The debate will be the first time many voters will hear them speak, so their performances could determine the outcome of the rest of this very close race. When they last debated in 2020, Trump frequently interrupted Biden, which some strategists said hurt his campaign. This time, microphones will be muted except when it's the candidates' turn to speak, and there will be no live audience.
The 90-minute debate will be hosted by CNN and will begin at 9 pm ET. The Washington Post's coverage of the debate will begin at 8 pm with live analysis.
Strategists on both sides outline what each candidate needs to do to succeed in the debate.
Biden should challenge Trump on abortion, immigration and preserving democracy
Democratic strategists say Biden is expected to shift much of the conversation on the campaign trail back to his specialty: issues about protecting Americans' freedoms, like voting rights, reproductive health care and democratic norms. Polls show a majority of Americans support abortion rights and that it's important to thwart threats to democracy. It's the biggest issue for Americans of both parties.
“Biden's goal is to remind voters that this is not a referendum on Biden, but a choice between Biden and Trump,” said Tim Hogan, a Democratic strategist who worked on Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and Amy Klobuchar's 2020 presidential campaign.
But voters who say democracy is the most important issue aren't necessarily Biden supporters: A new Washington Post/Scher School poll found that voters in six battleground states trust Trump more than Biden on democratic issues.
On immigration, Biden may be on the defensive. Since taking office, record numbers of migrants have been crossing the southern border. Leading up to this debate, Biden has unsettled both camps. He infuriated civil rights groups by taking steps to close the border when a certain number of migrants cross the border per day. And he just made it easier for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens to obtain citizenship, a move many of Biden's supporters support.
But given his overall unpopularity, Democratic strategists said Biden should spend less time defending his record and more time touting what he would do in a second term.
Biden needs to avoid any major gaffes that highlight his age.
If both men win the November election, they will both be the oldest presidents in history, but voters are said to be more concerned about Biden's age (81) than Trump's (78). So Biden may face more scrutiny than Trump if he stumbles over his words (which may be unfair, given his stutter) or gives a lackluster performance. Biden will have to compete in real time with Trump's showmanship, rather than with scripted speeches.
Democratic strategists expect Biden to come across as fiery and passionate, pointing to his March State of the Union address, in which he blasted Republicans and challenged them to a live debate as an example of a strong public performance.
Bedingfield said Democrats worried about Biden's performance need not worry. “He's really a game-day player,” he said. “And he certainly knows how important this debate is. So I think we can expect to see a really energized, engaged, engaged Joe Biden.”
Trump should focus on problems, not complaints
Republican strategists say Trump should avoid the grievance-mongering he frequently used on the campaign trail, such as claiming without evidence that he won the 2020 election and complaining that the Justice Department was unfairly prosecuting him. In an ideal debate for Trump, he would keep the focus on his pocketbook, avoid calling the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, “patriots” or talking about pardons.
“It's unnecessary for Trump to talk about retaliation,” said Jesse Hunt, a strategist who has worked with Republican candidates across the country. “It's a distraction from the real differences between him and Biden, and that's what independents care about.”
Trump is doing well with voters when it comes to issues they care deeply about. Polls currently show voters giving him higher marks than Biden on his handling of the economy, crime and immigration. Trump's advisers have urged him to talk about the differences between the Trump and Biden administrations on inflation and immigration, The Washington Post's Michael Schaerer and Marianne Levin report.
The main question for Trump's allies is whether he can stay true to his message.
“When Trump speaks, he speaks with such conviction that people are convinced he knows what he's talking about,” Hunt said.
But Trump needs to clarify his position on abortion.
Strategists on both sides say Trump needs to clearly answer where he stands on abortion bans and medication abortions, one of the few major issues in Biden's favor, and Trump has avoided taking a clear stance on how and when abortion should be allowed.
For example, after the court paved the way for the ruling to be overturned. Roe v. Wade Trump, along with his three Supreme Court nominees, has said bans should be left to states, but when Arizona reinstated an 1860s-era abortion ban, he said it went too far. (The governor signed a bill to repeal the ban in May.)
He also avoided saying what should be done about a pill commonly used in medication abortions, which the Supreme Court recently protected.
And Trump needs to avoid looking crazy.
The Biden campaign has tried hard to portray Trump as even crazier than he was last president, and if Trump performs at this debate the way he does at his rallies — last weekend he suggested immigrants should fight for sport — he could play into that narrative.
“Voters know a lot about these guys,” said Sarah Longwell, publisher of the anti-Trump conservative publication The Bulwark. “The question for voters is, 'Are you worried that Biden is old, or are you worried that Trump is a crazy lunatic?'”
