Here’s everything we know so far…
Former President Donald Trump is gearing up to hold Vice President Kamala Harris accountable for her record during Tuesday night’s debate, focusing on her career from her time as San Francisco district attorney to her current role just a heartbeat away from the presidency. According to a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign, Tim Murtaugh, Trump’s strategy will be to force Harris to confront her controversial positions and decisions.
“Kamala Harris will have to defend her far-left record under intense scrutiny,” Murtaugh revealed. “By the end of the debate, voters will have a clear understanding of her track record.”
Despite Trump’s unconventional approach, having admitted he hasn’t prepared for the debate in a conventional manner, Murtaugh expects Trump to reveal his strategy spontaneously during the event.
Murtaugh also predicts that Harris might attempt to distance herself from her tenure as Vice President under the unpopular Biden administration. However, Trump will ensure she cannot escape this connection.
Recent polling data from The New York Times/Siena College highlights a growing dissatisfaction with the current administration, with 61% of likely voters seeking significant change and 55% viewing Harris as an extension of the status quo.
In her only major pre-debate interview, Harris attempted to address her shift towards more centrist positions on certain policies, asserting that her core values remain unchanged. Murtaugh argues that this is an attempt to mask her true liberal stance from her earlier career.
Another Trump campaign insider emphasized that Harris will face tough questions about her record as San Francisco’s top prosecutor. “Kamala Harris will have to account for her weak-on-crime policies and explain why dangerous criminals, like Edwin Ramos, were allowed to slip through the cracks,” the insider stated. Ramos, an illegal immigrant with a prior criminal record, was involved in the 2008 murders of Tony Bologna and his two sons, an incident that critics argue reflects Harris’s lenient approach to crime.
Murtaugh also mentioned that Harris would be pressed to justify her past decisions and their impact on public safety, highlighting her failure to involve federal immigration authorities in critical cases.
Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller added that Trump will confront Harris on both her vice presidency and her recent media avoidance. “Kamala Harris needs to justify the economic damage caused by her role as vice president and explain why her new proposals were not implemented during her tenure,” Miller said. “Her recent strategy to avoid the press only heightens expectations. We will ensure the American people are fully informed about her policies and past actions.”
In response, Harris has claimed that Trump’s focus will be on his own ambitions rather than addressing the needs of the American people. She has criticized Trump for being dishonest and prioritizing personal gain over public service.
The debate will also be marked by a recent setback for the Democratic campaign, as ABC News rejected their request to alter the debate rules to keep both candidates’ mics unmuted throughout the event.