Trump and Biden Set to Debate for First Time Ahead of Election
In an unprecedented election year wrought by a myriad of crises including the ongoing pandemic, social unrest and high unemployment rates, the stage is set for the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic contender Joe Biden. Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace will moderate the first of three scheduled debates, which will air live from Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday night from 9-10:30 pm, after the University of Notre Dame withdrew hosting the event, citing coronavirus concerns.
Among the expected topics are both candidates’ records, the recent conservative Supreme Court nominee, race relations and social justice issues, the coronavirus pandemic and our nation’s economy. What may not be included is the climate crisis, which 36 Democratic senators requested as a topic via a letter they all signed calling for the issue to be addressed. Opposing critics would prefer recent demonstrations and subsequent violence in American cities be omitted, saying they believe it will only serve to compound the current situation.
Another topic on the debate table is Trump’s questionable non-commitment to a peaceful transition of power if he loses to Biden on November 3. With Biden leading in recent polls both nationally and in key battleground states, Trump’s ambiguity is certain to add heat to the issues spotlighted on the agenda. Each segment of the debate will last for 15-minutes giving Trump and Biden the opportunity to respond to the topic question as well as each other.
Ann Sullivan is a contributing staff writer covering national and world news topics. She brings dedicated experience having written international and domestic news, blogs, and web content for over 20 years. She’s also a published poet and graphic designer with degrees in Business and Graphic Communications and has been a music distributor, music industry sponsorship sales director and band manager.