Harris readies herself for the long-desired confrontation with Trump, as he adopts a less formal approach.
On this Tuesday evening, Harris finds herself in a crucial situation. She's endeavoring to carve out a distinct identity for herself in the eyes of voters and sustain the favorable momentum she's experienced since becoming the Democratic Party's most recent nominee during the summer.
The debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will serve as the first face-to-face encounter between Harris and Trump, who are locked in a narrow race.
This debate is a significant opportunity for Harris to demonstrate to Americans that she's equipped to assume the presidency, a concern that has surfaced among voters as the fall campaign gains intensity. In Pittsburgh, during a weekend break, Harris expressed her views on unity and progress, stating, "It's time to turn the page on division. It's time to unite our country, to plot a new course."
Trump, however, wants to shape voters' perceptions of Harris negatively and halt her progress since her ascent to the Democratic Party's pinnacle in July. Ahead of the debate, Harris has narrowed Trump's lead over Biden in presidential polls that had been substantial earlier in the year.
Both candidates present themselves as champions of change. Harris positions herself as a substantial break from the past, an era dominated by divisive politics under Trump. Conversely, Trump highlights Harris' time in the Biden administration and attributes inflation, increased mortgage rates, and other issues to her.
During the CNN debate between Trump and Biden in June, Trump's response to a question about making childcare more affordable was perceived as incoherent, showcasing his tendency to overlook policy details and the practicality of his proposals.
Trump has also levied racist and sexually suggestive attacks against Harris, falsely implying in July that she "happened to turn Black" a few years ago (she's the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants) and sharing derogatory remarks about her past relationship with San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown on social media.
Whether or not Trump resorts to similar comments, and how Harris responds, could significantly impact viewers' perceptions of their encounter on Tuesday.
Moderated by ABC anchors Linsey Davis and David Muir, the debate is scheduled to span 90 minutes. Similar to the CNN debate between Trump and Biden, candidates' microphones will be active during their turns to speak and muted otherwise, according to a deal agreed upon by both campaigns.
These rules have frustrated Harris, who had hoped to utilize her skills as a former prosecutor during any on-stage interactions with Trump. The Harris campaign, however, eventually consented to these conditions in a letter to ABC News.
Close race in crucial swing states
The debate arrives just before early voting commences in several key states. Polls suggest a tight national race and a dead heat in these battlegrounds, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina.
Both camps have focused their efforts on Pennsylvania and Georgia, where recent CNN polls revealed no clear frontrunner between the candidates. Should Trump secure North Carolina, a state he's previously won twice, victories in Pennsylvania and Georgia could propel him beyond the 270 electoral vote threshold even if he fails to win any other battleground states.
Harris received a morale boost towards the end of last week, with her campaign announcing that they raised almost triple their Republican adversary's fundraising haul in August — $361 million to Trump's $130 million — entering September with $404 million in funds saved for the final two-month dash towards November. This sum far surpasses the $295 million that Trump's political operation claims they have on hand.
A New York Times/Siena College poll issued on Sunday, however, underscored the significance of the battle for defining Harris. The survey, while depicting a close national race, suggested that a substantial number of voters still require more information about the vice president: 28% of likely voters stated that they need additional insights on Harris, while only 9% expressed similar sentiments towards Trump.
The poll also offered potential warning signs for Harris. While 61% of likely voters believed the next president should symbolize a "major change" from Biden, only 25% expressed this view about Harris, while 53% associated this change with Trump.
The same poll demonstrated that 47% of likely voters found Harris too liberal, despite her recent efforts to moderate, compared to 32% who deemed Trump too conservative.
Pittsburgh debate preparations
The two candidates have adopted contrasting strategies as they prepare for their Tuesday tussle.
No modern-day presidential nominee has participated in more televised general election debates than Trump. Harris and her team have been meticulously analyzing all six of these debates — three each with Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020 — in preparation for her turn on stage.
In the days leading up to the debate, Harris has been immersed in hotel rooms in Pittsburgh, keeping her public appearances minimal. However, her aides informed reporters that she had been contemplating a debate against Trump since July, when Biden officially ended his bid for re-election.
