Donald Trump, Kamala Harris' 1st Presidential Debate
The much-awaited debate of the US Presidential elections 2024 is here. The season's second general elections debate and the first showdown between Donald J Trump and Kamala Harris is scheduled to take place on September 10 at 9:00 pm ET (Sept 11, 6:30 am IST).
The 90-minute debate hosted by ABC News's David Muir and Linsey Davis will take place at Philadelphia's National Consitution Center, which aims to provide a critical look at both candidates' positions ahead of the presidential polls.
The debate comes months after a Juen debate between President Joe Biden and Trump. However, Biden later an end to his reelection bid after facing immense backlash over his poor performance in the debate and concerns over his age. The democratic leader then endorsed Harris as the presidential candidate for the Democrats.
Assuring an unbiased debate, the ABC Network established clear rules for a structured discussion between the two candidates. Given the unique format for the debate- no live audience will be present. This debate is expected to be a substantive and informative exchange, making it essential viewing for anyone interested in the coming 2024 US Presidential election.
According to the rules, neither candidate will deliver any opening statements.
Both candidates will be given two minutes to answer questions, followed by another two minutes for rebuttals. An additional minute will be given for clarification if needed.
To maintain fair play, candidates will not have access to pre-written notes. Only basic writing material and water be permitted.
Additionally, the candidates will not be allowed to directly question each other.
The presidential debate will air live on ABC News at 9 pm ET on Tuesday (6:30 am IST on Wednesday). However, it can also be streamed on ABC News Live, Disney+, Hulu, and Fox News.
To preview the event, ABC News will present a special programme, "Race for the White House," at 8 pm ET.
This debate marks to be the first face-off between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, given the high stakes where the audience is expected to share a robust exchange of views.
The Harris campaign expressed concerns over the rules set by the network, especially the muted microphone stating that it might limit their engagement. However, Trumop's team affirmed to have accepted the debate under the same terms as CNN.
In August, Trump refused to participate in the primary debate against Kamala stating the network is hostile towards Republicans. He told reporters, "When I looked at the hostility of that, I said, 'Why am I doing it? Let's do it with another network.' I want to do it."
Trump won a coin toss and rules were set. Not only this, he was given the choice of podium placement and the order of final remarks.
What's Your Reaction?
