Kamala Harris Gears Up for High-Stakes Debate Against Trump

Vice President Kamala Harris is preparing for a critical debate with Donald Trump, aiming to highlight his policy inaccuracies and appeals to social media. Trump's team criticizes her for inflation and other issues, while Harris plans to avoid personal attacks and focus on policy failures during Trump's administration.

Vice President Kamala Harris is preparing for her highly anticipated September 10 debate against Donald Trump, focusing on drawing attention to his frequent falsehoods on policies and recent history, with a strategic eye toward social media engagement, according to aides and advisers.

Harris, who last debated in 2020 against then-Vice President Mike Pence, intends to concentrate on Trump's failures regarding the U.S. border wall, infrastructure, and the COVID-19 pandemic, while avoiding personal attacks, her team said. Trump and his running mate JD Vance have attacked Harris and President Biden over issues like inflation and illegal immigration.

Trump's personal attacks on Harris have escalated as she has gained a lead in national polls. Harris has delivered a handful of policy-focused speeches, but voters still seek more detailed policy proposals. Republican strategist Rina Shah noted the importance of Harris countering Trump with accurate facts and figures.

How Harris interacts with Trump, known for his false claims about the 2020 election, will be a significant aspect of the debate. Democratic strategist James Carville recommended that Harris provoke Trump into making outlandish statements.

Harris' team expects the debate to be widely viewed on social media, aiming to generate shareable moments. To prepare, Harris has been engaging in mock debates with Philippe Reines, a longtime adviser to Hillary Clinton. Her strategy includes focusing on key swing states, much like President Obama did in 2012.

Harris' campaign believes the debate will be pivotal but not necessarily game-changing in public perception. An adviser expressed concern that Harris might be over-prepared, similar to Biden's performance in a past debate.

(With inputs from agencies.)