Tulsi Gabbard and an accomplished Trump imitator: Strategies employed by Trump and Harris for their initial face-off debate
With significant stakes at play for the upcoming next month's confrontation – set to be the initial face-off between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at close quarters – preparations for this high-stakes event have already commenced.
Harris initiated her initial formal debate training session this week at Howard University, the prestigious historically Black college in Washington D.C., where she studied for nearly four decades. She is collaborating closely with a seasoned imitator of Trump. In contrast, Trump has enlisted the assistance of one of Harris' previous competitors – Tulsi Gabbard, the ex-representative from Hawaii who sought the presidency as a Democrat in 2020, campaigning alongside a commotion of competitors that included Harris herself.
Following numerous negotiations, Trump and Harris agreed on the proposed September 10 debate arranged by the Trump and Biden campaigns. ABC later announced that the debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
The political landscape and the standing of major US political parties have experienced a significant transformation since the initial debate between Trump and Biden on June 27. Trump's subpar performance that night resulted in the discouragement of his party and its sponsors, who exerted pressure on Biden to exit the race. He eventually left on July 21, endorsing Harris, revitalizing the Democratic Party and providing it a much-needed boost.
Swing state polls and national surveys indicate a campaign that has noticeably narrowed, fueled by an upsurge of enthusiasm for Harris within her own party and fresh consideration from voters who previously steered clear of a Biden-Trump match-up.
Trump appears to be finding it challenging to adjust to a reality that he seems to believe he brought into existence by defeating Biden during their head-to-head encounter.
“I should have eased up a little,” Trump said during a press conference on Thursday. “Someone said, ‘Your debate performance was awful.’ I said, ‘Why?’ ‘Because you compelled him out of office.’“
Preparations for Harris, who has not set foot on a debate stage since facing Trump's former running mate Mike Pence in 2020, are now underway and are anticipated to become more intense following the Democratic National Convention next week in Chicago.
A group of Democratic strategists joined Harris at Howard University this week, including Philippe Reines, a long-term aide to Hillary Clinton, who is reproducing his role as Trump in response to Harris' campaign's request.
Karen Dunn, another long-term Clinton advisor who assisted Harris in preparing for her vice presidential debate in 2020, is also participating in the preparation efforts, according to individuals familiar with the planning. Former Harris advisors Rohini Kosoglu and Sean Clegg are also involved in the initiative, according to an informed source.
The Washington Post was first to report on the preparations involving Reines. The New York Times first reported on the involvement of Kosoglu and Clegg.
Meanwhile, Trump has resumed the strategy he adopted prior to his June debate with Biden, engaging in less formal policy sessions with close consultants, strategists, and allies between campaign appearances and rounds of golf.
Gabbard's involvement, initially reported by the New York Times, was subsequently confirmed by Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. Gabbard, who departed the Democratic Party in 2022, has since found a place within Trump's circle and was even briefly considered as a potential running mate.
Trump's interest in Gabbard stems, in part, from the intense interactions she had with the vice president during their 2020 race. Harris criticized Gabbard for her foreign policy views during one debate, while Gabbard challenged Harris' criminal justice record in another debate.
Seen mainly as a distraction and an enigma during her primary run in 2019, Gabbard's critique of Harris' criminal justice record may have been her most significant impact on the race. With the spotlight on her attorney general record at the time, Harris had prepared for the assault, and by tracking comments Gabbard was making in interviews, aides to the then-California senator were able to predict not only that Gabbard would mount the attack but also the wording of the question. They were astounded by how much Gabbard was able to unsettle Harris, and later admitted that it had aided in pushing Harris into a tailspin from which her campaign never recovered.
As he prepares to face Biden, Trump invited several Republicans he considered for his running mate to discuss issues and potential talking points. Gabbard has now joined this group.
The former president “does not necessitate conventional debate preparation but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and impactful communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage,” Leavitt said.
Trump has advocated for additional debates and agreed to two additional debates with Fox News and NBC. His running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and Harris' vice presidential pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, consented to an October 1 debate hosted by CBS News. Like Trump, Vance has urged Walz to agree to more debates, contending that "as many debates as we possibly can" should be held.
A senior campaign advisor said Harris is open to a second debate, but the specifics will not be finalized until the first debate has transpired.
Publicly, though, the campaign has stated otherwise. In a statement Thursday, Harris campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said, “The debate over debates is finished.”
CNN's Kit Maher contributed to this report.
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated debate between Trump and Harris, politics and alliances are shifting significantly. Trump has enlisted the assistance of Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic presidential candidate known for her Critique of Harris' criminal justice record during their 2020 race.
As Harris prepares for her upcoming debate, she is working closely with seasoned political strategists, including Philippe Reines, a long-time aide to Hillary Clinton, who is mimicking Trump's style for her debate training.
