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| Tonight’s Democratic Debate in Nevada: When It Is and What to Watch For | Tonight’s Democratic Debate in Nevada: When It Is and What to Watch For |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The Democratic presidential debate is 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time. It is being held in Las Vegas and hosted by NBC, MSNBC and The Nevada Independent. | The Democratic presidential debate is 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time. It is being held in Las Vegas and hosted by NBC, MSNBC and The Nevada Independent. |
| The debate is taking place three days before the Nevada caucuses on Saturday. | The debate is taking place three days before the Nevada caucuses on Saturday. |
| This is the first debate to include former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York. He will join five other Democratic candidates: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.; Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.; and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. | This is the first debate to include former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York. He will join five other Democratic candidates: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.; Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.; and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. |
| In the two nominating contests so far, Mr. Buttigieg and Mr. Sanders were essentially tied in Iowa, and Mr. Sanders narrowly beat Mr. Buttigieg in New Hampshire. Going into tonight’s debate, polling indicates Mr. Sanders has an edge over his rivals in Nevada. | In the two nominating contests so far, Mr. Buttigieg and Mr. Sanders were essentially tied in Iowa, and Mr. Sanders narrowly beat Mr. Buttigieg in New Hampshire. Going into tonight’s debate, polling indicates Mr. Sanders has an edge over his rivals in Nevada. |
| Candidates will have one minute and 15 seconds for answers, and 45 seconds for follow-up responses at the moderators’ discretion. The moderators are Lester Holt and Chuck Todd of NBC, Hallie Jackson of NBC and MSNBC, Vanessa Hauc of Noticias Telemundo and Jon Ralston of The Nevada Independent. | Candidates will have one minute and 15 seconds for answers, and 45 seconds for follow-up responses at the moderators’ discretion. The moderators are Lester Holt and Chuck Todd of NBC, Hallie Jackson of NBC and MSNBC, Vanessa Hauc of Noticias Telemundo and Jon Ralston of The Nevada Independent. |
| The New York Times will have extensive debate coverage, including a live analysis throughout the event. | The New York Times will have extensive debate coverage, including a live analysis throughout the event. |
| LAS VEGAS — There are two big questions for Mr. Sanders when he takes the debate stage: Will he be a target for attack? And will he attack Mr. Bloomberg? | LAS VEGAS — There are two big questions for Mr. Sanders when he takes the debate stage: Will he be a target for attack? And will he attack Mr. Bloomberg? |
| Rivals challenged Mr. Sanders at times in the last debate, before the New Hampshire primary, but he emerged relatively unscathed. Now he is a front-runner, and front-runners have typically come under steady criticism in debates. After Mr. Sanders’s tie in Iowa and victory in New Hampshire, will any of his opponents finally go after him in a meaningful way? | Rivals challenged Mr. Sanders at times in the last debate, before the New Hampshire primary, but he emerged relatively unscathed. Now he is a front-runner, and front-runners have typically come under steady criticism in debates. After Mr. Sanders’s tie in Iowa and victory in New Hampshire, will any of his opponents finally go after him in a meaningful way? |
| At the same time, the arrival of Mr. Bloomberg onstage gives Mr. Sanders a prime opportunity to attack a billionaire candidate who represents much of what the Vermont senator despises. Will he play offense? | At the same time, the arrival of Mr. Bloomberg onstage gives Mr. Sanders a prime opportunity to attack a billionaire candidate who represents much of what the Vermont senator despises. Will he play offense? |
| Mr. Sanders already appears primed for a strong performance in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday. For Sanders-watchers, the most interesting aspect of tonight’s debate is probably whether a man who rarely changes his message will do just that, and what effect it may have. | Mr. Sanders already appears primed for a strong performance in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday. For Sanders-watchers, the most interesting aspect of tonight’s debate is probably whether a man who rarely changes his message will do just that, and what effect it may have. |
