Vice presidential and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris may gain some advantages and find herself in the spotlight during the upcoming presidential debates on Tuesday evening with former US President Donald Trump, but there are also serious risks, according to Alan Schroeder, a debate expert.
Facing such a well-known opponent as Trump, the debates could provide Harris with an opportunity to boost her support; however, there is a risk that voters may turn away if her performance is not up to par, according to Schroeder.
I do think this is a debate about Kamala Harris more than it’s a debate about Trump. Trump has been so dominant on the American political stage for the past decade, really. And now it’s about someone else.
Schroeder points out that Trump will be more focused on Harris in the upcoming debates. This could be an advantage for Harris, as she will receive more attention, according to him, but it also means greater pressure and the need for her to deliver a successful debate to capitalise on this.
The debates will take place on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time (01:30 GMT) and will last for 90 minutes. Moderators will be ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. There will be no audience in the studio. Polls show that the race is currently tied. The performance and success of either candidate in the debates could influence the opinions of undecided voters, who will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the election.
Aside from, Harris is also at a disadvantage because she has not yet passed a full vetting process and has not actually met with anyone in the campaign up to this point. Harris has participated in other debates including the 2020 Democratic Party primaries and vice presidential debates, but Tuesday’s debate will be her biggest audience yet. Meanwhile, Trump has participated in the debate six times already.
I think inexperience at that level, playing the game at this level, is something that is really hard to do. I think she can’t show any nerves. She can’t show any sign of intimidation or fear on that stage.
Schroeder also highlights that the problem for Harris is that she has only given one interview since being nominated, which means she will have to be ready to face Trump’s attacks as well as questions from the debate moderators.
The questions might range from a variety of things. For example, subjects such as the Biden administration’s report and accusations of a reshuffling of some key policy initiatives are likely to come up. She has previously expressed support for banning fracking and decriminalising illegal border crossing, but she and her campaign have said she no longer espouses those views.
At the same time, Marc Thiessen, a speechwriter for former US President George W. Bush Jr, wrote in a column for the Washington Post that Trump needs to capitalise on the fact that many undecided voters do not like the direction of the country. Trump needs to remind voters of the policies that were popular during his administration. Apart from, he recalled, “with one disciplined debate performance, Trump helped knock Biden out of the race,” and on Tuesday he will have a chance to do the same with Harris.
