CNN Democratic debate night 1

Marianne Williamson officiated Elizabeth Taylor’s marriage to her seventh husband, Larry Fortensky, at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in 1991. Taylor and Fortensky split after five years of marriage.

John Delaney knows his way around a gym. He swims, lifts weights and is one of the most in-shape candidates in the field.

Delaney, who served three terms in Congress before leaving office in January, announced his presidential candidacy in 2017. He previously owned a health care company and has campaigned as a moderate, focusing on a proposal to expand access to health coverage using Obamacare and existing insurance markets rather than upending the system.

Elizabeth Warren does not drink coffee — she gets her caffeine from tea, instead. Her order: Black iced tea with extra ice.

Warren used to be conservative. This changed her mind:

For weeks now, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden have steadily escalated their fight, trading long-distance criticism over health care and other matters.

They won't be side-by-side tonight, but that doesn't mean Sanders won't invoke Biden's name. 

A person who helped Sanders prepare for the debate said the Vermont senator may mention Biden, but in a very specific way: comparing him to the moderates on stage who are expected to blast his Medicare for All policy.

The strategy, of course, is dependent on questions asked and the responses from John Hickenlooper, John Delaney and Steve Bullock. But Sanders is prepared to "lump Biden in with those guys," the source said.

Sanders spent more time preparing for his second debate, an adviser said, and is aware he needs to "be more present" than during the first debate. 

The only way he may draw a distinction with Elizabeth Warren, the aide said, is on a question of electability.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer described why her state is crucial in the Democratic presidential race.

Whitmer, a Democrat, continued: "So we in Michigan are thrilled to be the hosts of an important debate, because the world now knows that the path to the presidency goes through the Great Lakes State the great state of Michigan."

She told CNN yesterday that candidates should "attach the bigger ideas out of Washington, DC, into the daily lives of people." When candidates get caught in the details, she said it "just feeds into people's anxieties."

Bernie Sanders traces his endurance on the campaign trail back to this youth: He was a star runner, serving as the co-captain of his high school cross country team.

Tim Ryan practices hot yoga and meditation.

He is also the author of the 2012 book “A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit.”

CNN is hosting the second set of Democratic presidential debates today and tomorrow nights, taking place in Detroit, Michigan.

The debates is at the historic Fox Theatre. It's taking place in Rep. Rashida Tlaib's district, which includes parts of east Detroit, some of city's western suburbs and a chunk of downtown.

Take a look at what it looked like today outside the debate arena:

Here's what it looks like behind the scene:

Watch CNN set up the debate stage in 45 seconds:

John Hickenlooper likes beer. He might not be in politics without it. He became politically active after opening a craft brewery in an abandoned downtown area now known as LoDo. His rise to Denver mayor started there.

Before being term-limited out of office in January, Hickenlooper helped steer the state through several tragedies, including the 2012 shooting in a movie theater in Aurora that left 12 people dead and catastrophic wildfires and floods in 2013. He previously served as Denver's mayor for eight years.