| Ms. Warren has largely avoided attacking opponents, in debates and on the trail. As she seeks to jolt her stalled candidacy after a disappointing finish in New Hampshire, however, several signs point to this debate in Nevada as the moment that Ms. Warren will go on a sustained offensive. | Ms. Warren has largely avoided attacking opponents, in debates and on the trail. As she seeks to jolt her stalled candidacy after a disappointing finish in New Hampshire, however, several signs point to this debate in Nevada as the moment that Ms. Warren will go on a sustained offensive. |
| The clearest one was on Tuesday when Ms. Warren called Mr. Bloomberg an “egomaniac” on Twitter and challenged her opponents to hold his feet to the fire. In another Twitter post, Ms. Warren said Mr. Bloomberg “approved and oversaw a program that surveilled and tracked Muslim communities in mosques, restaurants, and even college campuses — leaving permanent damage.” | The clearest one was on Tuesday when Ms. Warren called Mr. Bloomberg an “egomaniac” on Twitter and challenged her opponents to hold his feet to the fire. In another Twitter post, Ms. Warren said Mr. Bloomberg “approved and oversaw a program that surveilled and tracked Muslim communities in mosques, restaurants, and even college campuses — leaving permanent damage.” |
| If Ms. Warren carries out these attacks onstage, it will most likely provide her supporters with the moment they have been waiting for in recent months. | If Ms. Warren carries out these attacks onstage, it will most likely provide her supporters with the moment they have been waiting for in recent months. |
| After the last debate in New Hampshire, when Ms. Warren did not interject into the conversation like many of her opponents did, some supporters expressed exasperation with an approach that could be relentlessly unflinching. Even Ms. Warren said after the debate that she wished she had jumped in more. | After the last debate in New Hampshire, when Ms. Warren did not interject into the conversation like many of her opponents did, some supporters expressed exasperation with an approach that could be relentlessly unflinching. Even Ms. Warren said after the debate that she wished she had jumped in more. |
| “I just didn’t say enough, didn’t fight hard enough, didn’t tell you how bad I want this and how good we could make it if we just come together,” she said. | “I just didn’t say enough, didn’t fight hard enough, didn’t tell you how bad I want this and how good we could make it if we just come together,” she said. |
| She finished in fourth place days later in the New Hampshire primary. | She finished in fourth place days later in the New Hampshire primary. |
| For months, Mr. Buttigieg’s campaign was built around the idea that strong finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire would make him the inheritor of the Democratic Party’s Obama coalition. | For months, Mr. Buttigieg’s campaign was built around the idea that strong finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire would make him the inheritor of the Democratic Party’s Obama coalition. |
| But that calculation didn’t count on a billionaire candidate, Mr. Bloomberg, targeting Super Tuesday states in March and spending many times more on television advertising than Mr. Buttigieg could ever hope to raise from donors excited about his post-Iowa momentum. | But that calculation didn’t count on a billionaire candidate, Mr. Bloomberg, targeting Super Tuesday states in March and spending many times more on television advertising than Mr. Buttigieg could ever hope to raise from donors excited about his post-Iowa momentum. |
| While Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren have sounded far more aggrieved about Mr. Bloomberg’s recent polling rise and his past statements about housing discrimination and stop-and-frisk police tactics, Mr. Bloomberg presents a far graver threat to Mr. Buttigieg than he does to their more liberal rivals. | While Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren have sounded far more aggrieved about Mr. Bloomberg’s recent polling rise and his past statements about housing discrimination and stop-and-frisk police tactics, Mr. Bloomberg presents a far graver threat to Mr. Buttigieg than he does to their more liberal rivals. |
| Mr. Bloomberg can also deflect Mr. Buttigieg’s core argument: that it will take a mayor from outside Washington to galvanize an American majority to defeat President Trump. Mr. Bloomberg would fit that profile, too. | Mr. Bloomberg can also deflect Mr. Buttigieg’s core argument: that it will take a mayor from outside Washington to galvanize an American majority to defeat President Trump. Mr. Bloomberg would fit that profile, too. |
| Mr. Buttigieg, who has struggled to appeal to black voters, may have difficulty attacking Mr. Bloomberg on his past statements about housing and policing, given his own difficulties on those fronts in South Bend, Ind. | Mr. Buttigieg, who has struggled to appeal to black voters, may have difficulty attacking Mr. Bloomberg on his past statements about housing and policing, given his own difficulties on those fronts in South Bend, Ind. |
