Harris's team prepares for debate, drafts Trump stand-in, reports WaPo
Kamala Harris's team is enlisting a Trump impersonator to assist in preparations for the important televised debate against the GOP nominee scheduled for September 10. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is gearing up for a pivotal televised debate against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on September 10.
According to a report from the Washington Post, US Vice President Kamala Harris has been dedicating several days to rigorous preparation for the upcoming presidential debate. Harris’ team has enlisted a seasoned Democratic operative to portray Trump during practice sessions.
The first face-off between Harris and Trump is scheduled for Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, with ABC News serving as the host.
As detailed by the Post, Harris has made relatively few public appearances recently, focusing instead on an intensive “debate camp” at Pittsburgh’s Omni William Penn Hotel.
Her team has reportedly set up a mock version of the debate studio and has "cast a veteran Donald Trump stand-in to unleash harsh attacks and offensive comments," providing the vice president with hours of rehearsed questions.
This stand-in is Philippe Reines, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, who was originally brought on to play Senator J.D. Vance before President Joe Biden exited the race. "Now that Harris has ascended to the top of the ticket and will face Trump, Reines has stayed on to play the former president, reprising the role he played for Clinton during her 2016 debate preparations,” the Post noted.
In contrast, Trump, who is preparing for his seventh general election debate since 2016, seems to favor a different strategy for debate readiness. The Post reports that the former president spent much of the preceding weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, engaging in "policy sessions" with his aides.
Trump's advisers indicated that he is not fond of the public perception surrounding his practice sessions, and he perceives rallies and interviews as the most effective means of preparation for the debate.
The debate between Trump and the 81-year-old Biden in June concluded Biden's campaign on July 21 due to widespread concerns regarding his age and fitness for office. A lackluster debate performance and several gaffes prompted Biden to withdraw from the race and endorse Harris, who formally accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination at the national convention in Chicago last month.
This week, Harris has seen a decline in her poll numbers for the first time since becoming her party’s presidential candidate. A New York Times/Siena poll released on Sunday indicates that Trump holds a slight edge over Harris, 48% to 47%, among likely voters nationwide.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to a report from the Washington Post, US Vice President Kamala Harris has been dedicating several days to rigorous preparation for the upcoming presidential debate. Harris’ team has enlisted a seasoned Democratic operative to portray Trump during practice sessions.
The first face-off between Harris and Trump is scheduled for Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, with ABC News serving as the host.
As detailed by the Post, Harris has made relatively few public appearances recently, focusing instead on an intensive “debate camp” at Pittsburgh’s Omni William Penn Hotel.
Her team has reportedly set up a mock version of the debate studio and has "cast a veteran Donald Trump stand-in to unleash harsh attacks and offensive comments," providing the vice president with hours of rehearsed questions.
This stand-in is Philippe Reines, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, who was originally brought on to play Senator J.D. Vance before President Joe Biden exited the race. "Now that Harris has ascended to the top of the ticket and will face Trump, Reines has stayed on to play the former president, reprising the role he played for Clinton during her 2016 debate preparations,” the Post noted.
In contrast, Trump, who is preparing for his seventh general election debate since 2016, seems to favor a different strategy for debate readiness. The Post reports that the former president spent much of the preceding weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, engaging in "policy sessions" with his aides.
Trump's advisers indicated that he is not fond of the public perception surrounding his practice sessions, and he perceives rallies and interviews as the most effective means of preparation for the debate.
The debate between Trump and the 81-year-old Biden in June concluded Biden's campaign on July 21 due to widespread concerns regarding his age and fitness for office. A lackluster debate performance and several gaffes prompted Biden to withdraw from the race and endorse Harris, who formally accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination at the national convention in Chicago last month.
This week, Harris has seen a decline in her poll numbers for the first time since becoming her party’s presidential candidate. A New York Times/Siena poll released on Sunday indicates that Trump holds a slight edge over Harris, 48% to 47%, among likely voters nationwide.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
