In July, the 2024 election took an unexpected turn.
After a rough showing at the initial debate, President Joe Biden stepped down and threw his support behind Kamala Harris, his vice president. Fast forward seven weeks, and Harris faced off against Donald Trump in Philadelphia for what might be their last debate before voters head to the polls on Nov. 5. Not long after, Taylor Swift gave her endorsement to Harris.
Moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis at the National Constitution Center, this debate had no audience. They aimed for a respectful conversation, keeping questions and topics hidden from the candidates until the last moment. Props or pre-written notes? Absolutely not allowed.
The debate stretched over 90 minutes with two breaks for commercials. There were no opening statements. Each candidate got two minutes per question with time for rebuttals and follow-ups. When one spoke, the other’s mic was off. They couldn’t ask each other questions either.
A coin flip decided that Trump would give the final closing statement.
We all remember that Trump dominated Biden in their first debate according to a poll (69% thought so), while moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash got a “C+” from CNN viewers.
Sometimes fans just want to see who performs better under pressure.
So, how did Muir and Davis do this time around? And was Harris more successful against Trump than Biden? Share your thoughts in the polls below and join the discussion about Tuesday’s ABC News debate in the comments.
