The stage is set for a pivotal moment in the 2024 US presidential election, as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump prepare to face off in their first televised debate.
With less than two months until election day, this debate could be a turning point in a contest that has been marked by bitter rhetoric and personal attacks.
Harris, who has been working intensively on her debate prep, is looking to connect with voters who may not know much about her policies. Her campaign has released a policy page highlighting her stance on issues like unions, cost-of-living, and healthcare.
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Trump, on the other hand, is no stranger to presidential debates, having participated in six prior debates.
However, he will need to rein in his signature aggression and insults, particularly when facing a mixed-race candidate who could become the first female president in US history.
The debate, scheduled to take place on Tuesday evening on ABC News, will be a contrast in styles between the two candidates.
Harris has been described as a former prosecutor, while Trump has been labeled a convicted felon who has targeted Harris with racist and sexist insults.
As Harris noted in a recent interview, “There’s no floor for him in terms of how low he will go, and we should be prepared for that. And we should be prepared for the fact that he is probably going to speak a lot of untruths.”
The stakes are high, with polls showing a knife-edge race.
A New York Times/Siena poll found Trump leading Harris nationally by 48 to 47 percent, while an ABC News poll/Ipsos poll showed Harris leading Trump 50 to 46 percent.
The debate will be a crucial moment in the campaign, and both candidates know it.
As Harris’s team has emphasized, the “dangers” of Trump’s “extreme” policies will be highlighted, while Trump will likely continue to push his dark tone and warnings of “long prison sentences” for those he claims are planning to “cheat” in November.
