Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are set to face off in their first presidential debate, and the stakes could not be higher. Harris has erased Trump’s comfortable lead in the polls, setting up a razor-thin election with less than two months to go.
The highly anticipated matchup is the first time Trump and Harris will meet in person. It comes just 51 days after President Biden withdrew from the 2024 race and 75 days after his disastrous debate performance.
With Trump set to make a record seventh general election debate appearance, here is a look at what to expect in tonight’s debate as well as his past performances.
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Trump, Harris debate on Sept. 10
Although Tuesday’s debate is the second one of the 2024 campaign season, it is the first time the current nominees will face off. The 90-minute, audience-free debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
While Harris is hunkering down in Pittsburgh, Trump has forsaken traditional debate preparation. Trump has, however, employed former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to help him refine his skills. Gabbard, who recently endorsed Trump, had her own famous moment on the debate stage, when in 2020, she attacked Harris for her record as a California prosecutor.
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Trump is expected to focus on inflation and immigration, two of the top issues in the 2024 race. The Trump campaign has been linking Harris to some of Biden’s weaker areas, a strategy he is expected to employ in the debate. Harris is expected to focus on abortion rights, which is tied with inflation at 14%, as the second-biggest issue in the race. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has proven to be one of Trump’s greatest political vulnerabilities.
Trump, Biden debate on June 27
The only 2024 debate between Biden and Trump was the first time a sitting president and a former president ever debated. It is also perhaps the most consequential in history as it ultimately led Biden to abandon his 2024 bid.
During the debate, the president struggled to mount a coherent defense or finish his sentences at times. As Biden wrapped up an argument about his record on border security, Trump quipped, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said, either.”
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The Atlanta debate where Trump and Biden clashed over abortion, immigration, foreign policy and inflation amassed 51.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. At the time, Real Clear Politics had Trump leading Biden by 1.5 points.
Trump, Biden debate on Oct. 22, 2020
Trump and Biden squared off in Nashville, Tennessee, less than two weeks before Election Day. The debate was more subdued than the first round, in part due to new rules that kept each candidate’s microphone muted.
As Biden and Trump squabbled over personal finances, Trump claimed Biden had made money from foreign entities. Trump further sought to paint Biden as a typical, corrupt politician. A recent report from House Republicans alleged that Biden “participated in a conspiracy to monetize his office of public trust to enrich his family.”
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Trump also questioned Biden’s accomplishments over his nearly 50-year public service career. Trump said he decided to mount a run for president because of the Obama administration’s “poor job.”
“I ran because of you, Joe,” Trump said. “I ran because of you.”
Nielsen Media Research recorded 63 million viewers for the final debate of the 2020 cycle. On the day of the debate, Biden led Trump by 7.9 points.
Trump, Biden debate on Sept. 29, 2020
What people most likely recall from this debate is Trump’s constant interruptions that led an exasperated Biden to declare, “will you shut up, man?” The debate quickly descended into chaos as the two sparred over abortion rights and Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. An unrelenting Trump pushed Biden on whether he would “pack” the Supreme Court in the wake of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death. As the two men heatedly talked over each other about the pandemic, Trump declared, “I’ll tell you Joe, you could never have done the job that we did. You don’t have it in your blood.”
Trump did not shy away from making personal attacks on Biden, hurling insults about his intelligence, saying, “There’s nothing smart about you, Joe.”
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With 73.1 million viewers, the debate in Cleveland was the most watched for a Trump-Biden matchup. Real Clear Politics had Biden leading Trump by 6.1 points on the day of the debate.
Trump, Clinton debate on Oct. 19, 2016
The final debate of the 2016 cycle had Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton focusing more on personal weaknesses than policy. When Clinton attempted to tie Trump to Russia, he retorted that Russian President Vladimir Putin “doesn’t respect” Clinton or then-President Barack Obama and insisted that he did not know Putin. As the two contended over Obamacare and Social Security, Trump proceeded to call Clinton, “such a nasty woman.”
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Clinton repeatedly used the debate to belittle Trump’s character. Clinton’s strongest language came when she challenged Trump’s behavior toward women. Trump pushed back, vehemently denying any claims of inappropriate behavior toward women. “Nobody has more respect for women than I do,” he said.
A key highlight of the debate came when Trump declined to say he would accept the results of the election (much like his responses in 2020). Trump doubled down on insisting the process was “rigged” and that he would “look at it at the time.”
Trump, Clinton debate on Oct. 9, 2016
Trump used this debate as an opportunity to launch a blistering attack against Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton. When questioned about his conduct toward women, Trump stated “there’s never been anybody in the history of politics that has been so abusive to women,” about former President Clinton. Hillary Clinton refused to address his comments about her husband.
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Trump and Clinton also quarreled over Russian aggression, Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns and his plans for the “extreme vetting” of immigrants arriving from countries with criminal links.
Trump, Clinton debate on Sept. 26, 2016
Trump’s first presidential debate was the first to surpass 70 million viewers in nearly four decades, gaining a record 84 million viewers.
Trump came out swinging as he addressed the economy and jobs. As Clinton sought to defend her economic proposals, Trump attacked her political record, declaring she was a “typical politician: all talk, no action.” However, as the debate progressed, Clinton put Trump more on the defensive. At one point, Clinton pushed Trump on his past comments on race and sex, prompting him to say, “It’s all words, it’s all soundbites.”
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An overview of Trump’s past debates reveals an approach of rapid-fire statements, personal affronts, and ripostes – a strategy aimed at overwhelming his opponents. Additionally, with the race proving to be as tight as it is, Harris is anticipated to face greater pressure as the newer and unproven contender.
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