Trump's 'Inflation and Illegal Immigration' vs Harris's 'Abortion Rights' Attacks... Final Debate Anticipated

First TV Debate Between Two Candidates on the 10th
In a Situation of Extremely Close Current Approval Ratings
A Turning Point That Will Decide the Outcome of the November Election

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump will face off in their first presidential debate on the 10th (local time).

With the two candidates showing an extremely close race in approval ratings, this TV debate is expected to be a turning point that will sway the undecided voters and determine the outcome of the November U.S. presidential election. The two candidates will compete for 90 minutes starting at 9 p.m. (Korean time November 11 at 10 a.m.) at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hosted by ABC.

The candidates are expected to engage in intense exchanges over issues such as the economy, immigration, reproductive rights, crime, foreign policy, and two ongoing wars. Former President Trump is expected to attack the Biden administration over the ‘inflation issue,’ which greatly influences voter sentiment, claiming that inflation has worsened under Biden. He is also expected to address the surge in illegal immigration during the Biden administration.

Vice President Harris is expected to respond by promising to implement federal rules banning grocery price hikes if elected president, and to counter that the Republican Party rejected border security legislation pushed by the Biden administration regarding illegal immigration.

Additionally, Vice President Harris is expected to attack former President Trump on reproductive rights, which is considered his biggest political vulnerability. She is likely to highlight Trump’s role in overturning Roe v. Wade (the ruling that recognized abortion rights) and his statements that women who have abortions should be punished.

Recently, former President Trump has shifted his stance, saying that abortion rights should be decided by each state, likely to appeal to younger female voters. Foreign media view this as a more progressive position. The New York Times (NYT) reported that Trump might emphasize his pledge to support in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. Meanwhile, Vice President Harris may dismiss this as a ‘campaign gimmick.’

U.S. media also expect gun control, highlighted by the recent Georgia high school shooting on the 4th that left 13 dead, to be a key issue in the TV debate. Vice President Harris supports gun regulations such as banning the sale of assault weapons. Former President Trump may take a more passive stance, emphasizing the crime deterrent effect of gun ownership. Given that he was also targeted in a shooting attack last July, there is interest in whether his position might subtly shift. Attention will also focus on how the two candidates propose to respond to the unstable international situation caused by the two wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.

Both candidates have entered final preparations. The NYT reported that Vice President Harris, who is new to presidential debates, conducted mock debate training on a stage similar to the actual debate venue, even using a stand-in dressed in a suit similar to former President Trump’s style. The NYT also assessed that Harris faces the challenge of acknowledging the achievements of President Biden, the previous Democratic presidential candidate, while maintaining some distance from unpopular policies during the debate. Harris revealed in a radio interview on the ‘Ricky Smiley Morning Show’ on the 9th that she is preparing to counter Trump’s skillful rhetoric, which includes lying without hesitation to win the debate.

Former President Trump, who has experience in six presidential debates, is preparing by receiving policy briefings from campaign advisors and aides. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Trump was criticized last month for saying Harris “suddenly became Black,” but strategists have advised him that such racist remarks should not be made during the debate.

Meanwhile, the latest polls ahead of the TV debate show an extremely close race between the two candidates. According to a poll conducted by NYT and Siena College from the 3rd to the 6th, Vice President Harris and former President Trump have approval ratings of 47% and 48%, respectively.