Tonight’s third and final round of 2016 general election presidential debates are sure to see both candidates pull out all the stops, but what can we really expect?
The debate stage will be one of the last chances Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have to convince undecided voters and make their case for why they will be the best person for the job as the nation prepares to head to the polls next month. So as we wait to see each candidate will handle the pressure and step up to the plate, here’s a look at some of the things likely to take place during the debate.
Trump will lean on President Obama’s half brother in an attempt to vilify Clinton and the Obama administration
Donald Trump’s main strategy in the last two debates and throughout his campaign has been to paint Hillary Clinton in the most unfavorable light possible. Given that he’s invited both President Obama’s half brother and a Benghazi victim’s mother to attend the debate, it’s unlikely that his strategy for tonight will be any different.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest in hair, beauty, style and celebrity news.
Clinton will keep her interaction with Trump to a minimum
Rather than retaliating with pointed counterattacks of her own for every verbal shot fired by Trump, Clinton will likely keep any back-and-forth banter with her opponent to a minimum and instead focus detailing her plans as potential POTUS.
Trump will try to downplaying the sexual assault allegations against him and his comments made about groping women in 2005
Given that multiple women have come forward with sexual assault allegations against Trump in light of the release of the 2005 tape that heard him brag about groping women, he won’t be able to avoid having to address the topic completely. In an attempt to somehow spin the conversation in his favor, there’s a good chance that he’ll challenge the validity of the woman’s claims and either downplay or outright deny that any of the incidents ever happened.
Moderator Chris Wallace won’t go easy on Trump or Clinton
Tonight’s debate moderator Chris Wallace isn’t expected to take it easy on either candidate. Although he’s a Fox News journalist, Wallace has engaged in tense discussions with both Clinton and Trump about controversial issues relating to their presidency campaigns. He’s also known for asking tough questions and has found himself the target of criticisms from Trump in recent months.
Clinton will have a few influential supporters of her own in the crowd
Billionaire businessman Mark Cuban and Republican Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman are two prominent Clinton advocates who will be in attendance for tonight’s debate. In addition to being strong supporters of Secretary Clinton, neither Cuban nor Whitman are Trump’s favorite people.
Little to no questions about police reform or gun violence will be asked
The topic of gun violence and even police brutality have both come up in previous presidential debates, but moderator Chris Wallace doesn’t have either of those on his list of discussion topics for tonight’s debate. According to The Commission on Presidential Debates, Wallace submitted the following topics as a baseline for tonight’s final round: debt and entitlements, immigration, economy, Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and fitness to be president. While other topics not included on the list will certainly come up, police brutality or police reform don’t seem likely to be on the short list.
The third presidential debate airs tonight at 9pm.