3 Ways Kamala Harris Can Beat Donald Trump in Their First Debate

On September 10, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will go head-to-head in her first presidential debate, which will be broadcast on ABC News.
After Trump faced her predecessor, Joe Biden, in June, many viewers declared Trump the winner, and the narrative that Biden was too old to serve another term took hold, affecting his chances of beating Trump.
It’s now down to Harris to make sure the next debate doesn’t also serve as a detriment to her party’s success. Experts have suggested that the two candidates’ clashing debate style could create a heated atmosphere on the ABC News stage.
Here’s what political experts think Harris should do to beat Trump in the debate.
Speaking to Newsweek, Theda Skocpol, professor of government and sociology at Harvard University, warned that Trump “will be himself,” and that Harris “needs to remain dignified, focused and sharp” against him.
She pointed to the fact that Trump has previously insulted Harris’ intelligence, adding that Harris should be “clear and tough, but not crude,” against his insults.
The professor added that it will likely come down to whether Harris “keeps her dignity and focus as he attacks her personally.”
Richard Bensel, professor of American politics at Cornell University, told Newsweek that Kamala Harris can remain dignified by quoting “some of the many outrageous statements made by the Republican candidates,” rather than saying anything insulting herself.
He referenced J.D. Vance’s previous disparaging remarks about Trump in 2016, saying he “never liked him,” as an example of what Harris could mention.
Professor Bensel added, “Donald Trump, on the other hand, should simply calm down in order to project a more stable character image. It is unlikely that Trump can do that.”
Professor Skocpol noted that Americans will be interested to see how Harris deals with Trump and his “typical falsehoods.”
Trump has been under fire for his excessive lying for years. Research by The Washington Post found that between 2017 and 2021, Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims.
Trump has also come under fire for his age after Biden’s cognitive ability was called into question and Trump appeared to make similar mistakes himself.
A poll from August 5 found that half of the American poll-takers thought Trump was “too old,” while another found that 34 percent think his age will be a major issue if he returns to the White House in January 2025.
Professor Bensel noted that the age difference benefits Harris, telling Newsweek that the contrast between “the ages and mental acuity between the two candidates will give a significant advantage to Kamala Harris.” He added, “If I were Donald Trump, I would not have agreed to a debate for that reason.”
Paul Weinstein, director at the Johns Hopkins University, told Newsweek Harris has a good chance of hammering home that she’s the right choice, saying “Vice President Harris has been right on the mark since becoming the presumptive nominee.”
Trump has polled well on policy issues since the start of his campaign, namely the economy and immigration, which are key to voters.
According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, Trump has a 9-point lead over Harris regarding handling the economy, and a 10-point lead when it comes to the Southern Border, ABC reported.
Harris could poke holes in this support during the debate.
On the subject of immigration, Professor Skocpol said that Harris could highlight Trump’s rejection of a bipartisan immigration bill and call out “the humanitarian horror of roundups and deportations” regarding Trump’s plan to hold immigrants in large camps to await deportation.
Professor Skopol told Newsweek that Harris “can be devastating on Trump’s policies relating to women’s reproductive rights and should hit the ways his tax and tariff policies would badly hurt most working families.”
Richard Gulotty, professor of political science at the University of Chicago, agreed, telling Newsweek that the Harris campaign could benefit from highlighting Trump’s policies while in office, such as tax cuts that benefitted the wealthy.
Professor Weinstein added that Harris needs to focus on middle-class economic concerns, by highlighting how “her agenda is one that will benefit middle-class families the most,” while reminding voters that “Trump and Republicans want to take away a woman’s right to make decisions regarding their health.”
Responding to the experts’ advice for Kamala Harris, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told Newsweek, “Kamala Harris and Democrats don’t have any real solutions for all the issues this country faces, so they resort to blatantly false personal attacks. They have nothing to offer Americans. Meanwhile, President Trump has laid out his bold vision for this country through his America First agenda, contrasting that with Kamala’s dismal record of skyrocketing inflation, an out-of-control border, and surging crime in American communities.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.
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