US presidential debate: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will face off in the decisive battle
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic counterpart Kamala Harris will participate in the decisive US presidential debate, which will be broadcast worldwide by ABC Networks. The presidential debate will take place across the United States exactly 8 weeks before Election Day.
The US presidential debate could be a game-changing moment for both candidates, as recent polls show that Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are neck and neck in this exciting battle for the top job.
The debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will be their first and probably only debate. The clash could be decisive for both participants in the open battle for the White House.
Tens of millions of viewers in the United States and several million more around the world will watch the debate at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or ET (1:00 a.m. GMT, 6:30 a.m. IST).
The importance of the debate and its timing can be seen in the fact that early voting begins in many states just days after the televised debate. The battle is so intense that even a small gaffe could result in a major swing in one direction or the other.
The meeting is particularly important for Kamala Harris, as recent opinion polls show that more than a quarter of likely voters in the United States believe they do not yet know enough about the Vice President – in contrast to former President Donald Trump.
The Battle
The globally televised debate offers former prosecutor Kamala Harris the opportunity to make her case and corner Donald Trump, whose capital crime convictions, his open support for supporters convicted of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and his frequent falsehoods all provide ample fertile ground.
In recent weeks, Donald Trump has also made personal attacks on Kamala Harris, including racist and sexist insults.
Kamala Harris, 59, who recent polls show has a clear lead among female voters, is expected to pressure Donald Trump on reproductive rights after he made a series of seemingly contradictory comments on abortion rights recently.
Meanwhile, 78-year-old Donald Trump will try to corner current Vice President Kamala Harris on issues such as the economy, immigration and inflation.
The ABC News debate is scheduled to last 90 minutes and will be held without an audience. There are also some set rules for the debate.
THE CANDIDATES, THE PREPARATION
Kamala Harris is America’s first female, Black and Indian-American vice president. Ms. Harris arrived in Philadelphia a day before the debate after isolating in a Pittsburgh hotel for five days during intensive practice sessions.
Donald Trump’s team has said he took a more relaxed approach ahead of his seventh presidential debate, arriving in Philadelphia just hours beforehand and keeping his preparations to a minimum.
The debate will certainly feature a contrast between the two candidates’ styles, but will likely be quiet, as the rules state that both candidates’ microphones will be muted when they are not speaking, which was at the request of the Trump team.
While Donald Trump has already participated in six previous presidential debates, this would be the first for Kamala Harris.
The 90-minute debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
