The stage is set for a political showdown as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump prepare to face off in their first presidential debate next week. This highly anticipated event promises to be a defining moment in the 2024 election, offering voters a glimpse into the candidates’ strategies and positions on key issues.
The debate is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10th at 9 p.m. EST and will air live on ABC, as well as streaming services like ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu. Viewers can also watch via the ABC app and abc.com.
Moderating the event will be ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. While some have advocated for real-time fact-checking during the debate, Muir and Davis are expected to follow tradition and intervene only when necessary. Similar to the Trump-Biden debate in June, the event will be held without a live audience.
To ensure focused discussions, both candidates have agreed to a set of rules. Their microphones will be muted while the other candidate is speaking, and they will forgo opening statements, props, and prewritten notes. The only permitted items are a pen, paper, and a bottle of water. While candidates cannot directly question each other, given Trump’s past debate performances, it remains to be seen how strictly this rule will be enforced.
While the topics for discussion are not pre-determined, several issues are likely to dominate the conversation. Abortion rights and IVF protections, which Trump has recently shifted his stance on, are expected to be key points of contention. Other likely topics include the economy, border security, the war in Gaza, and possibly a focus on racial relations and policing, particularly in light of Trump’s past comments questioning Harris’s Black identity. It will be interesting to see how Harris navigates this potentially sensitive topic, considering she declined to address Trump’s attacks during a recent CNN interview.
As the first debate between these two candidates approaches, the nation watches with bated breath, anticipating a clash of ideologies and a potential turning point in the 2024 election.
