Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are approaching their debate preparation for Tuesday in sharply contrasting styles—Harris studying intensively with aides in Pittsburgh, while Trump dismisses traditional prep in favor of campaign events and frequent media appearances.
Quick Read
- Kamala Harris is secluded in a Pittsburgh hotel, intensely preparing for Tuesday’s presidential debate by honing concise answers with aides.
- Donald Trump dismisses traditional debate prep, instead focusing on campaign events and media appearances, claiming he’ll know how to handle the debate instinctively.
- Harris expects Trump to rely on insults and misinformation during the debate, while her team focuses on middle-class issues and a positive vision for the future.
- Harris is working with Democratic consultant Philippe Reines, who portrays Trump in mock debate sessions.
- Trump, quoting Mike Tyson, suggests that strategic debate prep is less important and that he’ll handle the debate in real-time.
- Trump has criticized the ABC News moderators, claiming they won’t treat him fairly, but plans to allow Harris to speak, similar to his approach in his debate with Biden.
- Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman now supporting Trump, is helping him prepare for the debate, drawing on her experience debating Harris in 2020.
- Trump’s debate strategy is to portray Harris as too liberal and tie her to Biden’s economic record, focusing on her past policy reversals.
- Harris’ campaign is betting that Trump’s extreme positions will work against him, using the debate as an opportunity to reach over 1 million voters through 2,000 planned events this weekend.
- The debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia could be a critical moment in the closely contested 2024 presidential race.
Harris and Trump prepare for debate in starkly different ways
Newslooks- PITTSBURGH
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are approaching Tuesday’s presidential debate in markedly different ways, underscoring their divergent styles and strategies as they vie for the White House. The vice president has secluded herself in a historic Pittsburgh hotel, focused on refining concise, two-minute responses per the debate’s rules. Since Thursday, Harris has worked with aides to prepare while also staying connected with swing-state voters in the area.
Meanwhile, Trump, the Republican nominee, dismisses the need for formal debate preparation. Instead, he fills his days with campaign events and interviews, claiming he’ll instinctively know how to navigate the debate when it begins. During a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity, Trump downplayed the need for strategy, quoting boxing legend Mike Tyson: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
Harris expects Trump to unleash insults and misinformation, but she remains focused on middle-class issues and offering a vision for a brighter future. “We should be prepared for the fact that he is not burdened by telling the truth,” Harris said in a recent interview, stressing that Trump prioritizes himself over the American people. In her debate preparation, Harris is working with Democratic consultant Philippe Reines, who portrays Trump in mock sessions. She has emphasized understanding Trump’s tactics, describing him as someone with a “playbook” of falsehoods often used to attack his opponents.
Trump, for his part, insists that he’ll allow Harris to speak freely during the debate, similar to his approach with Biden in June. That debate was a pivotal moment, with Biden’s shaky performance leading to his decision to endorse Harris as the Democratic nominee. Both campaigns view the upcoming face-off as potentially decisive in an increasingly tight race. Preemptively, Trump has criticized the debate moderators from ABC News, suggesting he won’t be treated fairly. However, he maintains that he’ll approach the debate with minimal preparation. His team argues that his regular media appearances—interviews, press conferences, and town halls—keep him sharp on policy issues.
Trump also consults frequently with policy experts during informal sessions, discussing his previous administration’s policies and plans for a second term. In a radio interview in New Hampshire, he reiterated that preparation boils down to knowing one’s subject matter. “You either know your subject or not. You either have good policy or not,” he said. Ahead of his last debate with Biden, Trump held prep sessions with prominent Republicans, including Florida Senator Marco Rubio. This time, former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, now a Trump ally, has been helping with debate preparations, particularly since she has firsthand experience debating Harris from their 2020 Democratic primary campaigns.
Trump’s strategy is to put Harris on the defensive, portraying her as too liberal and linking her to Biden’s economic record and past policy shifts, such as her stance on fracking. Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, “We look forward to the opportunity for Americans to see her on stage, incapable of defending her policies and flip-flops.” On the other hand, Harris’ campaign is betting that Trump’s extreme positions will hurt him. They hope the debate will serve as a platform to build on the momentum her campaign has generated. This weekend, Harris’ campaign will host 2,000 events aimed at reaching over one million voters.
“With hundreds of offices and thousands of staff across the battlegrounds, we are able to harness all the buzz around the debate and break through to hard-to-reach voters,” said Dan Kanninen, the campaign’s battleground states director. The debate, which takes place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, could be a crucial moment in a race that remains closely contested.
