When is the presidential debate between Trump and Harris, and how can I watch it?
US Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are scheduled to debate each other in Philadelphia. Photo: Chris duMond Bloomberg. Source: Getty Images
This marks the first time the two nominees will debate each other. In 2020, Trump debated President Joe Biden, while Harris faced Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence.
Biden exited the race in July following a poor showing in the June debate against Trump. He endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee, reshaping the political landscape ahead of the November election.
When is the presidential debate?
The debate between Trump and Harris will start at 9 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, September 10, and run for 90 minutes with just two commercial breaks.
Who will be moderating the debate?
David Muir, host of ABC News' "World News Tonight," and "Prime Live" anchor Linsey Davis will moderate the debate.
None of the two anchors has moderated a presidential general election debate before, but each has moderated a presidential primary debate: Muir in 2016 and Linsey in 2020.
Which channel can I watch the debate on?
The debate will air live on ABC News and streamed on ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu.
It will also be available on ABC channels through DirecTV Stream, Fubo, and Sling TV. ABC holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the debate.
Where is the debate happening?
The debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Unlike the June debate at the Techwood Turner campus in Atlanta, Georgia, this event will not have an audience present.
Harris and Trump have been campaigning heavily in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state that could decide the November election.
Why is Philadelphia strategic for the 2 nominees?
In 2020, Biden won the election by defeating Trump in Pennsylvania. In 2016, Trump secured Pennsylvania’s electoral votes and the presidency by defeating Hillary Clinton.
This is a crucial state for both nominees, and neither is taking any chances.
Harris unveiled Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate in Philadelphia in August. In July, Trump was shot by a gunman while campaigning in western Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia is, therefore, a strategic venue for the September 10 presidential debate.
Trump and Harris debate: What to expect
The debate will occur 75 days after President Biden's poor performance in the June presidential debate, which led top Democratic officials to urge him to withdraw and support Harris.
It was the first time a sitting president and a former president had debated each other.
The two candidates clashed on issues such as abortion, immigration, foreign policy, and inflation. Despite Trump’s history of dishonesty, corruption, and other felonies, he gained an advantage as Biden's incoherence made him appear as a stronger contender.
On Tuesday, Trump will be seeking to extend his dominance as he faces off with Harris, who will be on a mission to do what Biden failed to do in June.
Recent polls rank her slightly above Trump in some swing states, so Democrats are optimistic that Harris will do better as a substitute candidate and restore the party’s hope of retaining power.
The world will also be watching if Harris, a former courtroom prosecutor, can prosecute Trump’s glaring liabilities in a face-to-face debate.
The former president will be walking to the podium on Tuesday night shouldering a burden of 34 felony convictions coupled with his penchant for making false statements. Will Harris succeed in prosecuting him in a court of public opinion? Time will tell.
But Trump is no pushover. He can be cunning and brutal in his responses. He is an experienced debater who has mastered the art of dominating television coverage.
He knows how to appeal to public emotions and can be deliberately cunning to throw his opponent off balance.
His biggest weapon against Harris will be to paint her as a Biden agent on a mission to continue with his failed policies.
Which candidates will be on stage?
Vice President Kamala Harris of the Democratic party and former president Donald Trump (Republican) will be on stage at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
The two nominees will meet for a presidential debate for the first time. In June, Trump debated President Joe Biden, who later bolted out after a disastrous performance, paving the way for Harris to enter the fray.
Trump had earlier threatened to boycott the debate, arguing he had made a prior commitment to engage Biden and not Harris.
In her recent campaigns, Harris challenged the Republican candidate to reconsider the decision and face her in the debate.
What are the debate rules? Will there be hot mics?
Just like in the June debate, there will be no hot mics in the Tuesday night debate. Each candidate’s mic will be switched off when their opponent is speaking. This is a departure from the 2020 rules where hot mics were allowed.
Harris' campaign team wanted the mics to be on during the debate to allow interjections, but Trump’s camp rejected the idea.
In June, Biden's campaign team requested the mics be muted. Harris hoped that allowing the mics to be on would tempt Trump to interject and make his usual “intemperate outbursts” to his own detriment.
hat are the other rules?W
The campaign teams have agreed on several rules for the debate. Here is a list of the agreed-upon guidelines;
Candidates will have two minutes for their answers, two minutes for rebuttals, and one minute for follow-ups, responses to rebuttals, or clarifications.
Candidates will also have two minutes for their closing remarks.
No candidate will be allowed to pose a question to the opponent during the debate.
Candidates cannot interact with their campaign teams during the two commercial breaks.
Props or pre-written notes will not be allowed.
Each candidate will receive a pen, paper pad, and bottle of water.
Harris will stand on the right side of the viewers’ screen, while Trump will be on the left.
The debate will last for 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.
There will be no audience present during the debate
Trump will give the last closing statement after Harris.
Wrapping up
The presidential debate between Trump and Harris is not just a political showdown, but a momentous event in the history of American elections that could make or break either candidate’s chances of winning the November polls.
Trump and Harris will have the chance to outline their principles, policies, and governance plans to the American people.
The outcome will definitely shape public opinion and might as well tilt voting patterns in the swing states.
