Photo: John Tully Getty Images/Agence France-Presse Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at Throwback Brewery on September 4, 2024 in North Hampton, New Hampshire.
Agence France-Presse in Pittsburgh
Published at 11:30
- United States
Less than a week before a highly anticipated debate against Donald Trump, Kamala Harris is heading to Pennsylvania, perhaps the most crucial state in this presidential election that promises to be very close.
The former Republican president, who was there on Wednesday for a public meeting, will speak on Thursday in front of a club in New York to detail his economic program.
His lawyers are back in court in Washington in the federal proceedings targeting him for illegal attempts to reverse the results of the 2020 election.
The vice president and Democratic candidate is going to Pittsburgh, one of the largest cities in this state, and the historic steel capital of America.
Pennsylvania should be her base camp to prepare for the confrontation on September 10 with Donald Trump, which will take place in Philadelphia, and will be broadcast by the ABC channel.
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Microphones cut
The latter unveiled the rules of this 90-minute duel on Wednesday, which gave rise to tough negotiations between the two camps.
They will be the same as during the now famous debate in June between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, completely botched by the Democratic president, to the point of leading to his withdrawal from the race for the White House, announced on July 21, and the entry into the race of Kamala Harris.
Next Tuesday, the duettists will be standing behind their desks, with a pen, paper and a bottle of water, no notes and no audience.
Both candidates will have two minutes each to answer questions from reporters, followed by an additional minute for clarifications and clarifications.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Crucially, each candidate’s microphone will only be turned on when it is their turn to speak—Kamala Harris’ campaign had pushed for the microphones to remain on throughout, likely calculating that this would be detrimental to Donald Trump, who is notoriously prone to outbursts.
The first exchange is scheduled for 9 p.m. local time.
On Wednesday, during a Fox News panel in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump accused ABC of being biased, and claimed without evidence that Kamala Harris would be given questions in advance.
“They're really bad, and I think a lot of people will be watching to see how bad they are, how unfair they are,” the 78-year-old Republican lamented.
Layoff Threat
In Pennsylvania, the vice president will not be able to ignore the heated debate surrounding the acquisition of American steelmaker US Steel.
The Pittsburgh-based company is threatening to launch a layoff if its acquisition by Japan's Nippon Steel fails, which the American executive opposes.
On Monday, the 59-year-old Democratic candidate said she wanted to keep the group under control American.
And Joe Biden has pledged to block this acquisition, announced last December for an amount of 14 billion dollars, but suspended due to lack of authorization from regulators.
Former President Donald Trump has also promised to oppose this operation.
The subject is particularly sensitive in a state where the Republican won by a whisker in 2016 and the current Democratic president by a whisker in 2020.
The blue-collar workers of this northeastern land, in industrial decline, have been numerous in leaving the Democratic ship to join Donald Trump. But Kamala Harris is counting on the major reindustrialization projects launched by Joe Biden and on the support of unions to win them back.
As well as on the popularity of her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who will hold a rally in Pennsylvania on Thursday.
The vice president, better positioned in national voting intentions than Joe Biden was, but still neck and neck with Donald Trump in the most contested states, keeps repeating that nothing is decided.
“This race is going to be tight right down to the last minute. Let's not pay too much attention to the polls, because we're not the favorites. We know what the other side is capable of,” she warned again on Wednesday in New Hampshire (east).