Supreme Court, coronavirus, race among the topics for the first presidential debate Sept. 29
WASHINGTON — The topics for the first debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were revealed on Tuesday, and they include the Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic and unrest over racial issues.
Fox News' Chris Wallace will serve as moderator during the 90-minute debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, which will begin at 9 p.m. ET on Sept. 29. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced six topics selected by Wallace.
In 15-minute segments, Wallace will ask the candidates about their records, the Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, race and unrest throughout the country, and the integrity of the election. The commission said the topics are subject to change depending on any "news developments."
USA TODAY/Suffolk poll: More Americans predict Trump will win the presidential debates than Biden
The first debate comes shortly after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death last week opened up a partisan battle over who should pick her replacement, and when. Trump has said he will announce his nominee on Saturday, with Republicans promising a swift confirmation process. Democrats, meanwhile, argue that voters should have a say and the nomination should be left to whoever wins the 2020 presidential election.
Meanwhile, the United States surpassed 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus on Tuesday with over 6.8 million recorded cases, according to Johns Hopkins University's tracker.
Candidates are also expected to discuss the country's reckoning with racial injustice, as protests against systemic racism continue in the U.S. and candidates have addressed the topic of law and order following high-profile deaths of Black people at the hands of police. A USA TODAY/Ipsos poll released Tuesday shows a majority of Americans think cities are being overwhelmed by protesters calling for policing reform and counter-protesters.
The debates stand as one of the most important opportunities left for Biden and Trump to appeal to potential voters, even as early voting has begun in many states.
A vice presidential debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris will be hosted by USA TODAY's Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page on Oct. 7 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Additional presidential debates are scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami and Oct. 22 in Nashville.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: First Biden-Trump debate to include Supreme Court, COVID-19 topics
