“They both have a lot to lose,” says one expert

The debate will take place on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday on the ABC channel in the United States, starting at 3 a.m. French time.

Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump will face off on Tuesday, September 10 in the United States in a debate in front of millions of viewers. The first debate between the two presidential candidates, and barring changes, the only one before the November 5 election, could prove crucial. “They both have a lot to lose”estimates on franceinfo Lauric Henneton, specialist in American history and politics and lecturer.

According to the specialist, Donald Trump “maybe has a little less to lose”. Engaged in his third presidential campaign, the tempestuous 78-year-old billionaire is well-versed in televised debates. “We let him do a bit of everything, so he can cross red lines, it’s not that serious”underlines Lauric Henneton.

The debate taking place in Philadelphia, in the key state of Pennsylvania, is based on strict rules, supposed to limit excesses and direct challenges, perhaps allowing “to control the animal a little more” Republican, judges the expert on American politics. “But since 2015, he has not stopped being rude, vulgar, crossing red lines and yet, he is still here”he adds. If at the end of June, Donald Trump has “was true to himself, that is to say very whimsical”the Republican had managed to stay focused in the face of the shipwreck experienced by Joe Biden, which led to the withdrawal of his candidacy on July 21.

For Kamala Harris, who “is in a phase of conquest and recognition, debates are not necessarily his strong point”continues the political scientist. The Democrat “is good in the role of prosecutor, that is to say in the hearings of the judges at the Supreme Court, but there, it is another exercise” And “If she makes a mistake, it could haunt her, especially since there are no other debates afterwards.”he adds. According to him, Donald Trump “has a rather complicated relationship with women, especially successful women, he has a kind of complex and he can be particularly aggressive”.

Especially since the arrival of Kamala Harris in the presidential election has given hope to the Democratic camp and deprived Donald Trump of his best enemy, the one he nicknamed “Sleepy Joe”The billionaire did not hesitate to describe his new rival as “crazy” And “evil”using the expression “comrade Kamala”to caricature her as a dangerous communist. “And that is the great fear of Republican strategists.he recalls, that the former president, the victim of an assassination attempt in July, is completely out of step and incapable of sticking to political points and that is what could be his downfall.”