Washington, DC September 7 :
A high-stakes showdown between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump in their first televised debate next week might offer the victor a leg up in the race for the presidency. The upcoming confrontation in Philadelphia on Tuesday presents Harris with a chance to express her goals and demonstrate her strength in the face of an adversary who has insulted her intelligence and attacked her racially and sexistly.
The race has tightened significantly since Harris became the Democratic nominee in July, and Trump will have an opportunity to try and slow her down. While Harris has a modest lead in national and most battleground polls, Trump is still in a very good position to win the election on November 5.
This may be the only debate they ever have, and it might have far-reaching consequences. Following a disappointing showing in June, former vice president Joe Biden decided to withdraw from the campaign. Nonetheless, Trump was elected in 2016, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton was adjudged the winner of all three debates she had with him.
In the crucial television event, keep an eye out for these things ; The current vice president and the past president are running against one other in an election where they are both, strangely, presenting themselves as "change" politicians who will challenge the current leadership.
Harris claims her presidency would provide the nation a new beginning while also claiming credit for the accomplishments of the Biden administration and avoiding criticism of its mistakes.
Trump has maintained his image as an insurgent challenging Washington's institutions throughout his four years in office (2017–2021). But he has also boasted about his international expertise in comparison to Harris, promising to stop the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and shield the US from Iran and North Korea if they were to acquire nuclear weapons.
Trump has ignored advice from advisers and supporters to concentrate on Harris's policies and has instead attacked her personally in speeches and online since she was nominated, casting doubt on the veracity of her origins. Undecided voters, especially those who doubt his presidential temperament, could become even more alienated if he brings up the same assaults during the debate.
Trump regularly became angry with Clinton during their 2016 debates, interrupting the moderators, pointing fingers, and yelling insults at her. In 2020, Trump used a similar strategy with Biden, prompting Biden to ask, "Will you shut up, man?" in response to Trump's repeated interruptions.
Up to this point, Harris has paid little attention to Trump's attacks on her personally. If Trump brings his bullying style to the debate stage, some viewers will be waiting to see how she handles it. She has to prove she won't fall into Trump's trap if she wants to stand out from him.
Harris has the opportunity to showcase her own political identity to the millions of Americans who will be watching the debate. In an election where Americans have consistently expressed their distaste for a potential Biden-Trump rematch, Harris' relative obscurity compared to the Democratic presidential contenders who came before her could prove to be a significant advantage.
Former California attorney general Harris will get an opportunity to demonstrate her prowess in the prosecution. She has the opportunity to investigate and maybe prosecute Trump for his actions following the 2020 election, such as claims that he encouraged a group of supporters to storm the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to prolong his presidency.
Perhaps she can use her background in the courts to refute Trump's lies in real time more persuasively than Biden did in their June debate.
Debate night presents Trump with his greatest opportunity to date to claim that Harris is unqualified to be president and that he is the superior candidate.
High consumer prices, which Trump claims have made it harder for middle-class families to make ends meet, and the border-security policies enacted by the Biden administration earlier this year, which failed to prevent a record number of migrants from crossing into the U.S., are likely to be Trump's points of attack against Harris.
A politician whose campaign has been built on "joy" and "vibes" may be unprepared to become commander-in-chief if he persists in linking her to the unpredictable U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Many Democrats have long voiced their concern that Trump poses a threat to democracy because to his authoritarian impulses. One of his weakest political positions is his stance against abortion, so Harris could use the same line of attack again and again.
As a warning that women's reproductive rights would be much more restricted under a second Trump administration, she will probably bring up his appointment of justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who helped remove constitutional protections for the practice. According to Harris's advisors and aides, she intends to highlight what her camp views as Trump's shortcomings in handling the COVID-19 outbreak, the United States' border wall, and infrastructure.
Harris may also criticize Trump's economic policies while in office, saying that the president favored tax cuts for corporations and opposed efforts to raise the minimum wage. She may attempt to associate him with Project 2025, a conservative policy plan proposed by the Heritage Foundation that detractors claim will lead to an abuse of executive authority. President Trump has sought to separate himself from the proposals.
Additionally, she may bring up the sexual assault accusations against Trump and his criminal conviction from earlier this year related to his porn-star hush money case. On the other hand, Trump may bring up the progressive proposals that Harris supported while running for president in 2020 but has since recanted, such as eliminating private health insurance and endorsing the so-called "Green New Deal" — a huge scheme to promote renewable energy.
To win over independents and those who are still on the fence, Harris will need solid responses from her opponents in those areas. She is happy to paint broad strokes when it comes to her plans for the president. The moderators and Trump might make her be more specific. For their part, progressives will be curious to hear how Harris stands on important topics like the Gaza crisis and whether or not she is prepared to put more pressure on the Israeli government to end the violence.
