WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic presidential contenders Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders faced off on Sunday in their first one-on-one debate, a key moment before votes in four states on Tuesday that could give Biden an insurmountable lead in the party’s White House race.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden listens as Senator Bernie Sanders speaks during the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, held in CNN’s Washington studios without an audience because of the global coronavirus pandemic, in Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The former vice president and the U.S. senator from Vermont initially focused their discussion on the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused them to rethink their campaign tactics and moved the debate to Washington rather than Arizona.
Here are key quotes:
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
“This is bigger than any one of us, this calls for a national rallying,” Biden said. “First of all, we have to take care of those who are in fact exposed or likely to be exposed to the virus.” He added the country should immediately begin figuring out how to add to hospitals’ capacity to treat patients.
Sanders blasted Republican President Donal