Vice President Kamala Harris works on briefing books and answers to policy questions as she meets with aides at a Pittsburgh hotel. face to face against former President Donald Trumpaccording to multiple sources familiar with his preparations for Tuesday’s debate.
Harris develops weaving methods his biography Sources said he tried to introduce himself to Americans who still don’t know much about his upbringing or his career before being promoted to vice president. They said he even strategizes how to approach a handshake with Trump on stage (hint: it’s likely to be a game-time decision).
But Harris is preparing for a variety of potentially unscripted and possibly history-making moments, including the possibility that Trump will make disparaging comments about her, according to sources familiar with her preparations, some of whom are directly involved.
A source said: “His muttering ‘b—-‘ is not out of the blue. “It is not reasonable to assume that. You have to be ready for everything.”
Asked for comment for this story, spokesman Steven Cheung said, “Why are they thinking about that word associated with him?”
The New York Times wrote informed Although Cheung denied the account, two people heard Trump use the word to describe Harris in private.
Harris, who arrived at a Pittsburgh hotel Thursday in preparation for the nearly five-day debate, did not attend any events. dispute for four years and after he announced his candidacy, he did several media interviews. However, Trump has more experience asking unscripted questions. Sources familiar with Harris’ debate preparations said he has aides trying to prepare Tuesday because they don’t want to rate Trump.
Sources familiar with the preparations said Mignon Moore, a close ally of Harris, as well as Phil Gordon, the vice president’s national security adviser, and Rohini Kosoglu, a former domestic policy adviser, were also involved. Philippe Reines, a former aide to Hillary Clinton who played Trump in mock debates, dressed for the sessions in the former president’s signature navy blue suit and red tie, they said.
Part of the intense focus on preparation stems from the fact that some Harris aides believe Trump performed better than average in the June debate with President Joe Biden.
However, one source familiar with Harris’ debate preparations expressed concern that Harris may over-prepare and engage in frivolous politics, similar to then-President Barack Obama’s infamous 2012 performance.
“My anxiety is very high because my fear is that they’re going to overcook him,” the source said of Harris. “I hope they’re just preparing for 15 questions with Harris and working on style and content.”
Two sources familiar with Harris’ debate preparations said he has been participating in extensive mock debate sessions focused on specific topics since Thursday and will continue through Monday. He did not make it through the 90-minute debate on Friday morning, sources said.
Part of what Harris is preparing for is trying to create moments where Trump can go wild, as he has in the past, sources familiar with his preparations say.
Two of them said they plan to inject Trump if the vice president doesn’t tell the truth or if he falsifies information, stumbles or falters. Harris has never spoken, faced or rubbed shoulders with Trump, though one familiar with his debate preparations feels like he knows him, given how much he’s had to watch and study him lately.
Part of his diversionary strategy is to promote Project 2025, a conservative governance agenda developed by the Heritage Foundation and at least two dozen Trump allies that the former president is trying to distance himself from. This was reported by NBC News.
Aides to Harris are adamant that if there is a moment where Trump speaks disparagingly about her, the American people should see and hear it. That’s partly why aides to Harris continue to urge debate anchor network ABC News to turn on the candidates’ microphones when they engage in excessive chatter or exchange. Right now dispute rules so the candidates’ microphones will only be live for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and will be muted when it’s time for the next one.
When it’s his turn to speak, sources familiar with his debate preparations said Harris plans to tout his experience in elected office and as a prosecutor to prove his suitability for the presidency. And he plans to highlight his middle-class background, particularly his mother’s work ethic and efforts to save for their family’s home — details his aides hope contrast with Trump’s background as the son of a wealthy real estate developer, sources said.
Sources familiar with the preparations said Harris intends to shed some light on the differences between his domestic or economic policies if elected and those advocated by Biden. But he will be no different from Biden on foreign policy, they said, sticking to the axiom that there can only be one president at a time when it comes to these matters.
Choosing a key battleground to prepare for several days of debate has some added value for Harris, the sources said, mirroring what previous presidential candidates have done, from George W. Bush preparing for the 2000 debate in Florida to Barack Obama. Nevada in 2012.
Sources familiar with his preparations said Harris will also make some unannounced political stops while there. And his team hopes that just by being there, he’ll get some additional media coverage in an important market.
They said his plan was to stay in Pittsburgh until Tuesday, when he would go directly to Philadelphia for the discussion.