Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican challenger Donald Trump are set to square off in the first presidential debate in New York City on Monday at 9 p.m. EST in what could prove to be a defining moment of the 2016 presidential race.
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Clinton has reportedly been spending considerable time preparing for the debate, even taking time off the campaign trail. Her camp has touted the debate as the most important date yet and is expected to be preparing for anything that her often-unpredictable opponent Trump could present.
"I am going to do my very best to communicate as clearly and fearlessly as I can in the face of the insults and the attacks and the bullying and the bigotry that we have seen coming from my opponent," Clinton said on the Steve Harvey Radio show on Tuesday.
Trump, however, is taking his preparation in a more relaxed manner and will be able to go into the debate with confidence knowing that he has been able to draw closer to Clinton in the recent polls. A New York Times/ CBS poll has both candidates even at about 42 percent each out of all presidential candidates, with Clinton just 2 percent above Trump on a two-candidate preferred vote.
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Trump is expected to continue with his “Make America Great Again” nationalistic rhetoric promising economic growth and increased border security through the construction of a border wall with Mexico. Clinton too is expected to focus on the economy and job creation, while emphasising her political experience as a senator and secretary of state under President Barack Obama.
Clinton will be hoping to have a better impression on voters that her interview with comedian Zach Galifianakis on Thursday.
The uninterrupted 90-minute debate is expected to attract a massive audience around the globe including around 100 million viewers from the United States alone.