The first one-on-one democratic debate between Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) was moderated by Dana Bash, Jake Tapper and Ilia Calderón on Sunday in Washington, D.C, The Guardian reports. 

The 11th debate was held just days before Arizona, Ohio, Illinois and Florida are set to hold their primary elections in this week's Super Tuesday to determine which of the two politicians will ascend toward clinching the Democratic nominee. 

For Biden, the debate was an opportunity to ride his wave of victory in the primaries, proving to voters he deserves to return to the White House. However, Sanders—whose lack of Black supporters has caused him to lose many delegates, prompting his campaign to lag behind Biden— was poised to use the mashup as an opportunity to redeem himself.

Here are the top five highlights from the debate if you missed it.

1. The debate had no studio audience

Sometimes having an audience adds value to the debate and by now, you've probably grown accustomed to the loud thunderous applauds and commentary from supporters. However, for the first time in this series of debates, CNN hosted the two candidates in their studio without a live audience, leaving the debate itself feeling hallow, NBC News reported.

"It's sort of like watching a show that usually has a laugh track but suddenly cuts it, "Jared Leopold, the former communications director of Washington Governor Jay Inslee's presidential campaign, told NBC News.

The decision to remove the audience was in ordinance to reduce the spreading of the coronavirus outbreak, according to NBC News. 

"The lack of a studio audience gave the debate a slightly antiseptic feel," Alan Schroeder, a professor at Northeastern University's School of Journalism in Boston, said. "But this worked to the candidates' advantage by keeping distractions to a minimum. The audience was not missed."

2. The two candidates elbow bumped each other.

Although not necessarily a political moment, it's undoubtedly a topical conversation about how serious the coronavirus has affected the nation and even the debate as the candidates took extra precaution when greeting one another.

Biden and Sanders stood six feet apart from each other as part of strict guidelines handed down to the nation in an attempt to enforce social distancing prescribed by public health authorities.

The Democratic candidates went on to discuss how they would handle the outbreak of the coronavirus as president compared to Donald Trump who before being advised of the seriousness of the virus, placed blame for the disease as a Democratic hoax, MSNBC reported.

3. Biden wants a female running mate and Black Supreme Court justice

At the debate, Biden said that he's determined to choose a female running mate and if given the opportunity, he would plan to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme Court, Politico reported.

"There are a number of women who would be qualified to be president," Biden said.

Biden, who is the current frontrunner due to his political connections with strong Black leadership like Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), wants a White House Cabinet that reflects the average American more accurately, including the introduction of the first possible female Vice President and Black Supreme Court justice.

Sanders, when asked whether he would follow Biden's example, agreed that it would be a "likelihood" for him to pick a female running mate.

"In all likelihood, I will," Sanders said. "For me, it's not just nominating a woman. It is making sure that we have a progressive woman and there are progressive women out there. So my very strong tendencies is to move in that direction."

4. They fought over health care amid the spread of COVID-19

Biden and Sanders have two different opinions on healthcare, The New York Times reported. However, they both agree that the government should pay a significant role in handling the coronavirus. The real question is how much involvement.

Sanders' socialism views dictate an economic reform, leading to the creation of a single-payer health care system. On the other hand, Biden is more traditional and pragmatic, insisting that the country can't simply reinvent the health care system during a crisis.

Biden said he wants a "multi-billion dollar program" with the military providing assistance, disease containment and economic rescue. Sanders used his signature proposal, Medicaid for all, to attack Biden, saying the health care industry is funding his campaign.

"Do we have the guts to take on the health care industry, some of which is funding the vice president's campaign?" Sanders said, targeting Biden.

The democratic front-runner countered Sanders' attack by stating that Italy, a leading European country to be hit with the coronavirus, has a single-payer system that has yet to prove as a solution to the virus.

"With all due respect to Medicare for all, you have a single-payer system now in Italy," Biden said, arguing that such a system "would not solve the problem."

Although the debate was empty of supporters, it was apparent that it didn't stop Sanders and Biden from pulling out their best policies and plans for a showdown of a debate, covering talking points from past debates and the big defying factor of who would resonate with voters more during a pandemic disease so dangerous it requires the public to have social distancing.

Bernie-SanderscoronavirusDem-debatesJoe Biden