t work as well against Biden’s immediate action platform. For die-hard Sanders supporters who wanted to hear him reiterate the central ideas of his campaign, he gave them what they wanted. For those looking for a more pragmatic, results-focused approach, he was probably less persuasive. In the end, Sanders did have a good debate, but not as good as Joe Biden.

Conclusion

Like most of the previous debates, the March Democratic debate could give viewers a sense of who’s ahead and what’s important to voters at this point in the race. Joe Biden has made a comeback, and the public is extremely concerned about the coronavirus outbreak spreading across the nation. Both candidates presented themselves as effective leaders in the face of this panic, and given the Trump administration’s shaky handling of the situation, that was exactly what voters needed to hear.

Most revealing #DemDebate moment:



Bernie gives Joe 3 chances to come clean about his history of trying to cut Social Security —he lies every time.



Instead of correcting his false claims, the CNN moderator swoops in to suggest Bernie was the one trying to cut Social Security. pic.twitter.com/RViF2MOaF1 — Dilan P. Cook (@DilanPCook) March 16, 2020

The rift between the moderate and progressive lanes of the Democratic party was also apparent on Monday’s debate, as it has been for most of the election cycle. Sanders’ revolution-oriented progressivism may have seen its surge earlier this year, but considering Joe Biden’s lead that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon, the moderates currently have the upper hand. This divide has sparked concern about whether or not the party would be able to unite behind the nominee, whether they’re a progressive or a moderate, but both have mentioned that they would support the nominee.

The March debate was the eleventh out of the twelve debates that the Democratic National Committee called for, but the status of the next debate is unknown. Considering the cancellation of major events, the CDC’s recommendations against large gatherings, and the fact that Georgia and Louisiana have already postponed their primaries, there’s a chance that the debate schedule could be adjusted. The first one-on-one debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders did give viewers a glimpse into what type of leader each candidate would be and was potentially their last chance to market themselves to viewers before the convention. If there is an April debate, be sure to check in with The New Voice’s live coverage, but until then, stay safe and wash your hands!

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