Former President Donald Trump is preparing for his debate with US Vice President Kamala Harris by enlisting the help of former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to refine his strategies and criticisms, according to a report by the New York Times that cites sources familiar with Trump's schedule.
As reported by ANI, Tulsi Gabbard participated in a practice session with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump and Kamala Harris are scheduled to debate on ABC News on September 10.
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Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party following her 2020 presidential bid and has become a notable figure among Trump's supporters, has maintained a friendly relationship with him and was even rumoured to be considered as his potential running mate at one point.
Garbbard's involvement in Trump's debate preparation, was partly because of her own performance in a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, when Gabbard eviscerated Harris in a memorable onstage encounter.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump, confirmed Gabbard's involvement in an email, NYT reported.
Leavitt said the former president has “proven to be one of the best debaters in political history as evidenced by his knockout blow to Joe Biden. He does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisers and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage in 2020.”
Though Trump says he “doesn't need to” prepare for debates, the former President has spent more time this year practicing for debates than he did in either 2016 or 2020, the New York Times reported citing advisers who have worked with him.
He still doesn't do traditional debate prep. Nobody played Biden in his sessions ahead of their CNN debate on June 27.
Before his CNN debate with President Biden in June, Donald Trump dedicated significant time to discussing potential topics and questions with his advisers, both during lengthy sessions and informal discussions on plane trips.
During formal practice sessions at Mar-a-Lago, his aides played the role of moderators, sitting across from him in chairs. Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida asked particularly challenging questions, while other lawmakers, including his eventual running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, also engaged with Trump on policy issues.
Biden's halting and disjointed performance in his June debate with Trump ultimately led him to him dropping out of the race. Trump's aides are expected to handle preparations similarly for his debate with Harris, scheduled for September 10, NYT reported.
Notably, Gabbard brings some key qualities to Trump's role: She's a woman, at a moment when Trump is for a second time facing a woman as his general election rival; she's a former House member, giving her policy experience; and, perhaps most importantly for Trump, she has been on a debate stage with Harris and delivered a stinging attack against her record as a prosecutor, New York Times reported.
However, Gabbard's attacks on Harris in the July 2019 debate, all came from the left.
She alleged that Harris, when she was a district attorney in San Francisco, “put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana.”
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She also accused Harris of having obstructed evidence that could have let an innocent man leave death row, doing so only when a court "forced her to."
Harris, on the other hand, replied that she was “proud of making a decision to not just give fancy speeches, or be in a legislative body and give speeches on the floor, but actually doing the work.”
After the debate, Kamala Harris ridiculed Tulsi Gabbard's low polling numbers. Harris eventually withdrew from the race in December 2019, and Gabbard followed suit a few months later, exiting the race in March 2020.
(With inputs from ANI)
