THE’America stops for the TV presidential debate Between Kamala Harris And Donald Trumpthe first and perhaps the only one of this new and short election campaign after the withdrawal of Joe Biden. It’s also their first face to face after weeks of mutual attacks, with the vice president who called it a «sexual predator» and a “scammer» convicted in court. While her rival labeled her as a «companion» communist and also offended her with insults sexists And racistsdespite repeated appeals from his former Republican challenger Nikki Haley to change the way he and his running mate J.D. Vance they talk about women: «There is no need to call Kamala Harris stupid, she did not get here just by chance. We must focus on the policies».
There are all the conditions for one boxing matchaccording to the metaphor evoked by the tycoon’s campaign, which however sees Kamala as “the boxer who tries to prepare to fight Floyd Mayweather or Muhammed Ali“, that is, defeated from the start. But the rules of engagement avoid direct verbal duels: in the 90 minutes of confrontation Philadelphia in studios without an audience ABCthe two opponents – moderated by as many anchor – they have the microphone turned off when the other is speaking and they cannot ask each other questions or take notes. And they cannot even leave their podiumas Trump did in 2016 by putting pressure on Hillary Clinton.
So what makes the difference are any fatal gaffes or well-timed jabs, as happened in the debate that forced Biden to withdraw. Otherwise, in a highly polarized America where the majority has already decided who to support, the stakes are votes of the undecidedwhich can become decisive in the seven states in the balance on which the victory hangs in a race that is currently neck and neck.
A few hours before going on stage, Trump said he felt “great” and accused his rival of “not being credible anymore”. “You don’t know what to expect. She’s changed all her policies over the years,” he accused, attacking her for her ‘flip flop‘, that is, his U-turns, from fracking to the reduction of funds to police. Meanwhile, to hit Kamala on the front immigrationhas relaunched on social media, together with his ‘running mate’ JD Vance and other high-ranking Republican figures, the conspiracy theory according to which the Haitians that arrive in the USA steal and eat pets. As would have happened to Springfield, Ohiothe state of Vance.
“Protect our ducks and our kittens in Ohio!” wrote the Republicans on the committee. Justice of the Chamber by posting on their account X a patently false image of Trump saving a white duck and a tabby cat. “A dangerous and racist conspiracy theory that unfortunately some people believe,” the spokesman replied Security Council John Kirby.
The challenge seems more uphill for Harris, who has so far conceded only one interviewhas made scripted appearances and has a less defined profile than the tycoon. “Kamala has a lot to gain and a lot to lose,” as she is still little known to many voters, according to Mitchell McKinneyformer advisor to the commission USA on the presidential debates. Among the arrows in his quiver, the attack on theabortionon the inadequacy of the former president to lead the country and on the risk to democracy of the Project 2025the agenda of far right from which The Donald tries to distance himself. The campaign Dem does not exclude another debate, as Trump is asking by pushing for a face-to-face meeting on Fox. But for now only the confrontation between the two deputies is set: Vance and Tim WalzOctober 1st on CBS News.