More than 15 million people watched Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas.
Vice President Joe Biden was notably absent from the debate, still mulling a possible run. On Wednesday, he said he's proud of the Democratic candidates who took part. But Democratic strategists say the strong performances by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the front-runners, may have made it harder for Biden to launch his own candidacy.
Clinton stayed in Las Vegas to campaign on Wednesday.Â
"I'm a progressive but a progressive that likes to get things done."
In Tuesday's debate, Clinton contrasted her record with Sanders' more conservative positions on gun restrictions while suggesting the Vermont senator is too liberal on other issues.
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Sanders offered perhaps the most memorable line, declaring that "the American people are sick and tired of hearing about" Clinton's emails. But Sanders made clear he wasn't defending Clinton's use of a private server in her home while serving as secretary of state. Instead, he argued Americans have more serious concerns.Â
Joining Clinton and Sanders on stage in Las Vegas was a trio of low-polling candidates looking for a breakthrough moment: former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley; Jim Webb, a former Navy secretary and U.S. senator from Virginia, and Lincoln Chafee, the Republican-turned independent-turned Democrat from Rhode Island.
The next Democratic Debate will be November 14th in Iowa. Â You can watch it right here on CBS.Â
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
