Coronavirus crisis in U.S. dominates Democratic debate

Presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders faced off at Sunday night's (March 15) Democratic debate in Washington, amidst the coronavirus crisis in the U.S.

Originally meant to be held in Arizona, fears over the virus prompted the debate's move to the nation's capital.

Some had expected the two candidates to find some common ground during a national emergency.

However, the pandemic only amplified their ideological differences.

Biden frequently talked about immediate steps he would take to curb the virus' spread, such as building temporary hospitals and calling on the U.S. military to help respond to the outbreak.

Contrary to Biden's warlike, hardline stance, Sanders used the crisis as a platform to discuss his 'Medicare for All' proposal, emphasizing that the virus has only amplified the need for a government-run healthcare system.

But Biden pointed out that a single-payer system had not worked in Italy, the country with the second-most coronavirus cases.

And throughout the evening, he argued that quote, "people are looking for results, not a revolution."

Biden has already been leading Sanders in the delegate count,ahead of several more primaries on Tuesday (March 17) which could help him clinch the nomination.

And in the midst of business closures and city-wide shutdowns across the U.S., Sunday's debate may not have helped Sanders, whose focus on large-scale, long-term reform may not help resassure Americans in this time of crisis.

The nominee will face Republican President Donald Trump in the general election on November 3.