Las Vegas - The first Democratic debate probably won't have any of the combative bombast that made the first to Republican showdowns such rollicking affairs.
But much will still be at stake Tuesday night when Hillary Clinton shares the debate stage for the first time with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and the rest of her Democratic rivals.
Here are six things we're watching as the debate draws near:
1. The email issue. Sanders has said he'll stick to policy issues when confronting Clinton, but the other candidates - and the CNN moderators - may not hold back. And one of the juiciest targets is Clinton's controversial decision to use a personal email server during her stint as secretary of state. Her recent apology for using the server has done little to quiet the tempest. Republicans have put it at the center of an inquest into the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya that left four Americans dead. And even President Barack Obama called Clinton out, telling "60 Minutes" it was a "mistake" that the GOP has since exploited.
2. The Obama factor. Clinton and the rest of the Democratic field have a complicated relationship with the party's standard-bearer, and how heartily they embrace him could help define the election. Clinton has broken with Obama on several key issues, including her decision last week to oppose the White House's major Pacific trade agreement. And Sanders has pushed a more stridently liberal agenda than Obama, who he has criticized for trying to negotiate with Republicans after his 2008 election. But the contenders must walk a fine line: Obama remains popular with minorities and left-leaning voters whom the nominee will need to keep in the fold.
3. The Joe Biden Specter. The Vice President probably won't attend the debate - though CNN has a podium ready for him just in case - but his presence will be felt. The Delaware Democrat has positioned himself as the heir apparent to Obama's policies if he decides to run, and some polls show a sizable portion of the party's voters are clamoring for him to do so. His supporters will be looking for any weakness from Clinton at the debate that signals there's an opening for the Veep to jump in.
4. The Longshots. Three other candidates will share the stage with Clinton and Sanders. And all three are barely registering in national polls. The debate will be the biggest opportunity of the campaign yet for Martin O'Malley, Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb to make their case to millions of voters. And how they choose to use the spotlight could turn them from an also-ran to a potential contender.
5. The Mistake Factor. Clinton has all the trappings of a front-runner. But she also has all the pressure. She must fend off Sanders, pacify Biden supporters, win over fence-sitters, address the email controversy - all while trying not to alienate her supporters. And any slip-up she makes tonight will almost certainly become the story of the first debate.
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