Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump meet face-to-face for the first time in a highly anticipated debate on Tuesday that could prove pivotal in the pitched battle for the White House. Watch it live now on FRANCE 24 TV.
Tens of millions of American voters are expected to tune in to watch both candidates take the stage in Philadelphia for their first and possibly only debate, hosted by ABC News.
Harris has been leading in many polls since she replaced Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket while others put Trump ahead or remain a statistical tie. But more than a quarter of likely voters say they do not yet know enough about her, in contrast to the former president, something she is hoping to address tonight.
The debate offers Harris, a former prosecutor, a chance to make her case against Trump, whose felony convictions, penchant for lying and outspoken support for those convicted in the January 6 assault on the Capitol offer fertile grounds for attack. Harris will discuss the economy and her plans for bringing down food and housing prices, her campaign advisers said.
Trump allies, meanwhile, are hoping he can stay on message and avoid veering into the confused tangents and personal attacks for which he is well known – and which his camp fears may turn off some undecided voters. Trump advisers and fellow Republicans have urged him to focus on illegal immigration and prices that have remained high since the Covid pandemic.
The debate is the first time the two candidates have met in person.
