Donald Trump vs Joe Biden - Why this morning’s presidential debate matters and why it doesn’t.
This morning, U.S. President Donald Trump will face rival Joe Biden in the first of three Presidential debates.
It comes after a crazy week in U.S. politics, which included the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and new details about Trump’s tax returns.
Before you watch the debate or see any of the highlights, here’s what you should know.
Debates can change an election
Every now and then, there’s a Presidential debate that changes an election. It doesn’t happen all the time - most experts and pollsters look back at Trump’s debates with Hillary Clinton and see them as non-events.
But sometimes, the image a candidate presents sticks in voters mind until election day.
Al Gore was seen as too surly and sarcastic when compared to the affable George W. Bush before the 2000 Presidential election. Ronald Reagan was able to allay fears about his inexperience with a few well-timed jokes.
How Trump and Biden present themselves in this debate could end up having a big impact - either side paints the other as not too intelligent or articulate. This debate will give them a chance to combat those arguments.
The key issues
The Supreme Court: should Trump wait until after the election to confirm a new Supreme Court Justice?
Trump’s Tax Returns: was it fair for Trump to pay such little income tax?
#BlackLivesMatter: should Trump do more to limit police brutality?
COVID-19: should Trump have done more to fight the pandemic?
Trump plays the expectations game
Trump’s campaign has got a problem. It’s tried hard to paint Biden as clumsy and senile. But that might actually help Biden: if expectations for him are so low, all he might need to do is turn up to the debate and be coherent for voters to gravitate to him.
So for the past few weeks, Trump’s campaign has changed their tune.
“Joe Biden is a master debater who knows what he’s doing,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said this week.
How to watch the first U.S. Presidential debate
Who: U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Where: Cleveland, Ohio.
When: 11am AEDT.
How to watch in Australia: non-profit cable news channel C-Span will stream the debate on its YouTube channel for overseas viewers. Most major U.S. news channels and outlets will also stream the debate for free on their websites.