On the eve of the anticipated debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, both figures have chosen to keep their strategies behind closed doors. As usual, Trump remains unfazed and nonchalant, scoffing at the need for formal preparations. On the other hand, Harris chose to hunker down in Pennsylvania, where she’s presumably strategizing about scoring points in the upcoming debate.
Harris must be hoping to sway Tuesday night’s ABC News presidential debate in her favor, considering she’s been prepping for it in a downtown Pittsburgh hotel post a campaign visit. Of course, she’s bracing herself for verbal blows from Trump, a tactic he’s infamous for and constantly uses in debates. The manner in which Harris plans to counter factually incorrect statements that Trump regularly employs, could end up being an exercise in futility.
Adding to her ‘squad’ is Democratic consultant Philippe Reines, a past Hillary Clinton aide, who has been called to role-play Trump in mock debates. Reines’ previous stint has been during Clinton’s 2016 run, where he reportedly participated in eight full 90-minute debate prep sessions. His experience with Trump’s debating style, however, was unable to secure a win for Clinton.
The lessons learned from those experiences were valuable according to Reines, who stated that managing Trump involved ‘filtering out the noise and expecting the unexpected’. The Harris campaign seems ready to acknowledge Trump’s comfort and experience in such debates. After all, this is his third presidential campaign, and the upcoming one would be his seventh debate. The man knows his way around the stage, one would think.
Harris’ campaign spokesperson, Kevin Munoz, told The Washington Post in a statement that they expect Trump to come prepared for the debate. Quite an underestimation of Trump, who thrives under the spotlight and won his last debate in June. Munoz made a curious claim about Harris’ goal for the debate – to display a fresh blueprint for the future of the nation, a vision meant to be a guiding compass for the American people in this election.
Trump, in his characteristic style, was reported to be relaxed and unworried about the upcoming debate. Instead of spending time on mock debates, he focused on ‘policy sessions’ with his team. He was busy spending his weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, discussing policy matters.
Instead of considering rigorous rehearsals or simulations, Trump chose to examine the policies and positions taken by Harris. The debate between Trump and Biden earlier this year for CNN saw him focus on policy points rather than going for pretend debates. It’s clear he believes his time is better spent on devising real strategies rather than parroting words in front of a mock crowd.
The Trump campaign’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, appearing on NBC News’s Meet the Press, assured that Trump was ‘well prepared’ for the upcoming debate. According to Leavitt, Harris for sure will be grilled on why she has not acted on her policy plans while still being Biden’s vice president. This political reproach is likely to leave Harris tongue-tied in front of the national audience.
Interestingly, the Trump campaign roped in former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who recently switched sides leaving the Democratic Party to endorse Trump, to help prepare for the debate against Harris. Gabbard reportedly went to Mar-a-Lago last month to assist with the preparations.
Leavitt shed noticeable light on Trump’s debate strategy. Highlighting his sterling track record, she noted that Trump has ‘proven to be one of the best debaters in political history as evidenced by his knockout blow to Joe Biden’. It’s apparent that Trump does not stick to common debate preparation tactics but values interaction with effective policy advisers and communicators such as Tulsi Gabbard.
It’s even more intriguing noting Gabbard’s past success against Harris in the 2020 debates. Are we looking at Trump’s masterstroke? Or simply a case of Trump’s misplaced overconfidence? Guess the anticipated debate will lay these uncertainties to rest.
With the stage set and strategies in place – albeit drastically different ones – it’s interesting to see how this duel will pan out. Both parties put forth their agendas, dig their trenches and prepare for a riveting showdown.
In the political game of chess, we wait to see whether Harris’ relentless preparation will give her an upper hand, or Trump’s self-assured nonchalance will outsmart her. It’s almost as if the actual presidential roles have taken a backseat while the theatrics of this face-off take center stage.
In the end, the true winner will be the one who commands the debate floor with authenticity, clarity, and respect for facts. Time will tell whether Harris or Trump emerges victorious in this battle of wits. Regardless, this debate will surely be a defining moment in their respective political careers.