“The Policy Debate Speaks for Itself”

LEFT: President Donald J. Trump participates in a Sinclair Broadcast Group town hall event Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, in the Rose Garden of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) RIGHT: Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a moderated conversation on reproductive rights with model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen, Thursday, June 20, 2024, in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Carlos Fyfe)

When Americans look at the abysmal job the Biden-Harris administration has done during its occupancy of the White House, there’s no need to attack Harris’s dodgy character, or her lack of experience. That’s the theme suggested for tonight’s debate by Trump advisers Rep. Matt Gaetz and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. The Wall Street Journal reports:

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will have similar goals in Tuesday night’s presidential debate: to knock their opponent off balance and define themselves as the best candidate to bring change to the country.

The debate, hosted by ABC News, is set to take place at 9 p.m. ET at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Here are five things to watch for during the first—and only—scheduled debate between the two candidates.

Can Trump stay on topic?
Before President Biden exited the race, Trump’s advisers usually were content to “let Trump be Trump.” But with Harris now the Democratic contender, they have ramped up efforts to keep Trump disciplined and on message in the hope that he doesn’t risk alienating some of the critical undecided voters needed to push him over the top in November. His campaign team has urged him to stick to policy in the debate and avoid personal attacks that could backfire with an opponent who is a woman of color.

Trump’s debate advisers, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, told reporters on Monday that Trump was particularly focused on the Biden-Harris administration’s economic record and border policies, and would highlight what they called some of Harris’s inconsistencies on issues, including fracking. They said he didn’t need to launch personal attacks when the policy debate speaks for itself.

Read more here.