Presidential debate tonight: Time, format and things to look for - CNNPolitics - 0 views
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He is trailing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in most national and battleground state polls,
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After an initial match up that quickly descended into a glorified shouting match, with Trump repeatedly interrupting Biden and running roughshod over the moderator, the second debate, scheduled for last week, was canceled after the President tested positive for the coronavirus and subsequently refused to take part in a virtual meeting.
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The virus has dominated the 2020 election, forcing both candidates to rethink the way they campaign, especially after Trump himself contracted the virus.
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Trump's campaign has suggested that length of time will provide Biden with a chance to talk himself into a corner
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His campaign has already attacked the commission and the President has a history of launching sexist attacks against female debate moderators.
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The national surge is significant: Johns Hopkins University found the United States reported over 60,000 new cases on Tuesday and 58,000 on Monday,
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The surges are dominating local news coverage, too, meaning most voters are heading to the polls with frequent reminders of the ongoing pandemic.
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The candidates will have their microphones cut off while their opponents respond to the first question of each of the debate's six segments.
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Thursday night's debate is effectively the last major hurdle that must be cleared by Biden, a candidate who -- despite his reputation for gaffes, and some minor stumbles along the way -- has largely stuck to the same message since launching his campaign in April 2019.
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The most persistent one he's ducked: Whether he would back some progressives' push to add seats to a Supreme Court that could soon see a 6-3 conservative majority.
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By turning in solid performances in debates and interviews, Biden has also avoided any moments that could look -- to an audience of millions of people -- anything like the mental decline that Trump's campaign has baselessly claimed the 77-year-old former vice president faces.
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Biden is currently embroiled in scandal -- most of it focusing on unproven allegations about his son Hunter Biden.
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None of it seems to have moved voters who aren't already part of Trump's base, and attacking Biden's surviving son could also backfire.
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Will Biden respond aggressively, by pointing out this week's New York Times report that Trump maintains a bank account in China under a corporate name or that his own children and business have benefitted financially from his presidency? Or will he try not to be baited -- demonstrating to voters his eagerness to take the high road, though potentially leaving some of Trump's attacks unanswered?
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Biden also has work to do, mainly with Black and Latino voters. They're supporting him by big margins, but not quite to the level that Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama enjoyed.