Biden should refuse to debate Sanders.

[Doodley]

It is obvious Sanders can't win. We don't need to have a debate where one candidate is tearing down another to win points. There is nothing to gain.

[Demsrule86]

1. I agree.

[FreepFryer]

2. Bigger virii to fry. Agreed. (Nt)

[Turin_C3PO]

3. I don't think he will

but I wouldn’t blame him if he did. We need to pivot to defeating Trump.

[Chainfire]

4. I disagree

Prime time exposure is good for Biden, good for Sanders, and his supporters and good for the Democratic Party.

[LanternWaste]

5. There's absolutely nothing to gain in skipping it.

That would play poorly. So very simple for any opposition team to label his avoidance of a simple debate as cowardice. And that's some branding that would get play. A lot of it. There's simply no good response Biden could give to justify hiding from a debate.

[Blue_true]

12. I totally agree with you.

Biden and his people surely realize that Sanders is going to come into the debate breathing fire. Biden has to meet Sanders head-on. If Biden manages the debate the way that he can, Sanders may be flirting with not being viable in Florida, Sanders is already down to 20% there according to a poll taken 3/5-3/10 (before Super Tuesday II).

[TwilightZone]

6. Nah, he should debate and close the door on all the bullshit.

Sanders will either be out in a week or everyone will be treating him like he is.

Finish it off, then ignore the noise and move on to November.

Besides, outside of Sanders supporters who think it's going to be a magic wand for Sanders, nobody is going to care.

[Blue_true]

13. Biden and his team have to realize that Sanders is desperate to score

a knockout. Biden should be prepared to parry Sanders, if Biden does that, it's over for Sanders.

[TwilightZone]

14. Agreed.

He'll be fine. He comes in with a lot of confidence and he's obviously getting excellent support and advice.

[Todd79]

7. Since it's with Univision

Since it’s Univision, he should not cancel. If Bernie wants to be nice, then there isn’t any risk.

However if Bernie goes on the attack early, Biden can hammer him on immigration in front of Bernie’s own Latino base. His immigration plan is progressive, but Biden has a MUCH stronger record on immigration than Sanders to the point that it’s not even really debatable.

[MineralMan]

8. Joe Biden will not attack Bernie Sanders, nor will he be

provoked by any attacks aimed at himself. As he did today in his press conference on COVID-19, he will lay out his ideas and plans. If Sanders attacks him on any grounds, he will deal with that briefly and then proceed with the discussion of his own plans.

I suggest that Bernie Sanders do the same. I don't know if he will, but that is the only way he will benefit from the debate.

You are correct in your assessment of Sanders' chances going forward. It would behoove him to engage in a rational discussion of what can and should be done to deal with the problems that will face the President, starting in 2021. If he strays from that, he will come off badly and lose even more dramatically.

[Midnight Writer]

9. I would love to see a rational, civilized, non-confrontational discussion between these two.

[MineralMan]

10. I truly hope that is what happens.

[Gothmog]

11. Debating sanders may be helpful

sanders not dropping out may help Biden. sanders keeps on losing primaries by large margins nnly strenghten's Joe's position https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/11/no-surprise-bernie-sanders-is-still-all-about-himself-never-party/

Sanders’s remaining in the race should serve several salutary purposes for the party and the country. First, seeing him lose overwhelmingly week after week will dispel the notion that the Democratic Party has moved left, or that he is in a dominant position to negotiate with the overwhelming winner. It’s not clear why the Biden camp should “give” Sanders anything.

Second, it is good to keep Biden in fighting form, continuing to boost turnout and showing, as he did in Philadelphia, how presidential he is. Biden can pivot to the general election, essentially ignoring Sanders. (His planned speech on the coronavirus is the perfect opportunity to leave Sanders out of the discussion entirely.)....

Whoever is to replace Sanders as the standard-bearer for the left — hopefully someone as smart and wonky as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — will need to learn how to win elections. (Hint: It is not by scaring voters or attaching oneself to the socialist label.) When in office, a new generation of leaders on the left will need to learn the art of deal-making rather than waste years, as Sanders has, rabble-rousing but accomplishing nothing. Unlike Sanders, Warren (or whoever else takes the reins) will not be burdened by a record of reflexively praising dictators nor be driven to attack fellow Democrats.

Sanders will end the race at some point, a diminished figure. In retrospect, his wins in 2016 will be seen more as an anti-Hillary Clinton vote than a pro-Sanders vote. How he behaves at Sunday’s debate will determine whether he leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Democrats.