Live Updates: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders One-on-One Face Off in Democratic Presidential Debate

I must say, that was a VERY boring debate. Biden lied when he said I want to cut Social Security and Medicare. That’s what they ALL said 4 years ago, and nothing happened, in fact, I saved Social Security and Medicare. I will not be cutting, but they will. Be careful!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

Biden said in the clsoing argument that "Donald Trump has exacerbated every single one of these problems, both the immediate urgent need and how we're going to hold people harmless for the damage done as a consequence of this virus. It's important we do both".

Sanders argued that "this is a time to move aggressively, dealing with the coronavirus crisis, dealing with the economic fallout".

Sanders has spent much more time directly attacking Trump than Biden has. #DemocraticDebate https://t.co/56LBxI2VxI pic.twitter.com/8G5yMlIAOA

— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) March 16, 2020

Sanders said that it is "a time to rethink America as a country where we care about each other" and "not a country of greed and corruption".

Biden said it's time to "start listening to the science again".

Moderators asked candidates about vulnerabilities in their bases of support. Both Biden and Sanders dodged the question, pointing to other voting groups they are popular with.

"Why is it that I'm winning all those places? What's the reason? The reason is because they know I am a Democrat with a capital 'D' who believes our that base is the base of the Democratic Party", Biden said.

"I think it's imperative that we defeat Trump. I think our campaign of a biracial, bi-generational — multigenerational grassroots movement is the way to do it", Sanders said.

Bernie Sanders said that the US "must move toward democracy and human rights".

Moderators asked to clarify whether he would condemn achievements in dictatorships, after Sanders had praised Cuban literacy programs, which Obama has also praised.

“I have opposed authoritarianism - whether it’s in it’s in Cuba, whether it’s in Saudi Arabia, whether it’s in China or whether it is in Russia. [...]  That is my life record”, Sanders said.

Biden argued that he was "trying to change Cuban policies" by getting them "opened up".

Sanders suggested that the current energy system must be transition away "as quickly as possible" from fossil fuel while the US gives massive tax breaks to industry.

Biden said that he would rejoin the Paris climate accord.

Biden said he would stop deportations and would eventually only deport criminals.

I wish that Elizabeth Warren was on stage so she could do to Joe Biden what she did to Michael Bloomberg.

— an abundance of caution (@maxberger) March 16, 2020

.@JoeBiden says if he wins the Democratic nomination his Vice President will be a woman. #DemDebate #DemocraticDebate #nexstar #NexstarNation @WTRF7News

— John Lynch (@JohnLynchWTRF) March 16, 2020

“If Bernie is the nominee, I will not only support him, I will campaign for him [...] And I believe the people who support me will do the same thing because the existential threat to the United States of America is Donald Trump", Biden said.

Bernie Sanders reiterated he would support Joe Biden if he wins the nomination.

Go to the YouTube. Take a look at Joe Biden's record of trying to cut Social Security. #DemDebate https://t.co/JGlWBqwQpn

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 16, 2020

"Now is the time to be working with China. They are learning a lot about this crisis. And in fact, we have to work with them. We have to work with the World Health Organization, we have to work with Italy. If there was ever a moment when the entire world is in this together, got to support each other, this is that moment", Sanders said.

Sanders said that he is "using a lot of soap". Biden said he avoids crowds and handshakes.

Why would you ever have an audience again?

— Osita Nwanevu (@OsitaNwanevu) March 16, 2020

According to Biden, the US economy needs a "major bailout package" that will not benefit corporations.

According to Sanders, the wealthy are likely to weather the crisis but the majority of Americans will be hardest hit.

"And if using the National Guard - which is folks, I think, in New York state are already using the National Guard - that's something that has to be done [...] This is clearly, as the vice president indicated, a national emergency", Sanders said.

"I would call out the military. Now [...] So it is a national emergency. I would call out the military", Biden said.

“This is like a war, and in a war you do whatever is needed to be done to take care of your people”, Biden said.

Our resident @NBCNewsGraphics live tracker @seenigel is delivering a time-spent-on-topics tracker for the #DemocraticDebate tonight. Follow along in real time https://t.co/1XKel5SeGx pic.twitter.com/aQsTSJmEwH

— Anna Brand (@thebrandedgirl) March 16, 2020

Joe Biden pushed back against Bernie Sanders’ argument that the coronavirus crisis demonstrates the need for a Medicare for all healthcare system. Biden stressed that Italy, which is seeing a spike in COVID-2019 cases, has a single-payer system, so its policy cannot prevent a pandemic.

Biden stumbles over the names of the viruses that came before. He mistakenly said Coronavirus was a virus that came before. He barely could say H1N1 and he forgot Ebola, referring to it as the thing in Africa.

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) March 16, 2020

Bernie Sanders said that he would "shut up this president right now" as he undermines his own officials with his "blabbering" that's "confusing the public".

"What do you say to the American people confronting this new reality?", a moderator asked.

Joe Biden said that this "is bigger than any one of us. This calls for a national rallying to everybody move together", adding that he wanted to increase coronavirus testing.

Bernie Sanders slammed Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the US president of "undermining the doctors and the scientists who are trying to help the American people”.

Elbow bump pic.twitter.com/vHxyfOTFDI

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) March 15, 2020

Among Democratic presidential primary voters who have already voted or plan to do so, 61% support Joe Biden while 32% would prefer Bernie Sanders as their party's nominee, the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows https://t.co/v3rufApAmS

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 15, 2020