United States Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, both in the race to be the next US President, are going to face each other for their first debate on Tuesday. The debate is set to be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and will be televised.
According to a Reuters report, the two leaders, who have never met in person, will square off at 9 pm (local time) on Tuesday (Wednesday morning in India) for a 90-minute debate hosted by ABC News.
The report stated that the police are bracing for protests, with pro-Palestinian groups angry with Harris' continued support of Israel planning to hold demonstrations. Barricades have been erected around the National Constitution Center, barring access to the historic area that includes the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the US Constitution was signed.
Meanwhile, several of the city's bars and universities are planning 'watch parties'. Top Democrats will gather at a hotel for a 'watch party' that Harris is expected to attend after the debate ends. Trump's plans after the debate are not yet public.
When And Where To Watch It
The debate will air at 9 pm (local time) on September 10, or 6.30 am IST on September 11. ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate, which will be broadcast by the network and streamed on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.
What Are The Rules?
The rules for the debate are the same as the June exchange between Trump and US President Joe Biden. These include muted microphones unless a candidate is speaking, no studio audience, no prepared notes, and no discussions between the candidates and their staff during the break.
According to ABC News, there will be no opening statements, and closing statements will be two minutes per candidate. Each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer each question with a two-minute rebuttal, and an additional minute for a follow-up, clarification, or response.
Biden announced on July 21 that he was suspending his campaign as he faced growing scepticism within his own party about his ability to handle the job for another term after his rambling debate performance against Trump in June.