What to expect for Harris and Trump’s first and final debate

The presidential debate between current Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will begin at 9 p.m. EST, held on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Late last June saw current President Biden and Trump face off on the debate stage, a moment which saw Biden’s approval rating and chances of reelection plummet over concerns raised for the sitting president’s health and mental state.

Within weeks, Biden announced on X that “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

Later in the address, Biden endorsed Kamala Harris, effectively beginning her presidential campaign.

In the same month, Trump survived an assassination attempt during a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which saw him skyrocket up in the polls at a time when it seemed like the election was all but won.

That was until Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate, a pick which has thus far proven to be instrumental in revitalizing the energy of the democratic party, leading to what is projected to be an incredibly tight race, the results of which a presidential debate could make or break for either candidate.

Weeks were spent deliberating on what rules would be employed at the debate, with both parties eventually agreeing to have muted microphones while the other candidate was speaking.

After winning a coin flip, Trump will be given the final opportunity to speak while Harris is given her choice of podium.

The questions discussed will not be known until after the debate, however, it can be expected that topics such as abortion, taxation, inflation, the overall economy, and the United States' role and involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian and Russian-Ukrainian conflicts.

Additionally, we can expect to see points brought up over President Trump’s “election denialism”, involvement in the Jan. 6 storming of the capital and current legal troubles, while Harris will also face scrutiny over her past record as the Attorney General of California as well as her campaign’s touted policies which have been deemed “radical” and “communist” by her opposition on the right.

The debate will be moderated by ABC News "Prime" anchor Linsey Davis and "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir.

Viewers can tune in through the CBS Network as well as a bevy of other cable channels and a few streaming services such as Hulu and Disney+.

Trip Tagle is a second-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact them, please email tnt5403@psu.edu.