KUALA LUMPUR – US Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump will go head-to-head in their first televised debate on September 10.
According to ABC News, the event is expected to draw a huge viewership and could be a make-or-break moment for both candidates in what polls indicate is an extremely close race.
“I am looking forward to debating Donald Trump, and we have a date of September 10. I hear he’s finally committed to it, and I’m looking forward to it,” Harris was quoted as saying.
The former president had initially agreed to participate in a debate with Joe Biden on ABC News. However, after Biden withdrew from his re-election campaign, Trump hinted that he might withdraw from the debate as well.
During a meandering press conference yesterday, he reversed his stance, stating that he was now willing to debate Kamala Harris three times in September – on ABC, Fox News, and NBC.
ABC News has confirmed that it will host a debate for qualifying presidential candidates on September 10. Both Vice President Harris and former president Trump have agreed to participate.
While Harris has not yet committed to further debates on NBC or Fox, she told reporters that she is open to discussing the possibility of additional debates after the September 10 event.
In June, over 51 million viewers watched the first presidential debate between Trump and Biden.
Biden’s shaky performance at the debate signalled the start of his campaign’s decline.
The month after, Trump survived an assassination attempt, Biden withdrew from the race, and Harris took his place as the Democratic candidate – rapidly gaining momentum.
While Biden had previously been lagging behind Trump in crucial swing states, Harris has seen a surge in support, with some polls now showing her ahead.
A recent Ipsos poll released yesterday indicated that Harris was leading Trump with 42% to his 37%. This is an improvement from the Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted between July 22 and 23, where Harris was ahead by 37% to 34%.
Harris’s rapid rise has left the Trump campaign struggling to respond effectively.
During his press conference, marking his first public appearance since Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, Trump repeatedly mispronounced Harris’ name, cast doubt on her racial identity, as well as made several unfounded claims about the economy, the Biden administration’s record, and his own achievements. – August 9, 2024