Harris, Trump prepare to face off in 1st US presidential debate in state of Pennsylvania

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, US (AA) - US Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump will face off in their first presidential debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, in what is expected to be a heated battle.

Both candidates will have 90 minutes to spar on topics foremost on the minds of Americans, including the state of the US economy, abortion control, immigration laws and reproductive rights.

The rules in place for the 2024 presidential debate aim to pit Harris and Trump against each other one-on-one, with no outside distractions.

There will be no studio audience, neither candidate will be allowed to have pre-written notes or props on the stage, and Harris and Trump will not be permitted to question each other directly, according to media outlets.

I addition, the candidates will have their microphones muted when the other is speaking. However, reports indicate that ABC, which will air the debate live, will have the option to unmute both candidates' mics if producers deem there is "significant crosstalk" on the issues.

Trump won the battle against President Joe Biden in their first debate, but since Biden dropped out of the race and Harris stepped in as the Democratic nominee, Trump is now on a different playing field, facing a rival who is a fierce debater and former federal prosecutor.

Most polls indicate that Harris and Trump are running neck-and-neck in the crucial swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

That means Tuesday's debate carries significant weight, especially for voters who are sitting on the fence between the two candidates.

There is no word on whether Harris and Trump will have a second debate, but Harris's running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, will face off in their first vice presidential debate on Oct. 1.