On Tuesday night, the two leading presidential contenders, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, will square off in what may be their final debate before the general election.
This encounter takes place only seventy-five days after President Joe Biden was knocked out of the race in a political earthquake caused by his dismal performance in a debate. Though few anticipate such a revolutionary outcome this time around, Trump is determined to break Harris’ “honeymoon” as polls show that the Democratic vice president is now as popular as, or even more popular than, the Republican former president in several key states.
The former prosecutor from Harris’s courtroom will go off against a Republican opponent known for his tendency for false statements and 34 criminal convictions. Harris will be entering the night with rather high expectations. The question is whether Harris, who failed to make a strong impression during her 2020 presidential campaign’s primary debates, can successfully expose Trump’s obvious flaws in a live, front-of-the-house discussion as the entire world watches.
Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET, the National Constitutional Center in Philadelphia will host the 90-minute meeting. Linsey Davis and David Muir of ABC News will serve as moderators. No live audience will be present as per the guidelines that were agreed upon by both camps.
What follows is a rundown of the momentous night’s events:
Is there anything Harris can accomplish that Biden just couldn’t?
During the debate on June 27, Biden severely lowered the bar for Harris to overcome. The president had trouble expressing himself clearly and couldn’t even complete his words. The anti-Trump alliance was most let down that he didn’t capitalize on Trump’s glaring political weaknesses, such as his stances on abortion, the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, character flaws, and legal troubles.
Much greater performance is anticipated from Harris. However, despite the favorable environment, it remains more difficult to acquire an advantage over Trump during debates. When compared to other presidents in the contemporary era, Trump may have more debate experience. He knows how to take over the spotlight on TV because he was a reality star before. And it’s obvious that he enjoys fighting.
A political clash may be in her future, according to Harris’s recent comments. Last month in Atlanta, she addressed a roaring audience and said, “Donald, if you have anything to say, say it to my face.”
Will her tough language be backed by action? Everyone is going to find out very soon.
Will Trump be able to focus?
Discipline and readiness are not traits that Trump is renowned for. Similar to his approach to governance, his debate performances are often driven more by gut feelings than rational consideration.
Trump is unlikely to launch a direct assault on Harris on Tuesday night, as a result. But he must improve upon the jack-of-all-trades that he has been trying out on the campaign road for the better part of a month.
Her racial identification has been called into question by Trump. Falsely, he accused her of being a communist. He has cast doubt on her power. According to him, she is a liberal from San Francisco. In addition, he has brought up the fact that she was a member of the Biden administration for over four years, and that if elected, she will likely carry on the president’s policies for a further four years.
Even among Republicans who aren’t directly involved with Trump’s campaign, many see the Biden link as the most powerful. They want him to bring up Ronald Reagan’s 1980 debate attack — “Are you better off?” — frequently and early.
How well Trump conveys that message depends on his ability to avoid having it overshadowed by an equally contentious comment. There are grounds for skepticism based on recent events.
Expressions made nonverbally have significance
On Tuesday night, the gender dynamic will be readily apparent on stage.
In a dispute, men and women interpret body language and tone differently, regardless of how fair it is. See Hillary Clinton for yourself. In a 2016 town hall-style discussion, she said that Trump’s presence made her “skin crawl” since he stood behind her.
On Tuesday night, the candidates are asked to remain seated at their podiums. Republicans are keeping their fingers crossed that Trump won’t do anything that could alienate suburban women and other swing votes, such as gesturing, shouting, or otherwise approaching Harris in an offensive manner.
As people decide whether to elect Harris as the first female president of the United States, she, too, will have obstacles specific to her gender and race. There are still those voters who feel uneasy about the proposal. She runs the danger of reinforcing racist stereotypes about Black women if her anger comes across.
Be that as it may, the age gap between them is just as important as the gender dynamic.
Trump is 78 years old, whereas Harris is over 20 years younger. Against Biden, who is 81 years old, Trump’s age was seen as a political advantage; yet, when he faces Harris, who is 59 years old, the situation is seen as the inverse. Trump would become the oldest president in U.S. history if elected if he were to win.
Additionally, the format will be slightly altered as per the regulations that the candidates agreed upon this week.
No opening remarks, live audience, or props are permitted. A requirement that has generated some controversy recently is that candidates must keep their microphones muted while their opponent is on the clock.
During his June debate with Joe Biden, Trump grudgingly consented to use the mute option; however, following the debate, his team decided it would be beneficial for voters if they could not hear the Republican former president while Trump was speaking. Restoring the previous format, which did not have mute buttons, was a priority for Harris’s group.