Tonight's debate is being hosted on ABC in the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and will be moderated by anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. It is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Eastern and last for 90 minutes. The candidates' microphones will, under rules negotiated between the Biden and Trump campaigns, be muted in the absence of "significant crosstalk". The full rules for tonight's debate can be found here on ABC's site. Per a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, "Seven-in-10 Americans say they are going to watch the first presidential debate between Vice President Harris and former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, and 3-in-10 say it will help decide their vote".

Tonight's debate is the only remaining presidential-level debate scheduled for this cycle; the Vice Presidential debate between Minnesota governor Tim Walz and Ohio senator J.D. Vance is scheduled for October 1st.

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Those wishing to follow along with the debate through text-based updates can find them at any of the following outlets: AP, CNN, ABC, NBC, The New Yorker (soft paywall), The Washington Post (soft paywall), The New York Times (soft paywall), USA Today, CNBC, WHYY, MSNBC, The Independent, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal (paywall), The Huffington Post, and the BBC. Additionally, NPR will be streaming live audio coverage of the debate at this link.

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Discussion Thread: First Presidential Debate of the 2024 General Election Between Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump
byu/PoliticsModeratorBot inpolitics

22 comments

  1. Looking forward to tomorrow’s headline:

    “Insurrectionist Donald Trump fails to overthrow presidential race favorite Vice President Kamala Harris”

  3. America 2024:

    Kamala needs a perfect debate to not lose undecided or disgruntled Trump voters leaning towards her. Her task is to keep what she has and lock down those currently not committed to Trump.

    Trump just needs to show up. Dementia? Shitting his pants? Racist comments? All good. He won’t gain or lose votes based on anything he says or does, Kamala will determine his gains.

    Thanks rural America.

  4. Do any of these candidates support better airports in the US? Cause our airports suck and can be much better

  5. Ironic that the debate is the National Constitution Center near the Liberty Bell between two people, one of whom wants to preserve freedom and the Constitution and the other who wants to end it. I’m counting on the ghost of Ben Franklin and the other Founding Fathers to be in the room tonight to help turn the tables on Donald Trump.

  6. ABC can you please ask him why he keeps talking about Hannibal Lecter?

  8. I wish my stress and anxiety weren’t so damn high, this debate could set the course for not just our country, but the world itself…

  9. It’s wild listening even on MSNBC all the things that Harris needs to do vs what Trump needs to do. Be perfect vs not shit himself.

    Even Jen psaki said it, if Trump doesn’t totally lose his thoughts or call her a nasty woman, some people will say he won. This shit is stupid.

  10. Tons of redditors seem to be convinced trump will crack under the pressure and let loose an N-word bomb towards Harris but I honestly cannot imagine it happening… He can’t be THAT far-gone can he…?

  11. I’m watching the debate at a DNC-hosted watch event which is an hour and a half drive each way, and this on a work night (tomorrow will murder me). I had to do this though for my own sanity! I didn’t think I could sit at home and watch this, I needed to be surrounded by supporters.

  13. I hope the media hounds Trump like they did Biden for any of his slip ups. The media, Republicans and really the world bullied an elderly man and I can’t even full comprehend how upset that made me.

  14. Anyone know where I can watch the debate from Europe(Sweden)? Is it free somewhere?

  15. Just opened up my bar for my closing shift. Already received a call asking if we’re putting the debate on. That’s gonna be a no from me dog.

  16. Here is my prediction. I’m just writing it here so I can refer back and see how I did.

    I think Trump will lie, and Harris will slightly fumble a made for TV moment. It will be all that anyone remembers, and all the other good points she makes or the insanity coming from Trump won’t matter. It will be The Moment that is repeated over and over.

    Her polls never recover, undecideds still split somewhat evenly, the race stays mostly stagnant, meaning basically a toss up until election night.

    We all wonder how it’s still so close but the conventional wisdom settles in around Harris. Honeymoon over, too liberal, and did you see what flub at the debate? Yeah, she’s not ready. I want to vote for a woman, but not a California liberal/cop centrist. 

    Election night: holds the blue wall but loses PA. Gains North Carolina. Loses AZ but keeps Nevada. Wins, barely.

    I don’t even want to product the weeks after the election because we all know it’ll be the Cold War version of a civil war. I’m not saying thousands of people will die, but it’s going to be uncomfortable, to put it lightly.

    In the end, she either gets 273 votes or loses outright. If she gets 273, she doesn’t take the Senate and therefore nothing can pass. If she loses, well…

  17. In the Magic the Gathering sub reddits, there is a tradition when it’s time to hear about bans. People will type in all caps bans and unbans they want to see in the game. Some may be reasonable, others ridiculous. Then when the bans and unbans are announced people stop posting in all caps.

    I propose something similar. In the lead up to the debate, post in all caps your predictions of what will happen whether reasonable or unhinged. Then when the debate starts discuss it normally.

    I’ll start.

    DONALD TRUMP WILL SHIT HIMSELF SO HARD AND LONG ON NATIONAL TV HE WILL FLY INTO THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE AND RESCUE THE STRANDED ASTRONAUTS.

  18. Quick thoughts going in, the fact that Kamala needs to do 3 backflips and completely annihilate trump for it to be considered a win is bullshit and really highlights the stupidity of this election being close.

    Meanwhile all trump has to do is not say the n word which everyone should join me in praying happens because it would be by far the funniest event of this year.

  19. I think Trump looking awful is really possible and while it won’t sway a MAGA cult member, it may depress conservative turnout. Think how a lot of Democrats felt with Biden hours before the summer debate. That’s how non-MAGA conservatives feel. They’re anxious. And unless the ticket changes after Trump’s awful performance — they may stay home or leave the top of the ballot blank. This election isn’t going to be decided by ‘undecided voters’ — that’s a media lie. It’s going to be decided by political party turnout. That’s how Obama won by such LARGE margins in some states and flipped typical R leaning states; grassroots campaigning — and it’s how every Democrat can guarantee future wins if they get Democrats and Independents that don’t vote, to vote! So vote!

  20. She gets opening statement, right? I’d say “Donald Trump is going to lie tonight. The majority of his answers will be demonstrably false.”

  21. Is anyone else gonna tune into the Tim Walz watch party? I feel like that could be entertaining (and comforting).

  22. Is there a Trump bingo card for his random “facts” he spews out?

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