Commitments To Female Running Mates Overshadow Coronavirus At One-On-One Biden-Sanders Debate

Sunday night’s debate between former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, the last two standing candidates in the 2020 Democratic field, featured both sides trading predictable lines on the coronavirus pandemic and committing to naming female running mates.

The DNC moved the debate from its scheduled location in Arizona to CNN’s studio in Washington, D.C. last week amid coronavirus fears. The only people present in the room were Biden, Sanders, and moderators Dana Bash, Ilia Calderon and Jake Tapper.

Biden, buoyed off of his primary wins in South Carolina and the overwhelming majority of states on Super Tuesday, opened up a commanding lead this past Tuesday with additional wins in Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri and Washington. He currently holds a roughly 150 delegate lead over Sanders. The night was a sharp departure from the previous debate, highlighted by moderators losing complete control of the participants.