The curtain is rising on the day of the debate. Making headlines is the impending square-off in Philadelphia between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. The protagonists from the Republican and Democratic camps are all set to sell their prescriptions and prognoses for the nation, while capitalizing on their opposition’s deficits. On the roster are a wide swathe of issues – from the economic burden of inflation to volatile concerns over abortion rights and border security.
As this pivotal debate looms, it sets forth one of the first formidable challenges for Harris in her stride towards a 2024 White House bid. The helm of the Democratic candidacy landed unexpectedly in her lap, courtesy of President Joe Biden’s calamitous display in the debate arena. This incident stirred several weeks of concern, culminating in the shocking end of Biden’s reelection campaign.
The June showdown between Biden and Trump, beamed to living rooms across the country by CNN, extended from 9 p.m. to around 10:30 p.m. Drawing a parallel, in 2020, the inaugural presidential debate between the two also clocked around 90 minutes. The session was steered by ex-Fox News correspondent Chris Wallace.
The murky waters of age became a focal talking point in the aftermath of the 2024 election’s June debate, once again featuring Biden and Trump. At 81, Biden fumbled his way through the debate, leading to his instructions to step off the stage and instead back Harris for the Democratic nomination. So what exactly are Trump and Harris’ ages? Trump added 78 candles to his birthday cake this past June and would be 82 when his term concluded if he triumphs in November. Meanwhile, Harris is set to celebrate her 60th birthday in October, leading to her being 64 at the end of her tenure if she emerges victorious.
The spark of tonight’s debate will be their lone meeting, as it stands currently. Trump had previously suggested a duo of dates in September for following debates. However, the Harris team expressed openness for an additional rendezvous between the candidates in October in an official statement.
As the debate night looms on Tuesday, Trump and Harris are virtually tied for the preferred spot in the seven 2024 battleground states. The picture was quite different only recently, with Trump leading the march in these key states when Biden was still competing. However, as soon as she took the mantle, Harris seemed to have the upper hand in Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Arizona, with a neck-and-neck race in Georgia, as per a report by Cook Political last month.
Contrarily, Trump held a lead in Nevada by a 5-point margin. Interestingly, a Detroit Free Press survey conducted recently put Trump back in the lead by one point in Michigan. The competition couldn’t get any fiercer, with both escaping margins to sway voters in these critical states tonight.
The debate to unfold tonight carries a run time of 90 minutes and includes two commercial timeouts. There’s a strict ‘no-props, no-prewritten notes’ policy for the stage, with provision for a pen, paper, and a water bottle alone. The rules governing the microphones are such that only the speaking candidate’s microphone will be functioning, with the others muted.
Keeping the debating reins in check will be ABC journalists Linsey Davis and David Muir. Looking back to the 2020 presidential race, Biden garnered a total of 306 electoral votes, surpassing Trump’s 232. This is out of the total pool of 538 Electoral College votes, requiring 270 votes for victory.
In a rundown of the 2020 battleground states, Biden snatched victory in six out of the seven hotspots – Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona. Trump, on the other side, held onto North Carolina – one of the critical states up for grabs this year.
Pennsylvania’s National Constitution Center serves as the epicenter, hosting the heated exchange between Trump and Harris. It is one of the select few battleground states holding sway in the 2024 election outcome. Stay tuned to USA TODAY for an immersion into pre-debate kinetics.
Given the high stakes of the upcoming debate, Trump’s modus operandi seems clear as day – attack relentlessly. As Harris faces her litmus test, only time will reveal whether the seasoned prosecutor will shine through on the debate stage. Keep your eyes peeled for the top 7 nuggets to glean from the Trump versus Harris discourse.
ABC News claims the responsibility of hosting the Trump-Harris debate. But why limit your options? Multiple networks, including NBC and CNN, will beam the event to your screens. The clash of the titans kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday.