Trump vs. Harris: What to Watch For

After weeks of back and forth from both campaigns, the will-they-won’t-they surrounding the next presidential debate has come to an end. On Sept. 10, Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump will take the debate stage, televised live on CNN.

After the first Presidential Debate of the 2024 Election led to the upending of the Democratic Party ticket, the second will have quite a reputation to live up to.

CNN has once again laid some ground rules for the candidates, including the muting of the candidates’ microphones when it’s not their turn to speak to avoid interruptions from either side.

Needless to say, the stakes are high for both candidates to perform well, and they both bring a unique set of skills to the debate stage.

In the few months since Vice President Harris launched her campaign, they’ve hit the ground running, utilizing the few months they’ve had to campaign before November to break fundraising records and embark on a bus tour across the country to hold rallies in packed stadiums. As Attorney General of California, and as a U.S. Senator, Harris has plenty of experience delivering a convincing case in front of a crowd, but it remains to be seen if she’ll live up to her previous performances on the CNN stage.

After what some might call a victory for former President Donald Trump’s campaign in his first (and subsequently last) 2024 election season debate with President Joe Biden back in June, all eyes are going to be on him as he tackles his next opponent. Trump is rarely shy, and his propensity for creating newsworthy moments during debates is something to watch out for.

“One of the first things to note about presidential debates is that they are not typically ‘won’ in a traditional sense,” says Elmhurst University Communications Professor, Dr. Thomas Salek.

Salek has studied his fair share of politics and even written scholarship on previous presidential debates. Utilizing that background, he laid out the stakes for this debate, and what he feels each candidate needs to accomplish on stage Tuesday night.

“The news coming out of a debate is sometimes focused less on the substance of what was, and instead citizen-generated memes mocking a debate performance,” Salek said, explaining how things have changed in the digital age. “Candidates typically focus on avoiding a gaffe or mistake that creates the perception that they are out of touch or incompetent.”

This, he says, is another reason that former President Trump should avoid personal attacks and focus instead on discussing economic policy. “Political polling suggests that Trump’s strength is perceptions that he would improve the country’s economic welfare. At the same time, polls also suggest independents dislike character attacks and name-calling.”

“Vice President Harris needs to appear strong, confident, and emphasize her campaign’s value-centric theme of freedom to appeal to voters,” assessed Salek.

The media have criticized the Harris campaign for not focusing on policy, leaving many wondering what exactly she stands for. This was briefly touched upon in her and Tim Walz’s joint interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, where she was questioned on her changing stance on fracking.

Despite these concerns, Salek says the debate, “is not necessarily the best time to deploy these kinds of arguments.” He suggests instead that she should focus on her “commitment to freedom, the middle class, and respecting the rule of law.”

Ultimately, Salek highlights that debates are important because they give citizens the ability to hear from a candidate from their opposing party for an extended period, something staunchly decided voters rarely take the time to seek out.

“Similarly, debates help citizens evaluate the character of who is running for president,” said Salek. “While Americans may state they have a commitment to voting for a candidate’s policies, research indicates that people tend to vote for a candidate they feel understands them, they like, and find to be a strong leader.”

Only time will tell what the aftermath of this next debate will be for both candidates. With Americans glued to their television screens to watch the next chapter of this election unfold, this is shaping up to be one to watch.