Trump And Harris To Faceoff In Presidential Debate

(Scypre.com) – Former President Donald Trump was set to face off against President Joe Biden in their second and possibly final debate ahead of the election. However, in an unexpected twist, President Biden announced on July 21 that he would suspend his campaign. This move followed growing skepticism within his own party about his ability to handle another term after a lackluster debate performance in June against Trump.

With Biden out of the debate, the stage was set for a showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump. The debate, organized by ABC News, will take place at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center on Tuesday, September 10, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. After weeks of negotiations, both Harris and Trump agreed to move forward with the event, which is crucial given that Pennsylvania is a battleground state with 19 electoral votes, and both candidates are currently tied there according to a CBS News estimate.

The debate will be moderated by David Muir, anchor of “World News Tonight,” and Linsey Davis, anchor of ABC News Live “Prime.” It will follow a format where microphones are muted when the opposing candidate is speaking. Harris’ campaign had originally opposed this rule but ultimately conceded, expressing concerns that it would hinder Harris’ ability to directly engage with Trump. “Vice President Harris, a former prosecutor, will be fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges,” her campaign stated in a letter to ABC News. Despite their reservations, Harris’ team chose not to jeopardize the event, agreeing to the final terms.

The format for the debate allows for two-minute responses to moderators’ questions, two-minute rebuttals, and an extra minute for clarifications. There are no opening statements, but candidates will be allowed two-minute closing remarks, with Trump choosing to go last after winning a coin toss. Candidates will not be allowed to ask each other questions, bring prewritten notes, or receive assistance from their campaign staff during commercial breaks. There will be no live audience in attendance.

While any topic can be raised during the debate, the network has not disclosed the specific areas of focus. The debate will be broadcast across several networks, including CBS, and will also be available to stream on ABC News Live, Disney+, Hulu, CBS News 24/7, and other platforms.

This debate could prove critical in determining the trajectory of the election. There is one more scheduled debate, featuring the vice-presidential nominees, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, set for October 1 in New York City. While Harris has agreed to a second debate with Trump in October, no date has been confirmed for a potential rematch.