As the debate was coming to an end, moderators allowed candidates one minute for their closing statements. Each candidate pitched their website and solicited donations from voters as many on stage delivered a shortened version of their stump speech.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar was given the first opportunity to speak, and she used her time to talk about the fact that while Democrats may seem divided on stage tonight, there was something far bigger uniting them all.

"We need a candidate that can bring people with her. Yes, a fired up Democratic base, but also independents and moderate Republicans," Klobuchar said. "And I have done that every single time I have won every race down to fourth grade. A lot of boasting up here, so I thought I'd add that. Secondly, you need someone who can govern. I have passed over 100 bills as the lead Democrat. And third, you need someone who has the heart to be the president. They were talking a lot about heart conditions up here. We have a president right now that doesn't have a heart."

Former Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg was next and he began with an invitation for voters to visit his website, adding that unlike other candidates, he wasn't looking for their donations.

"This is a manager job and Donald Trump is not a manager. This is a job where you have to build teams. He doesn't have teams so he makes decisions without knowing what's going or the implications for what he does. We cannot run the railroad this way. The country has to pull together and understand that the people that we elect, and it's not just the president of the United States, they should have experience. They should have credentials."

Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg positioned himself as a centrist option for Democrats who might be uncomfortable with Sanders or Bloomberg.

"if you look at the choice between a revolution or the status quo and you don't see where you fit in that picture, then join us," Buttigieg said. "We cannot afford to lean on the same Washington play book. We cannot afford to alienate half the country. We must step forward into the future in order to win and in order to govern a country that will be facing issues, the likes of which we barely thought of just a few years ago."

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke about her career and what made her different from the other politicians on stage, starting with the fact, she hasn't been a politician for as long as the other candidates on stage.

"I, for years, have fought for unions to say the way we're going to restructure this economy is we're going to make it easier to join a union and get more power into unions. To fight for students who have been cut out of opportunity over and over because of the rising cost of an education. For me, I am, I've been a politician the shortest time, but I've been the one out fighting for families the longest time. I promise you this. Give me a chance. I'll go to the White House. And I'll fight for your family," said Warren.

Protesters initially interrupted former Vice President Joe Biden's closing statement. It was unclear what they were protesting, as the audience chanted, "Go! Go! Go!"

Once they were cleared, Biden continued, telling voters about how he knew what it was like to be knocked down.

"I'm running because so many people are being left behind. People I grew up in Scranton when my dad lost his job, lost his house, had to move. We moved to Claymont. We found ourselves in a position where we had little ability to get anything done. And my dad worked like hell. I learned a lot. I've been knocked down a lot. I know what it's like to be knocked down. But we have to get up and provide safety and security for the American people. Right here in Nevada, the site of the most significant mass murder in American history. Guns. Our kids are getting sent to school having to hide under desks, learn how to run down corridors to avoid being shot. It's immoral."

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders had the final words of the night, reiterating a common message in his campaign that "real change never takes place from the top on down."

"All of us are united in defeating the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country. That we agree on. But where we don't agree, I think is why we are today the only major country on Earth not to guarantee health care for all people. Why three people own more wealth than the bottom half of America when 500,000 people sleep sleep out on the street. Why hundreds of thousands of bright young kids can't afford to go to college and 45 million remain in student debt."

Nevada has also seen a strong turnout in the four-day early voting period, with the final day occurring on Saturday. The following week on Feb. 29, voters in North Carolina will have their say, as the fourth nominating contest in the 2020 Democratic primary. After that comes the so-called 'Super Tuesday' on March 3, in which Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia will all hold their presidential primaries on that date.

Democrats will get their next chance to plead their case to voters on Feb. 25, as CBS News as the Congressional Black Caucus Institute host the tenth debate at the Gaillard Center in Charleston, South Carolina.

Photos: Getty Images

Politics

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