By Ezekiel David
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris will face off in their first debate on Tuesday.
Eight weeks remain until the election on November 5, and the ABC News-hosted event gets underway at 9 p.m. US Eastern Time (2 a.m. in Lagos on Wednesday). In a fiercely heated race including both candidates, early voting is scheduled to begin in some states soon after the debate.
For Harris, the debate is particularly significant as polls indicate many voters are still unfamiliar with her, unlike the well-known Trump. The debate provides Harris, a former prosecutor, an opportunity to challenge Trump on his felony convictions and his support for those involved in the January 6 Capitol attack.
This will be their first meeting, following weeks of personal attacks on Harris by Trump and his allies, including what his critics have called racist and sexist remarks. Such behaviour on stage might alienate undecided voters, according to John Geer, a Vanderbilt University professor.
Trump’s advisers have encouraged him to concentrate on topics like illegal immigration and inflation, which resonate with voters, and to depict Harris as excessively liberal.
“There’s no floor for him in terms of how low he will go, and we should be prepared for that,” Harris mentioned in a Monday radio interview.
Although they don’t always decide elections, debates have a big impact on the dynamics of a race. Joe Biden’s campaign suffered greatly as a result of his subpar showing against Trump in June. Little changes in public opinion could have a significant effect because the contest might be decided by a tiny number of votes in crucial states.
“There is more for Kamala Harris to gain and more for her to lose,” said Mitchell McKinney, a former adviser to the US Commission on Presidential Debates. Voters will assess Harris’s stance on issues and her ability to handle Trump.
The 90-minute debate at the National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia will have no live audience, and microphones will be muted when it isn’t a candidate’s turn.
Harris has been preparing in Pittsburgh since Thursday with mock sessions, while Trump has opted for informal discussions and campaign events. Former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has advised Trump, emphasising his approach to treat Harris like any other opponent.
“President Trump respects women and doesn’t feel the need to be patronising,” Gabbard said, noting he would speak to Harris about her record.
The candidates are expected to clash on major issues. Harris plans to criticise Trump on abortion, labelling him unfit to lead and to promote her plans to support the middle class. She aims to link Trump to restrictive abortion policies and Project 2025, a conservative agenda expanding executive power and limiting abortion access.
Trump, meanwhile, will associate Harris with the Biden administration’s immigration policies and high consumer prices, portraying her as a flip-flopper or an extreme liberal.
(Source: Reuters)
