Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will arrive in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Tuesday for the first (and likely only) presidential debate. The debate will mark the first time Harris and Trump will meet face-to-face and comes less than two months after Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race following his fateful performance in a June debate.
The change in the Democratic nominee leadership appears to have rattled Trump and his campaign advisers, who have struggled to attack Harris. With polls showing a close race in key battleground states, the debate will be Trump’s biggest opportunity yet to paint Harris in a negative light in voters’ minds.
For Ms. Harris, the debate could be an opportunity to make good on a promise she has made to voters oft-repeatedly: to take legal action against Mr. Trump. Her political record, both on the debate stage and in Senate hearings, suggests she is well positioned to make that case. But Ms. Harris is not without weaknesses.
Here are five key moments from Harris’ career that foreshadow her debate strategy.
Sense of humor
Before becoming vice president, Harris served as California’s attorney general and then as a member of the state House of Representatives. When Harris ran for the Senate in 2016, her main rival was Democratic Representative Loretta Sanchez. The two candidates faced off in an hour-long debate in October 2016, but despite a spirited discussion of policy, the debate is most remembered for Sanchez’s bizarre closing remarks.
Sanchez decided to underscore his last comment with a dance move: the dab, which, for those of you who weren’t actively online in 2016, involves extending one arm and bowing your head in the crook of the other.
Harris responded with bemusement and amusement to the move, appearing to chuckle with her lips pressed together before chuckling and saying, “There are clear differences between the candidates in this race.”
That simple rebuttal effectively weakened Sanchez and bolstered Harris’ case. And it worked: Harris beat Sanchez by 23 points a month later. Harris has already used her sense of humor to undermine Trump’s zero tolerance for ridicule, and she may be trying to do so again Tuesday.
Prosecutor’s skills
When Harris became a senator, she quickly made a name for herself as a tough questioner who dissected political records and pushed witnesses into corners, something President Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, experienced firsthand in June 2017.
During her appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Harris grilled Sessions about his contacts with Russian nationals during his 2016 campaign as a surrogate for Mr. Trump, as she peppered him with questions that he struggled to provide clear, concise answers and grew increasingly frustrated.
When Sessions tried to elaborate on one of the answers, Harris said, “Judge, I only have a few minutes…”
Sessions then interjected: “Let me explain. I need to explain as accurately as possible because if I don’t explain, I’ll be accused of lying. I can’t be in this much of a hurry. It’s making me nervous.”
The exchange drew increased scrutiny of ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials and showcased Harris’ prosecutorial skills.
Clash with Kavanaugh
Harris made headlines in 2018 when she questioned Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh about his conversations with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and his views on abortion rights.
Harris asked Kavanaugh if he had discussed the Mueller investigation with anyone from the law firm founded by Trump lawyer Marc Kasowitz. “I’m confident in the answer,” she told Kavanaugh.
The candidate was at a loss for words for a moment, then said, “I’d like to know who you have in mind.”
Harris responded: “I think you’re thinking about someone, but you don’t want to tell us.”
Republican senators stepped in to ease the pressure on Kavanaugh, but Harris’ questions raised questions about the nominee’s credibility.
The more revealing exchange came when Harris asked Kavanaugh, “Can you think of a law that would give the government the power to make decisions about men’s bodies?”
“I’d be happy to answer more specific questions,” Kavanaugh replied, before admitting, when pressed, “I don’t have anything in mind right now, Senator.”
The remarks have come under scrutiny again in 2022, when Kavanaugh became one of the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, ending federal protections for abortion access. Harris has criticized President Trump, who appointed three of the justices who ruled on that decision, and it’s sure to intensify the fight over abortion access in Tuesday’s election.
Issues with commuting by bus
Harris launched her first presidential campaign in January 2019, but she and other Democratic candidates have had a hard time overtaking Biden’s early polling lead.
In a June 2019 primary debate, Harris decided to go head-to-head with Biden, who had recently controversially praised the “civility” of past politics and cited his friendship with two late senators who were segregationists. Harris attacked Biden over the remarks, linking them to Biden’s past opposition to school busing, which sends students to schools outside of their home town to promote racial equality.
“You know, there was a little girl in California who was in the second class to integrate their public schools. She was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me,” Harris told Biden. “So there can’t be an intelligent debate among Democrats about this issue. We have to take this issue seriously.”
The aggressive stance boosted Harris’ national profile and her popularity in the polls, but the surge also marked the low point of her campaign and forced her to drop out of the race in December.
“Mr. Vice President, I am speaking.”
Despite their previous differences, Biden picked Harris as his running mate after winning the nomination, and the new vice presidential candidate immediately began promoting the campaign.
During a debate with Mike Pence in October 2020, Harris had to speak up after the then-vice president tried to interrupt her.
Harris made headlines when she told Pence, “Mr. Vice President, I’ll speak.”
The catchphrase inspired campaign merchandise and made Pence seem unreal. The success of the moment may explain why the Harris campaign fought to have the candidates’ microphones unmuted at all times during Tuesday’s debate, which could have created an opportunity to do the same dynamic against Trump. But the Trump campaign resisted changing the rules, so that microphones were unmuted only when the moderator instructed the candidates to speak.
Either way, the backlash against Pence may offer a lesson for Trump heading into the debate: Harris refuses to be outdone.
Incorrect answer
Trump has concerns about Tuesday’s debate plans, but Harris has also revealed weaknesses that could work to Trump’s advantage in the debate.
In her first major interview since becoming the Democratic nominee, CNN host Dana Bash began with a pretty obvious question: What are your plans for Day One of your administration?
“Well, there are a few things,” Harris said. “First and foremost, I would say one of my top priorities is doing what I can to support and strengthen the middle class. And when I look at the aspirations, the goals, the ambitions of the American people, I believe they are ready for a new way forward.”
In response to this vague answer, Bash repeated, “So what will you do on the first day?”
Harris then outlined her plan to implement an “opportunity economy” that would include expanding the child tax credit, but the exchange highlighted the candidate’s tendency to avoid specifics when discussing policy. Trump is also not known for detailed policy positions, but voters are hoping that Harris will outline a more precise vision for her presidency during Tuesday’s debate.