As the 2024 election cycle tightens up, debates between presidential and vice presidential candidates continue to gain traction. Debates are events where candidates are able to describe their policies and interact with one another directly. Here is everything to know about the next presidential debate featuring Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, as well as the vice presidential debate featuring Tim Walz and JD Vance.
Presidential Debate: Harris vs. Trump
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced that the second presidential debate will be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 2024. It is the first direct face-off between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump since the latter was nominated as the Republican candidate.
- Date: September 10, 2024
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA
- Airing: The debate will air live on ABC News and stream on platforms including ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu.
This debate is of high importance, coming only weeks after the Democratic National Convention, in which Harris formally accepted her party’s nomination following President Biden’s withdrawal from the race. The debate will be moderated by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis, who will introduce strict rules in an attempt to create a balanced discussion. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer questions, followed by rebuttal periods.
Vice Presidential Debate: Walz vs. Vance
The vice presidential debate will happen on October 1, 2024. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance will take center stage in a CBS News-presented debate to show voters who these candidates might be-who could hold consequential places in their administrations.
- Date: October 1, 2024
- Time: Although the official time has yet to be announced, the expectation is that it will take place sometime in the evening hours.
- Location: It will take place in New York City, although a specific venue has not been identified
- Airing: The debate will air on CBS News. For viewers of the debate, there is also a CBS News live stream available from the website.
Both have confirmed their participation in the debates, and Vance has even shown great interest in participating in as many debates as possible: “The American public deserves as many debates as we can manage.” The fact that he desires to be more visible before the voters in such an important election season is not going unnoticed.
Importance of the Debates
These debates help in shaping public perception and, at the same time, may influence voters’ decisions. For both Harris and Trump, the September 10 debate affords them an opportunity to window their platforms and oppose each other’s negative narratives. Since Trump is known for being really aggressive in debates, Harris will surely have to rely on her experience as a very skilled debater in communicating what her policies are and answering Trump’s provocations.
This would also be the same in the vice presidential debate as Walz and Vance can outline their vision for the future and bring up major current issues besetting the nation. Since both debates fall into the most politically charged environment, they are expected to receive a considerable viewership and high media coverage. Click here to read about the rules and format governing the Presidential Debate happening tomorrow.
