Observing key points during CNN's discourse session with Kamala Harris
The occasion, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET, coincides with CNN's proposal for a second debate between Harris and ex-President Trump, which Harris agreed to but Trump declined.
In the home stretch of the contest, Harris has intensified her criticisms of Trump's cognitive abilities, repeatedly characterizing him as disorganized and unsuitable for the presidency of the United States. She has also intensified her focus on his involvement in the erosion of federal abortion rights, labeling his often careless discussions of the issue as evidence of "cruelty."
Conversely, Trump has remained aggressive towards Harris and, over the past few weeks, has challenged–and at times berated–Jewish, Black, and Latino voters supporting the Democrat.
Despite the substantial rhetoric, organization, and massive campaign funding, the election appears to be a toss-up–both campaigns are expressing dissatisfaction with the stability of national and battleground state polling.
Here are five points to monitor during Harris' town hall, led by CNN's Anderson Cooper:
Trump and his mental fitness
Over the past few weeks, Harris' campaign has expressed concern about Trump's mental and physical capabilities to serve another term in the White House.
"He's becoming more unstable and unhinged; the American people deserve better than an individual who seems to be unstable," Harris stated last weekend in Detroit.
This strategy is a switch from the tactic used by Trump and his Republican allies against President Biden for years, before Biden formally dropped out of the 2024 race in July. Harris has maintained a rigorous campaign schedule and accused Trump of failing to appear in scheduled interviews–with one report citing "exhaustion" as the reason. She has also become more open to discussing Trump's bizarre behavior, such as when the 78-year-old Republican halted a recent town hall to dance for 39 minutes in front of a perplexed-looking Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor intending to moderate the event.
Simultaneously, surveys of undecided voters indicate they want more information about Harris and her policy plans. She has already proposed one of the most ambitious extensions of senior care in modern U.S. history, although it rarely receives detailed attention.
Harris does not need to choose between promoting herself and criticizing Trump, as town hall questions often provide the opportunity for candidates to guide the conversation. Her approach during the event will provide new insights into her and her campaign's perspectives on the race.
The delicate Biden matter
Harris has handled the topic of Biden with care, balancing her loyalty to the president she serves under with the political reality that Democrats pressured him to withdraw from the race.
Trump's campaign seized the opportunity when, earlier this month on ABC's "The View," Harris was asked what she would have done differently than Biden and replied, "Nothing comes to mind."
A week later, in a Fox News interview where she was asked a similar question, Harris used the chance to establish some distance from Biden by stressing their age difference (she is 60; he is 81) and diverse political histories (her career was primarily in California; he spent 36 years in the Senate). She also stated that her presidency would not be an extension of Biden's.
Economic concerns pose the most significant challenge for Harris. Biden has been eager to boast about the U.S.'s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that it is a success story. However, Harris must grapple with the reality that numerous Americans continue to grapple with inflation–a matter she has tackled with proposals targeting price gouging, assisting first-time homeowners, and so on.
Though polls indicated deep concerns about Biden's age, he can make one unique claim: He is the only individual who has ever defeated Trump. Harris is attempting to revive Biden's 2020 coalition, which included strong backing from Black voters and gains among suburban moderates. Securing their support might answer why she has not put more distance between herself and Biden.
Addressing Trump's attacks
Trump has unleashed a barrage of sometimes profane attacks on Harris and her allies in the race's final phase.
He referred to Harris as a "sh*t" vice president. He described former Wyoming Republican Representative Liz Cheney, who has campaigned with Harris, as "dumb as a rock."
Will Harris respond directly to these attacks, or will she disregard them?
The vice president has increasingly cited Trump's own words during the campaign trail, occasionally playing clips of Trump's incendiary remarks, verbal stumbles, and bizarre moments at her rallies. She has used these instances to characterize Trump as unstable.
Emphasizing abortion rights
Abortion rights has emerged as one of the best issues for Democrats since the Supreme Court, with a majority consisting of three conservative justices appointed by Trump, overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
This is an issue Harris is likely to emphasize during the race's final weeks, particularly as polls show a significant gender gap, with a clear majority of women supporting the Democratic nominee and men backing Trump.
Harris might look for ways to highlight her support for abortion rights while drawing attention to the practical issues caused by Trump's call for states to determine their own policies. She has emphasized this in her campaign speeches, focusing on individual cases of women affected by restrictive abortion laws.
On Saturday in Georgia, she cited the case of Amber Thurman, a Georgia woman who died after her medical care was delayed due to the state's abortion laws.
Recently, an investigation by nonprofit news organization ProPublica exposed that Thurman sadly passed away in 2022 due to a curable infection. The issue arose from the state's restrictive abortion laws, causing delays in her medical care. Thurman attempted to arrange a surgical abortion at a North Carolina facility, but traffic issues led to her arriving late for the appointment. As a result, she opted for a medication abortion – a solution sanctioned for up to 10 weeks into pregnancy. Regrettably, she encountered uncommon, fatal complications.
Addressing Trump's irresponsibility, Vice President Kamala Harris remarked, "Donald Trump blatantly refuses to accept responsibility – to admit any responsibility – for the miseries and hardships he has inflicted upon others, or even to acknowledge that such unjustifiable sufferings exist at all."
Winning over prospective Republican voters
Vice President Harris attended three separate occasions on Monday, in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin – countries known as the "blue wall" – with former Representative Liz Cheney, a staunch conservative with a solid history of voting against Democratic presidential candidates. Despite this, Cheney publicly supports Harris due to the colossal political stakes that the approaching election presents.
Harris has remained true to her progressive views, but she has consistently communicated her commitment to being "a president for all Americans." She aspires to unite discontented Republican voters who find it difficult to abandon their party, yet harbor reservations about supporting Trump. Harris isn't the first candidate to espouse this message, but sitting alongside Cheney – the daughter of the Iraq War strategist and former Vice President Dick Cheney, who also supports Harris – signals that she believes there's a considerable pool of Republicans and independent GOP voters that may shift their allegiance.
This move represents the epitome of "big-tent" coalition politics, a strategy frequently employed in European parliamentary elections but seldom seen in US presidential campaigns. If Harris fails, her campaign will face intense criticism for squandering time and resources. If she succeeds, it could herald a significant transformation in American politics.
Before she can seal the deal, however, Harris must present a compelling closing argument that resonates with the moment.
During the town hall, expect Harris to continue criticizing Trump's mental fitness, citing his erratic behavior and inability to maintain a consistent campaign schedule. She might also bring up his recent dance performance at a town hall as evidence of his unsuitability for the presidency.
Additionally, as undecided voters express a desire for more information about Harris and her policy plans, particularly on senior care, we may see her address these concerns, highlighting her ambitious extension proposal as a solution to the aging population's needs.
