Friday, December 13, 2024

Clinton and Trump Gear Up For Their Final Presidential Debate

ap_16284076504655-e1476072089891

In their final showdown before voters cast their ballots, presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump may focus on some of the hot-topic issues that escaped them in the first two debates. Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said the Democratic nominee “will be ready for whatever scorched-earth tactics (Trump) tries” in Wednesday’s debate.

Moderator Chris Wallace – the first Fox News journalist to moderate a debate – said he plans to ask the candidates about immigration, debt and entitlements, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign policy and their fitness to be president. He aims to spend 15 minutes on each topic.

For Trump, the debate is perhaps his last opportunity to turn around a race that appears to be slipping away from him. His controversial comments about women and a flood of sexual assault accusations have deepened his unpopularity with women and seem to have limited his pathway to victory. His supporters remain intensely loyal, but there are few signs he’s not attracting the new backers he desperately needs.

Clinton takes the stage facing challenges of her own. While the electoral map leans narrowly in her favor, the Democrat is facing a new round of questions about her authenticity and trustworthiness, concerns that have trailed her throughout the campaign. The hacking of her top adviser’s emails revealed a candidate that is averse to apologizing, can strike a different tone in private than in public, and makes some decisions only after painstaking political deliberations.

Trump is bringing President Barack Obama’s half-brother, Malik Obama, as his debate guest. Clinton is bringing billionaire and frequent Trump critic Mark Cuban and Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman, one of the former secretary of state’s highest-profile Republican backers. Campaign officials said she has also invited three Nevadans from immigrant families, including prominent Las Vegas DREAMer Astrid Silva.

FOX News Latino