Three Takeaways From the Biden-Sanders Presidential Face-Off
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders faced off on Sunday in what was possibly the final debate of the 2020 Democratic presidential nominating contest, with their ideological differences laid bare amidst the national crisis over…
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders faced off on Sunday in what was possibly the final debate of the 2020 Democratic presidential nominating contest, with their ideological differences laid bare amidst the national crisis over the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden entered the evening leading Sanders in terms of the Democratic delegate count ahead of primaries on Tuesday in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio that could give him unstoppable momentum barring a last-minute postponement.
The Democratic nominee will face Republican President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 U.S. general election.
Here are three takeaways from Biden and Sanders’ first one-on-one debate:
BIDEN IN WARTIME
There was a clear tonal difference at the outset between Biden, the former vice president who served two terms under ex-President Barack Obama and Sanders, the Vermont democratic socialist senator who has been a member of Congress for 30 years without serving in leadership.
Asked about the pandemic, Biden adopted a wartime posture, talking about immediate steps he would take as president and frequently referencing the White House Situation Room.
He called for expanding hospital capacity, erecting temporary medical facilities and said unequivocally he would call on the U.S. military to help respond to the outbreak.
“This is like we are being attacked from abroad,” he said, also urging Sanders to put their ideological divide aside.
Sanders used the crisis to talk up his Medicare for All platform, saying the threat underscored the need for a government-run healthcare system. He blasted Biden as being beholden to the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, something the former vice president denied.