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Bernie Sanders' campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, said, “I think you're gonna hear a lot of contrast between the candidates," during Thursday's Democratic debate. | Getty Clinton camp expects 'aggressive' Sanders at debate

The Hillary Clinton campaign is expecting an aggressive Bernie Sanders during Thursday night’s debate.

Joel Benenson, Clinton’s chief strategist, told CNN in the minutes before the showdown that Sanders had become more combative recently and that he expected to see that on-stage.

“I think since we got to New York, we know that Sen. Sanders has not held up well under the scrutiny. He’s got, his interview with the Daily News was labeled the disaster or disastrous by everybody who has read it,” Benenson said. “And he's gotten more aggressive on the stump. There's been a different attack every day. We're expecting him to be aggressive tonight, but we want to have a debate on the issues.”

Sanders’ campaign manager Jeff Weaver appeared just before Benenson on CNN and was asked if the Vermont senator would be more aggressive during Thursday’s debate.

“I think what people know about Bernie Sanders is if anything he's been consistent not only during these debates but during his entire career. I think you'll hear him focusing on the big issues facing this country: issues like trade, like fracking, like corrupt campaign finance system,” Weaver said. “I think you're gonna hear a lot of contrast between the candidates."

Weaver also defended Sanders’ decision to head to the Vatican this weekend rather than stay in New York where recent polls show him lagging behind Clinton.

“He’s going because he was invited to come to the Vatican to speak at a conference on the issue of a moral economy, really an issue that transcends politics, an issue that's really been the work of Bernie Sanders' entire life,” Weaver said. “When the invitation came from the Vatican, it really was an invitation he felt he wanted to accept immediately and we did.”

“The secretary has also left New York a number of times in the last week, going to high-dollar fundraisers all around the country. So I think it's a better use of time to go to the Vatican and talk about the moral economy than going to big-dollar fundraisers at rich people’s houses,” he added.