Source: BBCNews
Hillary Clinton is preparing for the first Democratic presidential debate, seeking to mix her mastery of policy with a more personal touch.
For chief rival Bernie Sanders, the debate is a chance to reach a broader audience after months of appealing to the party's most liberal voters.
But unlike recent Republican debates, Tuesday's Democratic outing is expected to be more substance than slugfest.
Analysts expect a heavy focus on economic issues like income inequality.
The three other, mostly unknown, candidates - former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee - will be seeking a standout moment after months of languishing in the polls.
And Vice-President Joe Biden, who is still considering a run for the White House, will loom large despite not actually being on stage.
The debate organisers at CNN have set aside a lectern just on the off-chance Mr Biden decides to enter the fray at the last minute. The debate is set to start at 17:30 local time (00:30 GMT).
Mrs Clinton - long seen as the presumptive front-runner - has seen her support wane amid questions about her trustworthiness.
She has been criticised for using a private email account when she served as US secretary of state, a move she now calls a mistake.
Some Republicans say Mrs Clinton put classified information at risk by using the private account - a charge she denies.