GOP pollster: ‘The debate is everything’

Republican pollster Frank Luntz said early Monday he believes the upcoming presidential debate “is everything,” outlining what he thinks Vice President Harris and former President Trump will have to do to win over voters.

During an appearance on CNN, anchor John Berman asked Luntz what is left for Harris and Trump to do with fewer than 70 days until the election.

“The debate is everything,” Luntz said.

“Everything?” Berman questioned.

“Everything,” Luntz responded in remarks highlighted by Mediaite. “When the voter sees side by side the two candidates and they listen to what they say, not just the answers, it’s the body language. Is there contempt? Does someone fold their arms? Do they look at the individual when they’re speaking? Do they seem presidential in their approach?”

The high-stakes Sept. 10 debate between Harris and Trump in Philadelphia is right around the corner.

It’s one of the first times Harris will be able to present her policy platforms to voters and challenge Trump in real time as she makes gains in polls nationwide.

There’s been much debate about the rules of the upcoming event. The Harris campaign is pushing for microphones to remain on when the other person is speaking, potentially giving way for viewers to see Trump interrupt the vice president.

In recent days, questions have been raised about whether Trump will show up to the debate. If he does, attention will be focused in part on the way he acts toward Harris.

“For Trump, can he keep quiet? Can he actually listen to a response, or does he have to respond to everything,” Luntz said on CNN. “For Harris, does she seem open-minded? Does she seem willing to take in information not just project?”

“Each of them has different goals for that debate, but each one, in the end, has to prove that they’re ready, not just for that moment, but voters are thinking ‘who do I want to represent me two years from now, three or four years from now?” he continued.

Luntz also argued that Harris must prove to voters she has improved since her 2020 Democratic primary debate.

“She has to prove she has the capability to do it and Trump has to prove that he doesn’t treat her rudely, obnoxiously, because he lost a lot of female voters in 2020 who would have voted for him over policy but would not vote for him because of his persona,” Luntz said.