Biden, Sanders Face Off in First One-On-One Debate

By Staff, Agencies

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders meet on Sunday for the first one-on-one debate of the Democratic presidential primary campaign, now overshadowed by the spread of the new coronavirus.

Both men have cancelled rallies and two state contests have been postponed in the wake of the outbreak, which has killed at least 57 Americans and upended daily life across the country.

Frontrunner Biden and self-described "democratic socialist" Sanders are vying to replace President Donald Trump, who was on Saturday cleared of the COVID-19 illness by his physician after meeting with members of a Brazilian delegation who later tested positive.

They will face off for two hours from 8:00 PM, but Democratic officials have shifted the venue from Arizona to a TV studio in Washington DC with no live audience because of infection fears.

The debate comes ahead of key electoral contests on Tuesday in Florida, Ohio, Illinois and Arizona. Officials in all four states said they would work to make conditions safe for voters.

But Georgia delayed its primary election by nearly two months on Saturday, with state Democratic Party chairwoman Senator Nikema Williams warning that the ballot risked compromising the health and safety of voters.

A day earlier, Louisiana announced it would postpone its own primary vote by 11 weeks.
Both candidates have curtailed campaigning, cancelling rallies in Ohio, Illinois and elsewhere, and telling staffers to work from home.