| Time and again, Mr. Buttigieg has proved himself to be a highly competent debater, able to land precise blows on his opponents while deflecting and counterattacking their shots at him. Trying to disqualify Mr. Bloomberg in the eyes of voters in Super Tuesday states, where some early voting is already underway, may be his most difficult task yet. | Time and again, Mr. Buttigieg has proved himself to be a highly competent debater, able to land precise blows on his opponents while deflecting and counterattacking their shots at him. Trying to disqualify Mr. Bloomberg in the eyes of voters in Super Tuesday states, where some early voting is already underway, may be his most difficult task yet. |
| A strong debate performance close to an Election Day can make a meaningful difference for a campaign’s momentum — just ask Ms. Klobuchar, who received a post-debate surge in support right before the New Hampshire primary, and landed a surprise third-place finish there. | A strong debate performance close to an Election Day can make a meaningful difference for a campaign’s momentum — just ask Ms. Klobuchar, who received a post-debate surge in support right before the New Hampshire primary, and landed a surprise third-place finish there. |
| Mr. Biden, the onetime national front-runner who came in fourth place in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire, could really use a substantial surge right now. | Mr. Biden, the onetime national front-runner who came in fourth place in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire, could really use a substantial surge right now. |
| Is there anything he can do to stand out onstage Wednesday night? | Is there anything he can do to stand out onstage Wednesday night? |
| He has previewed a range of arguments against his opponents, from alluding to Mr. Sanders’s record on gun control, to swiping at Mr. Bloomberg’s background as a former Republican. But Mr. Biden is often hesitant to draw sharp contrasts with rivals onstage when they are shoulder-to-shoulder. And throughout the campaign, he has had a number of disastrous debate moments — never mind achieving the kind of race-changing, breakout performance he needs now, in a state where his campaign believes he must finish in at least second place. | He has previewed a range of arguments against his opponents, from alluding to Mr. Sanders’s record on gun control, to swiping at Mr. Bloomberg’s background as a former Republican. But Mr. Biden is often hesitant to draw sharp contrasts with rivals onstage when they are shoulder-to-shoulder. And throughout the campaign, he has had a number of disastrous debate moments — never mind achieving the kind of race-changing, breakout performance he needs now, in a state where his campaign believes he must finish in at least second place. |
| Mr. Biden is at his best, and his most comfortable, when engaging one-on-one with voters. Can he translate that appeal onstage in a memorable — and effective — way? | Mr. Biden is at his best, and his most comfortable, when engaging one-on-one with voters. Can he translate that appeal onstage in a memorable — and effective — way? |
| Perhaps no remaining candidate has benefited as significantly from a debate as Ms. Klobuchar, who vaulted to a third-place finish in New Hampshire with the help of a well-received debate performance just days before polls closed. | |
| Tonight, she’ll need another strong outing. Though she’s experienced a surge of support thanks to the New Hampshire result — the so-called “Klomentum” has lead to $12 million in fund-raising since the last debate and she’s rapidly expanding her campaign team in key states — Ms. Klobuchar is still far from a household name, and doesn’t boast anything close to the sizable war chests of Mr. Sanders or Mr. Buttigieg. | |
| Just like she used her primary night speech in New Hampshire to try to introduce herself to a wide cable news audience, Ms. Klobuchar will use the debate to make herself more familiar to voters nationwide. She deftly worked her way into many of the debate exchanges in New Hampshire and ranked fourth in candidates who spoke the most. | |
| At every recent debate, Ms. Klobuchar has balanced calls for restoring empathy and dignity with some aggressive attacks on her rivals, namely Mr. Buttigieg. But as she has campaigned around Nevada this week, Ms. Klobuchar has telegraphed a likely new target of her prosecutorial takedowns: Mr. Bloomberg. | |
| Of course, Ms. Klobuchar, who has been trying to appeal to moderates, independents and defecting Republicans, sees the centrist Mr. Bloomberg as a threat to her post-New Hampshire momentum. | |
| Saying that a debate stage is the only place where she can be on equal footing with the billionaire, Ms. Klobuchar has been using what has become a favorite attack line: “I don’t think people look at the guy in the White House and think we need someone richer.” | |
| This story will be updated throughout the day with reporting and analysis focused on Mr. Bloomberg and political news in Nevada. |