The first televised debate between the Democratic Party presidential candidate and Vice President Harris and the Republican Party presidential candidate and former President Trump is scheduled to take place at the “National Constitution Center” in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 10th. As the presidential election is just two months away, this showdown is expected to have a significant impact on the presidential campaign.
On Monday, September 9th, “USA Today” quoted Christina Harvey, executive director of the liberal voting rights organization “Stand Up America,” as saying, “What happened in June shows that debates are still very important in presidential elections.”
She added, “This will be very important because these two candidates have such different commitments and visions for the future of America.”
Prior to becoming the Democratic Party presidential candidate, President Biden struggled during the televised debate with Trump in June, causing turbulence within the Democratic Party. Under pressure, he announced his withdrawal on July 21st and endorsed Vice President Harris.
According to the latest polls, the support for Harris and Trump is neck and neck, with Trump leading Harris by 48% temporarily, but this gap is within the margin of error. Therefore, this televised debate may become a crucial factor in the outcome of the election.
The results of the latest poll by “USA Today”/Suffolk this month show that about 90% of potential voters say their opinions are “firmly set,” around 8% of respondents say they may change their minds, and about 1% of voters say they are still undecided.
Mark Trussler, data science director of the University of Pennsylvania’s polling and election research project, stated, “In a tight race, everything matters.”
Currently, Harris has traveled to Pittsburgh, the second-largest city in the key swing state of Pennsylvania, for a five-day special training session to prepare for the debate. Although she has participated in various election debates, facing off against Trump will be her biggest challenge yet.
It is reported that the televised debate poses more risks for Harris, as she is still introducing herself to most Americans who are not fully familiar with her positions or her campaign policies.
Debate experts warn that compared to her Republican opponent Trump, Harris remains a relatively blank slate for voters. Therefore, if she makes a mistake, she may face a greater risk of a drop in popularity, which could halt the momentum she has built over the past few weeks.
Robert Rowland, a professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, stated, “The risk she faces is that the majority of the American public doesn’t yet know much about her, so she may not perform well, potentially undermining the hopes she brings to Democrats.”
Since winning the Democratic Party nomination, Harris has only done one interview with running mate Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota. Harris has faced criticism for not addressing policy specifics in her campaign speeches, particularly independent voters who expect more detailed policy information.
Harris may be questioned by Trump or the moderators about changing positions on some issues. For example, in her first post-Democratic National Convention interview on August 30th, Harris stated that if elected president, she would not ban hydraulic fracturing.
She emphasized that while she opposed fracking when seeking the party’s presidential nomination in 2019, her position has evolved with the change in roles. This is a key issue in the swing state of Pennsylvania, which could determine the outcome of the election in November.
Trump’s challenge is how to combat Harris’s rising momentum without alienating swing voters. Although Trump’s campaign team advises him to focus on issues, especially criticizing Harris’s indecisive positions rather than engaging in personal attacks, Trump’s familiar debate style may alienate some voters.
During a campaign event in North Carolina in August, Trump stated that people often advise him to be more friendly, but “when you are under attack from all sides, sometimes it’s hard to do.”
While experts believe Trump will perform well if he focuses on conservative issues, concerns linger that his personal style and past debate tactics may lead to the use of aggressive language, further affecting swing voters’ attitudes.
According to the poll results from “USA Today”/Suffolk, only 31% of Americans believe the country is on the right track, while 58% think the country is heading in the wrong direction.
In this election between the current Vice President and a former President, both Harris and Trump label themselves as “reformist” candidates ready to change the status quo.
Harris aims to attribute President Biden’s accomplishments to herself while avoiding being burdened by the mistakes of the Biden administration. Meanwhile, Republicans link the controversial decisions of the past four years with her.
For instance, Trump mentioned the failure of the evacuation at the end of the Afghan war in 2021, which led to the deaths of 13 U.S. soldiers. He posted videos of these soldiers’ relatives online, blaming Harris for the incident. Trump’s campaign team emphasized issues like inflation and the crisis at the southern border for which Harris is responsible in campaign ads.
During an interview with CNN in August, Harris pledged to take a tougher stance on the immigration issue at the southern border. She also defended her and Biden’s handling of inflation issues, emphasizing that they inherited an economy ravaged by the pandemic.
The dramatic variables of the 2024 U.S. presidential election have made this campaign full of suspense, potentially making the first debate between Harris and Trump the most-watched presidential debate in American history.
The debate will be hosted by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. The Epoch Times YouTube channel, New Tang Dynasty Television YouTube channel, and New Tang Dynasty Clean World channel will broadcast live with simultaneous Chinese translation (Eastern Time 8 pm to 9 pm – pre-debate analysis; 9 pm to 10:30 pm – debate; 10:30 pm to 11 pm – expert commentary).