How long does tonights debate last

Look for the Democrat to continue hitting those themes while Trump casts Biden as responsible for helping send millions of Black Americans to prison with a crime law when Biden was a senator.

Biden has accused the president of alienating long-standing U. Welker will be the first Black woman to serve as the moderator of a presidential debate since Carole Simpson in Trump and Biden will each have his microphone cut off while his rival delivers an opening two-minute answer to each of the six debate topics, the commission announced.

Resume Subscription We are delighted that you'd like to resume your subscription. Please click confirm to resume now. Sponsored Offers. Most Popular News. The surges are dominating local news coverage, too, meaning most voters are heading to the polls with frequent reminders of the ongoing pandemic.

US is nearing 'rapid acceleration' of Covid cases, expert warns, as daily infections hit about 60, That's a problem for Trump. The virus has dominated the election, forcing both candidates to rethink the way they campaign, especially after Trump himself contracted the virus.

But Trump has shown recent signs of deep-seated anger at the focus on the virus, lambasting journalists for covering the pandemic and even abruptly ending an interview with 60 Minutes when many of the questions focused on the virus. Coronavirus remains the most important issue in the minds of voters. How Trump handles questions about the issue will have significant implications in this election. Biden tries to pass one more test. Thursday night's debate is effectively the last major hurdle that must be cleared by Biden, a candidate who -- despite his reputation for gaffes, and some minor stumbles along the way -- has largely stuck to the same message since launching his campaign in April In the waning weeks of the race, that's required Biden to finesse his way around some questions about how he'd govern.

The most persistent one he's ducked: Whether he would back some progressives' push to add seats to a Supreme Court that could soon see a conservative majority. He has moved those conversations onto safer political ground, focusing on policy questions such as the future of Obamacare's protections for those with pre-existing conditions instead of handing Trump's campaign ammunition to paint Biden as a tool of his party's progressive wing. By turning in solid performances in debates and interviews, Biden has also avoided any moments that could look -- to an audience of millions of people -- anything like the mental decline that Trump's campaign has baselessly claimed the year-old former vice president faces.

The day-to-day grind of stump speeches and interactions with reporters on the campaign trail that'll follow Thursday night's debate won't be seen by anywhere near the audience that will tune in. If Biden emerges largely unscathed, he'll likely have successfully weathered every key moment with the potential to alter the dynamics of a presidential race polls show he is winning.

How will Biden handle Trump's personal attacks? Both candidates are likely to hit the other on China. Trump ups pressure on Barr to investigate Bidens as election nears. President Trump is calling on Atty. William Barr to launch an investigation into unverified claims about Democrat Joe Biden and his son Hunter, effectively demanding that the Justice Department abandon its historical resistance to getting involved in elections. Giuliani, that he said were retrieved from the hard drive of a laptop purportedly left at a Delaware repair shop by Hunter Biden.

Probably not. Although Biden at the last debate incorrectly said the U. The president did acknowledge that some people had suggested he let Biden finish his thoughts. Arit John is a general assignment lifestyle reporter for the Los Angeles Times features team, focused on internet culture and life in L. She joined the newsroom in as a political reporter covering the presidential campaign, and previously covered style at the New York Times, Congress and politics at Bloomberg News and breaking news at the Atlantic.

On trip to France, Kamala Harris is introducing herself to the world in personal terms.