It’s Tuesday. It’s a stunningly beautiful day in Washington, D.C. September truly is one of the best months of the year. Here’s what’s happening today:

• Tonight’s the first (and possibly only) Harris-Trump debate.
• Democrats have a lot more at stake in tonight’s debate — and they’re feeling the pressure.
• SpaceX launched four private citizens into orbit this morning.
• New Hampshire’s governor saved a man who was choking during a lobster roll competition. The contestant then immediately jumped back into the race.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-staging.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.  

Tonight is the first — and possibly the only — meetup between Vice President Harris and former President Trump.

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that Democrats are privately acknowledging anxiety over tonight because Harris has much more at stake than Trump.

^ Why? This poll: A New York Times/Siena College poll shows that 90 percent of voters said they know everything they need to know about Trump, while just 71 percent said they know everything they need to know about Harris.

Throwback to 2020 — Remember the fly on Pence?: Bolton noted that Harris’s last debate was against former Vice President Mike Pence in 2020. She performed well, but the most memorable part of the night was the fly on Pence’s head.

Two reads on the warning signs for Harris: 

• ‘Democratic anxiety over debate grows ahead of Harris-Trump match-up’: The Hill
  
• ‘New poll delivers warning signals to Harris’: The Hill

📊 The Hill and Decision Desk HQ’s latest polling average

Harris is leaning into this underdog image: The Hill’s Alex Gangitano and Brett Samuels report that Harris is trying to tamp down expectations. Even though there’s a lot of energy and enthusiasm for her campaign, she has a lot of work to do to turn that into a November win. Read their full reporting

• Harris and Trump will debate in Philadelphia from 9-10:30 p.m. EDT.
• There will be no studio audience.
• Their microphones will be muted when it’s not their turn to speak.
• There will be two commercial breaks.
• ABC News’s David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate.

“This is quite possibly the first cover of [The Atlantic] magazine ever (in 167 years!) to be published without a headline or typography describing the stories inside,” The Atlantic’s executive editor Adrienne LaFrance posted. It’s quite the image.

©  The Hill, Greg Nash

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is plowing ahead with his partisan plan to fund the government, despite it already having enough opposition to fail.

The gist of the plan: It would fund the government for six months and include a measure to require proof of citizenship to vote. Trump supports this.

It’s expected to fail: At least six House Republicans have said they will vote against it — the GOP can only afford four “no” votes, assuming full attendance and all Democrats voting “no.”

Are the politics shifting Johnson’s position?: Not so far. Johnson is digging his heels in with this Trump-backed proposal.

Read more on where the saga stands: ‘Speaker Johnson plowing ahead with funding plan despite GOP opposition’

Voters in New Hampshire, Delaware and Rhode Island are casting their primary ballots today in their statewide and congressional elections.

Read Caroline Vakil’s primer for today’s races.

Politico’s Ally Mutnick, Sarah Ferris and Lisa Kashinsky looked into the intense, personal, ugly race that has formed to replace retiring Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.).

To give you a sense of the intensity: Two Democrats are duking it out, and abortion rights have taken center stage. One candidate, Colin Van Ostern, launched an ad, accusing his opponent, Maggie Goodlander, of donating to “pro-life Republicans.” Kuster, who is well-respected in Congress, was involved in that ad. Well, Goodlander’s allies cited her own experience with a late miscarriage.

Read the full reporting: ‘Ugliest Democratic primary of the cycle is tearing New Hampshire apart’

Speaking of New Hampshire…

A man started choking while competing in a lobster roll eating contest Sunday in New Hampshire. The state’s governor, Chris Sununu (R), stepped in and gave him the Heimlich maneuver, freeing the lobster from the man’s throat.

It doesn’t end there: “He went right back to the contest, which I couldn’t believe. He ate another seven lobster rolls after that,” Sununu told WMUR-TV. “Right down the gullet.”

📺 Watch the video

The Washington Post’s Dan Diamond and Cleve R. Wootson Jr. report that “Kamala Harris ran her office like a prosecutor. Not everyone liked that.”

Read this excerpt:

“Some of Harris’s early staff was also discomfited by her prosecutorial leadership style, former staffers said, which included pointed questions from Harris about footnotes in their reports or the reasons behind why certain items had been added to her schedule. ‘It’s stressful to brief her, because she’s read all the materials, has annotated it and is prepared to talk through it,’ said one former aide. ‘You can’t come to the vice president and just ask her to do something,’ said another staffer. ‘You need to have a why.’”

“That behavior manifests in other encounters, the staffer continued, such as when someone pays her compliments. ‘She’ll turn to them and say ‘why?,’ and that throws them off,’ the staffer said.” 🤔

Former White House press secretary and MSNBC host Jen Psaki posted this excerpt and commented: “I have worked for two Presidents, briefed two Presidents. We don’t want a President sitting in the Oval Office who wouldn’t demand exactly this. It’s literally your job to be prepared for it.”

“SpaceX launched four private citizens into orbit early Tuesday morning for an ambitious flight that aims to venture farther into space than most astronauts have flown before — aside from the 24 Apollo astronauts who have been to the moon.”

Plus: “The daring flight, called Polaris Dawn, also seeks to include the first-ever spacewalk conducted by private citizens, though they will not venture away from the capsule.” (The Hill)

📺 Celebrate: Today is National TV Dinner Day!

💵 Elon Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire: A new study estimates that Elon Musk is on track to become the world’s first trillionaire by 2027. Musk is currently worth roughly $195 billion.

🏠 Some parents are buying D.C. college kids million-dollar homes: Axios’s Mimi Montgomery reports that it’s not uncommon for parents to buy properties for their children to live in while attending Georgetown University or George Washington University. Real estate agents say it’s also not uncommon for these purchases to be made in all cash. (Axios)

📱 New Apple products: Apple held an event Monday to announce a series of new products, including the iPhone 16. Some new features include more buttons and AI. Details from The Verge

The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Washington, and Vice President Harris is in Philadelphia. (all times Eastern)

• This morning: Biden welcomed the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team to the White House to celebrate their 2023-24 NCAA championship season. 💻 Watch
• 1:30 p.m.: Biden welcomes the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team to the White House to celebrate their 2023-24 NCAA championship season. 💻 Livestream
• 1:30 p.m.: First House votes. Last votes are expected around 4 p.m. 📆 Today’s agenda
• 2:15 p.m.: The Senate votes on a judicial confirmation. 📆 Today’s agenda
• 4:35 p.m.: Biden leaves for New York City.
• 9 p.m.: The presidential debate.

Before you return to your workday, here’s one very brave dog. We are all so proud.