"I think the voters deserve to witness the contrast that exists within this race on a debate stage," Harris stated to reporters last month. "I'm prepared. Let's proceed."
She's been reading writings about Trump's comments, views, and even the insults he's directed at her, aides revealed, and familiarizing herself with how Trump interacted with his two previous Democratic opponents, specifically Clinton.
Harris has talked a lot with both Clinton and Biden about squaring off against Trump, hoping to make the most of their experiences.
She began hinting at her strategy towards Trump before her nomination was official, telling a crowd in Atlanta in late July, "If you've got something to say, say it to my face."
According to her team, Harris' strategy is not just to stand up to Trump, but to show that it's time for the country to leave his era behind. Any race-related jabs from him are expected to be regarded as the same old repetitive tactic, as Harris stated during an interview with CNN last month.
Unlike other candidates who seem to dislike debate rehearsals, Harris is diving deep into mock sessions against a Trump stand-in, Philippe Reines, a longtime Clinton aide, and preparing like she did when she was a prosecutor.
Karen Dunn, a Washington lawyer who's been helping Democratic candidates prepare for debates for over a decade, is running these practice sessions for Harris. Dunn, who worked with Clinton before her encounters with Trump in 2016, got to know Harris when she prepared her for the debate with Vice President Mike Pence back in 2020.
"Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking. I'm speaking," Harris said during that debate, a line that could repeat if she faces any interruptions during the upcoming debate.
Trump's lax methodology
Recently, Trump has made digs at Harris over her prep work, and he claims that his own performance won't get a fair assessment.
"If I wipe the floor with her in the debate, they'll say, 'Trump suffered a humiliating defeat tonight,'" the former president said at a rally in Wisconsin.
Trump, who doesn't believe in the need for formal prep like mock debates, has been meeting with advisors, experts, and allies to prepare.
The "policy discussions" - Trump's version of debate preparation - closely resemble those he had ahead of his June 27 debate with Biden, according to sources familiar with the meetings.
Trump's senior adviser, Jason Miller, has been handling these meetings, which have included sessions with Stephen Miller, Trump campaign policy advisor Vincent Haley, and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, among others.
The sessions have been centered on sharpening Trump's communication on various topics, such as the economy, immigration, and American democracy as a whole.
The Trump campaign intentionally scheduled events in the weeks leading up to the debate, like a policy speech at the Economic Club of New York and a town hall with Fox News, to help Trump refine his messaging.
People close to Trump believe that one of the most critical aspects of his debate with Harris is preventing him from seeming excessively aggressive towards her and ensuring he strikes the right tone. Like the June 27 debate with Biden, Trump's advisors and allies have been urging him to tone it down while on stage.
However, many privately admit that this will be even more crucial this time. Not only is Harris a more popular candidate than Biden was then, but she's also a woman, and certain attacks will have a different effect, they say.
Gabbard, who recently endorsed Trump, has been instrumental in this effort. Gabbard, one of the 2020 Democratic presidential contenders who questioned Harris on the debate stage, has been working with Trump to help him comprehend Harris' debate style.
Trump's advisers have suggested that he should specifically focus on needling Harris on the issues where she's shifted her stance.
"We want to keep him directed at hitting her record," an adviser said. "On fracking, on her flip-flops, and show that she's just as accountable for the Biden administration's failed policies as Biden is."
Those helping Trump prepare have also directed him to concentrate on the key policy issues where he polls higher than Harris, such as the economy, immigration, and crime, sources familiar with the meetings said.
"The most important part is finding pivots, finding ways to be critical of her, deflecting attacks from her," a senior Trump adviser told CNN. "It's not about her interrupting him or how she'll act. It's about him being on target on his responses on policy. That's been the main focus."
The debate on Tuesday evening offers Harris a chance to demonstrate her presidential aptitude and address concerns about her ability to lead, as she faces off against Trump in Philadelphia. Despite Trump's attempts to sully her image, her strong performance in the debate could help shape a more favorable view among voters.
In the run-up to the debate, Harris has been meticulously preparing, studying Trump's past debates and interactions, and rehearsing with debate coaches to effectively counter his tactics. Contrastingly, Trump has adopted a more relaxed approach to debate preparation, relying on informal policy discussions with advisors and allies.
