Live US Election 2020 presidential debate updates: Donald Trump and Joe Biden face off

US President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will debate an array of urgent political challenges, including the response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Supreme Court, and continued protests for racial justice.

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The 90-minute debate, with a limited and socially distanced in-person audience because of the pandemic, will begin at 2pm (NZ time) at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

RNZ’s Max Towle and Jeremy Rees will bring you the latest developments here:

It is the first of three scheduled debates:

• Second presidential debate: Trump and Biden will debate again on 16 October, 2pm (NZT), at a performing arts centre in Miami, Florida. Steve Scully of C-SPAN Networks is set to moderate the debate.
• Third presidential debate: In their final chance to win over voters, Trump and Biden will take to the stage in Nashville, Tennessee. NBC’s White House correspondent Kristen Welker will be hosting the debate on 23 October, 1pm (NZT).

The only vice presidential debate between Harris and Pence will take place on 8 October, 12pm (NZT) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

White House aides have said Trump, 74, will aggressively challenge Biden’s record on issues such as trade, energy and taxes and will be prepared to defend himself on his own taxes.

Trump, who has repeatedly cast doubt on the integrity of the election, is likely to face questions about his refusal to commit to accepting the election results and a peaceful handover of power should he lose.

Biden, 77, is certain to press his criticism of Trump’s response to the pandemic, and highlight Trump’s efforts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, the law known as Obamacare which has helped millions of Americans obtain health insurance.

The debate will be divided into six segments – the records of Trump and Biden, the US Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, election integrity and “race and violence” in US cities.

Ahead of the debate, Democrats have demanded that moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News correct Trump when he makes false claims. But Wallace, whom Trump has called “nasty and obnoxious,” said he would not perform a fact-checking function, instead remaining as invisible as possible.

– Reuters