Alabama Public Radio will be airing live coverage from Philadelphia tonight. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will meet for what may be the only Presidential debate before the election. A.J. Bauer teaches political communication at the Tuscaloosa campus. Trump wants to accomplish much of what he couldn't do during a term that was sidetracked by the global pandemic. The Republican wants the extension and expansion of his 2017 tax cuts, a massive increase in tariffs, more support for fossil fuels and a greater concentration of government power in the White House. Bauer says Donald Trump needs to stop looking back on the past and provide a future vision like he did in 2020.
“Say what you want about build the wall or drain the swamp or lock her up like they were forward looking visions for things that he wanted to do in his campaign. Regardless of if you agree or disagree with them, it was casting something forward,” Bauer said.
Since replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, Harris has pledged to chart a new way forward even as she's embraced many of his ideas. She wants middle class tax cuts, tax hikes on the wealthy and corporations, a restoration of abortion rights and a government that aggressively addresses climate change, among other stances. Bauer says Kamala Harris stands a good chance of coming out ahead…
“So I think that Kamala Harris has kind of the wind at her back at this point. The polls have been treading in her direction pretty much since she was announced as the nominee. That boosted again when she picked Walz as a running mate. I think all she needs to do is not mess up. No big gaffs, and I think she's good.”
Harris and Trump are gearing up to take the stage for Tuesday night's debate in Philadelphia, where they'll fight to sway 2024 election voters on the biggest stage in U.S. politics. The event, at 9 p.m. Eastern, will offer Americans their most detailed look at a campaign that's dramatically changed since the last debate in June. The two candidates have spelled out their ideas in speeches, advertisements and other venues. Many of their proposals lack specifics, making it difficult to judge exactly how they would translate their intentions into law or pay for them.
