By Nancy Sanchez-Diaz
Staff Writer
Following the coronavirus outbreak, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders faced off in their first one-on-one debate Sunday night to make the case for their respective campaigns.
While the occasional jab at the other’s voting records took place, the debate highlighted the striking differences between both candidates: fighting for a revolution and fighting for current, present dangers.
Political Revolution vs Improving current system
While Sanders used words like “dramatic” and “bold” to describe the policies that he plans to implement, like “Medicare for All” and investing more than $16 trillion to tackle the climate crisis – Biden rejected the notion – dubbing down on the issue of defeating Trump as the top priority for the country heading into the 2020 presidential election.
Biden believes America is experiencing a crisis far beyond a pandemic – and it’s Donald Trump’s presidency.
Sanders believes that the real crisis lies within the structure of American politics and economic system, calling for an all hands on deck resolution.
“The Coronavirus Pandemic is exposing the incredible dysfunctionality of the American healthcare system,” Sanders said.
Just like they split on their healthcare plan, they also differ in their climate change plan. Where Sanders plans to invest $16.3 trillion to the climate crisis, Biden declares $1.7 trillion for his plan.
One of the most striking claims made, however, was Biden’s pledge to pick a woman for his vice president. While some may argue that it’s a huge step in advocating for women’s rights, others say it’s a mere gimmick to win over the remaining democratic vote.
Voters in Illinois, Florida, Arizona, and Ohio will have a chance to vote in their states’ primaries on Tuesday.
While Biden is leading Sanders in the delegate count 880 to 706, according to NBC News, there are worries that the ever-growing coronavirus outbreak might affect the voting turnout entirely for Tuesday.
Democratic presidential hopefuls former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) and Senator Bernie Sanders went one-on-one in the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate in a CNN Washington Bureau studio in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, March 15, 2020. (CNN screen grab)
