The live debate before the general election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is considered to have important significance for American politics.
So far, the televised debate event at 9 p.m. on September 10 (8 a.m. on September 11 Vietnam time) is the only direct confrontation scheduled between Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris. According to some experts, this could be a pivotal moment in the political career of Vice President Harris, the candidate chosen by the Democratic Party to replace President Joe Biden in the "final" battle for the White House with the Republican candidate.
Biden's "inferior" performance to Trump in the first presidential debate in late June sparked a wave of pressure within the Democratic Party, leading to the outgoing President eventually withdrawing from this year's White House race.
Although Ms. Harris has been vice president for more than three years and a presidential candidate for seven weeks, she remains an unknown to many Americans. A recent New York Times poll found that 28% of registered voters in November said they wanted to know more about the California politician.
Like most recent polls, the poll suggests that this year’s general election will be a tight affair, with sharp divisions in politics and voters, both nationally and in key battleground states. This fact underscores the importance of the Trump-Harris contest on Tuesday night, when even small shifts in the mood of voters could mean the difference between victory and defeat for either candidate.
For Harris, the ABC debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will offer her a chance to shine a light on her candidacy in front of tens of millions of viewers, amid a fierce attack from Trump. Observers say the opportunity also carries risks if Harris positions herself and her views in ways that could hurt her chances of winning.
According to the BBC, Ms Harris has previously struggled to answer tough questions under pressure, and her reluctance to give media interviews in the early weeks of the campaign has cost her some of her chances to hone her arguments.
Although Ms. Harris has tried to present herself as a change candidate in the 2024 presidential election, observers believe that debate moderators and Mr. Trump are likely to pressure her to defend the Biden administration's record, especially in areas where voters have shown dissatisfaction with Democrats, such as border security and inflation.
The vice president will also have to explain why she abandoned some of the more liberal policies she championed in her failed 2020 Democratic presidential bid. Harris recently backed away from her stances on banning shale gas drilling, decriminalizing border crossings, and nationalizing health insurance. She explained the changes as reflecting the new landscape, but some voters may see them as politically expedient.
For Mr Trump, the upcoming debate could be an opportunity to regain the campaign’s momentum after a month in which Democrats, their new nominee and their national convention dominated the media. The former president has previously demonstrated an ability to rise to the spotlight, set the terms of political debate that throw his opponents off balance and push issues like immigration and trade, where his stances enjoy broad public support, to the forefront of political discussion.
However, the former president also faces potential challenges in his first matchup with Ms. Harris. According to observers, Mr. Trump's performance in the June debate with President Biden drew little criticism because his opponent sometimes made serious "slips of the tongue." Ms. Harris will certainly be a younger opponent with many years of experience as a prosecutor, so Mr. Trump's answers will need to be sharper.
At an economic forum in New York last week, Mr. Trump failed to provide a clear explanation for his policies on child care. Such “circular” statements during the debate will give Democrats more ammunition to attack him.
Mr Trump must also tread carefully when it comes to rhetorical competition with the vice president, the second female presidential nominee but the first black woman in US history. If he comes across as arrogant or condescending, he could further damage his already fragile support among women voters.
The two candidates have taken radically different approaches to preparing for the big event on September 10. Vice President Harris has been in Pittsburgh, a few hours east of Philadelphia, where she and her advisers have held mock debates and reviewed her policy proposals. The move also allows her to campaign and benefit from local media coverage in Pennsylvania, the largest and most important battleground state in the general election.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump, who has participated in three presidential debates, has held more informal discussions, including reiterating his stance on key issues. Last week, he participated in a town hall hosted by the cable channel Fox News.
The upcoming debate is expected to highlight the contrast in style and political views between Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris.
Although Election Day is November 5, early voting begins this month in several key battleground states, including Pennsylvania. So while this debate could help set the political tone for the final two months of the 2024 race, it will also be the last chance for the candidates to reach some voters in states where every vote counts.
