The highly anticipated presidential debate between the American presidential candidates will take place on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center. This will be the first debate between incumbent Vice President Harris and former President Trump, and it may be the only face-to-face encounter before the election. The outcome of the debate could be crucial for the upcoming White House battle for both candidates. 30% of registered voters say this debate will help them decide who to vote for.
The debate will be held on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. Eastern Time for 90 minutes, moderated by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. Epoch Times YouTube channel, NTD YouTube channel, and NTD Clean World channel will livestream the event with Chinese simultaneous translation. The schedule will include warm-up commentary from 8 to 9 p.m. ET, the debate from 9 to 10:30 p.m. ET, and expert analysis from 10:30 to 11 p.m. ET.
With only 8 weeks left until the presidential election on November 5th, Democratic candidate Harris and Republican candidate Trump are in a fierce competition with the current polls showing a virtual tie between the two.
For Harris, the debate on Tuesday night is particularly crucial. Polls indicate that over a quarter of potential voters feel they don’t know enough about Harris compared to Trump. And just days after this debate, some states will start early voting.
This debate could also change the course of the campaign. President Biden’s poor performance in a debate with Trump in June led to significant damage, ultimately resulting in him dropping out of the race and Harris taking over.
In this showdown that may come down to tens of thousands of votes in a few key states, even minor shifts in public opinion could alter the election outcome.
According to reports from Reuters, Mitchell McKinney, a former advisor to the U.S. Presidential Debate Commission, mentioned that because Harris is still somewhat unfamiliar to many voters, this debate could either win her more supporters or lose some.
Viewers will be looking for Harris’s stance on various issues, but equally important will be how she handles Trump.
In contrast, Trump is not a stranger to voters. McKinney noted that on this point, “you either support him or oppose him.”
The U.S. economy is a significant topic of concern for voters. They will also closely watch the comments of both candidates regarding American economic policies. While the inflation rate peaked at 9% in July 2022 and has since dropped to under 3% this July, Americans have already felt the pain of rising prices and borrowing costs, eroding the savings accumulated during the pandemic.
Both Harris and Biden are emphasizing their government’s role in the economic recovery, efforts to combat price fraud, and legislative achievements like the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden lags behind Trump in polls concerning handling economic issues, but the results for Harris on this matter are mixed.
In a nationwide economic survey by CNBC last month, Trump leads Harris by 2-to-1 on the economy. However, a poll released a few days later by the Financial Times and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business found that Harris slightly outperformed Trump in terms of trust in handling the economy.
This debate is garnering significant attention from American voters. An NPR/PBS/Marist poll found that 72% of registered voters nationwide plan to watch the debate on Tuesday night, with 30% believing it to be crucial in their presidential choice.
The latest polls show no clear frontrunner in the presidential campaign leading up to the debate. An NPR/PBS News/Marist College poll released on Tuesday morning found that among registered voters, Harris leads with 49%, while Trump follows closely at 48%. Another poll conducted by The New York Times and the Siena College on Sunday found Trump leading Harris by a percentage point, well within the survey’s three-point margin of error, meaning victory for either candidate on election day is within expectations.
Since last Thursday, Harris has been preparing for the debate in Pittsburgh. She conducted simulated debates on a lit stage to recreate the debate environment. Former aide to Hillary Clinton, Philippe Reines, played the role of Trump in the mock debates with Harris.
Trump, on the other hand, has not been rehearsing but preparing for the debate on Tuesday through informal talks with advisors, campaign appearances, and media interviews.
Former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard provided advice for Trump in countering Harris. Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 and was one of Harris’s competitors in the 2020 presidential race. During the Democratic primary debates, the two had several memorable exchanges, showcasing Gabbard as a strong contender against Harris.
Gabbard stated that Trump will treat Harris like any other opponent.
These two rivals will face off on several key issues. Harris’s campaign officials anticipate intense attacks on Trump regarding abortion issues, questioning his leadership suitability. She is also expected to promote plans to lower consumer costs.
As for Trump, he will link Harris to the Biden administration’s immigration policies, criticizing them for record numbers of illegal immigrants crossing the border. He may also attribute high prices to Harris.
Jason Miller, the spokesperson for Trump’s campaign team, mentioned in an interview with CNN about Trump’s preparation. Miller stated that Trump has been preparing for various potential issues through extended interviews and shorter interviews, press conferences, rally speeches, and town hall interviews.
“President Trump has been ready to tackle any possible questions, as that’s what he’s been doing throughout the entire campaign,” Miller said.