What to watch for in the presidential debate tonight: How Harris, Trump may appeal to voters
Polls show the race is in a dead heat and the debate may be an opportunity for both to break through.
The presidential debate in June pitted Donald Trump against an enfeebled Joe Biden, who flopped so badly that he was forced to drop out of the race.
The sequel unfolds Tuesday night in Philadelphia, with a much younger Kamala Harris hoping to flip the script and expose Trump as the aging candidate unfit to lead.
Trump faces a different challenge. Will he be disciplined enough to forgo the familiar insults and gripes that risk pushing away voters who aren’t part of his loyal base? Can he stick to issues and possibly gain ground by painting Harris as a flip-flopper for having changed her stances on health care and energy policies?
For both candidates, the debate hosted by ABC News may be the best chance to seize the advantage in a campaign that polls show is a tossup. The debate starts at 9 p.m. ET, and millions will be watching. There is no bigger stage during the eight-week sprint to Election Day.
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