First Presidential Debate: Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump – What to Know

In just one week, the highly anticipated first presidential debate will occur featuring former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The debate is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, at the National Constitutional Center in Philadelphia, as announced by ABC News last month. Trump confirmed his participation via a post on Truth Social, agreeing to the same debate conditions he had for the June CNN debate against President Biden.

The previous debate rules mandated that candidates could only speak when their microphones were activated, and there would not be a studio audience. Moreover, candidates were prohibited from consulting with their teams during breaks and were not allowed to bring notes. Each candidate was provided with a pad, a pen, and a bottle of water.

Initially, Trump expressed skepticism about attending the debate but later indicated that he would not let the microphone policy deter him. He questioned in a Truth Social post, “Why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” This comment came after he criticized a recent interview on ABC’s “This Week.”

The debate is set to commence at 9 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on ABC and available for streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu.

Moderating the debate will be David Muir, anchor and managing editor of “World News Tonight,” alongside Linsey Davis, anchor of ABC News Live “Prime.” Prior to the debate, a special program titled “Race for the White House” will air starting at 8 p.m. ET with anchors including Martha Raddatz, Jonathan Karl, Mary Bruce, and Rachel Scott.

For candidates to qualify for the September 10 debate, they must meet specific requirements as outlined by ABC News. Firstly, they must comply with Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution concerning presidential eligibility. Additionally, candidates are required to file a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission and must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots as certified by the appropriate election authority to obtain a majority of the electoral votes—specifically, 270—by September 3, 2024.

Moreover, candidates must agree to the rules and format set forth by ABC News for the debate. Importantly, they must also achieve at least 15% support in four different national polls conducted among registered or likely voters, meeting ABC News’ established standards.

The qualifying polls are required to be executed using probability sampling by recognized entities, which include ABC News, CNN, Fox News, NBC News, The New York Times/Siena College, Quinnipiac University, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. Each of the four polling organizations must be different, and polls must have been conducted and made public between August 1, 2024, and September 3, 2024, to qualify.

With the debate just around the corner, both candidates will prepare for a crucial face-off that could significantly influence their campaign narratives.

Source: USA TODAY