It is a traditional meeting of the American campaign: Tuesday, September 29, tens of millions of Americans will follow on their screens the first presidential debate between the Republican and Democratic candidates, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The two septuagenarians will meet on stage in Cleveland, Ohio, for an hour and a half, in an attempt to gain the upper hand on their rival.
A face-to-face meeting in front of a small audience of 90 people and mediated by Fox News reporter Chris Wallace, respected on both camps.
The meeting promises to be tense to say the least.
On the one hand, an outgoing Republican president, behind in the polls, who multiplies the provocations and today struggles to convince, after his management of the health crisis linked to Covid-19.
On the other, a veteran of American politics, senator then vice-president of Barack Obama, praised in his camp for his sense of empathy and listening, but who suffers from his image of a somewhat rigorous figure. of the Democratic establishment.
Expected for months, this televised duel leaves, unsurprisingly, little room for improvisation.
“Each candidate has obviously behind him and for months, a battery of spin doctors, verbal and non-verbal communication advisers.
Nothing is left to chance.
Especially in the United States where every low blow in politics is allowed ”, explains Ghyslaine Pierrat, political communication advisor contacted by France 24. The last provocation of Donald Trump, demanding ... an anti-doping test to his opponent before the debate, can moreover testify to it.
Rehearsals with a "false Trump"
In addition to destabilization through language - a common practice among the American billionaire - training and exercises to try to dominate face-to-face meetings have multiplied.
They can range from rereading the opponent's program, to revising current affairs files, including repeating the grand oral.
In the latter case, “we will try to reproduce all the artifices of the televised debate: the candidate rehearses his speech in a studio, under special lighting and in front of cameras, so that he soaks up this stressful atmosphere.
This makes it possible to correct his speech defects, his language tics, his posture etc. ”
details Ghyslaine Pierrat.
Each side will adopt its own strategy.
Joe Biden's team has redoubled its efforts, working both on the merits of the files, and on the sometimes too lukewarm rhetoric of its candidate.
The Democrat immersed himself in days of “intense preparation”, revising briefing books, under the gaze of his long-time adviser Ron Klain, who had already prepared Hillary Clinton during her debate in 2016, specifies the New York Times.
“Training is also very important on form for Joe Biden.
He rehearsed his speech like rehearsing a tennis match.
His team has stuck a “false Trump” to him in front of which he must defend himself and a “false host” supposed to ask him the most incisive questions.
The goal is for the Democrat to be as offensive as possible, ”notes Dominique Simonnet, writer, journalist and specialist on the United States on the phone.
"The president prepares himself by being president"
The dynamic is not the same, on the Republican side.
Donald Trump ensures that he approaches this debate calmly, without having deployed as much effort as during his confrontation with Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to the site of the American channel CBS News.
“The president prepares himself by being president”, summed up Tim Murtaugh, communications director of the Republican candidate.
Other advisers, on condition of anonymity, also assured that the permanent interactions of the Head of State with media which are “hostile” to him already constituted in itself a training.
Donald Trump did less than two hours of preparation in total, a person familiar with the process told CNN.
Preparation efforts included short question and answer periods using flash cards.
“Trump hates working on his files.
Most of the time, he asks his colleagues to sum up a case for him in one sentence.
But to be interested in the substance of a subject does not interest him.
On the other hand, he loves conflict, small sentences.
He is then expected to attack his rival on his physical fragility or on the corruption cases that have tainted his son Hunter Biden.
And this kind of attack always works with its electorate ”, adds Dominique Simonnet.
Strengthen its voter base
If this first meeting between the two candidates will be scrutinized with attention, it should not upset the results of the ballot.
“American society remains extremely polarized between the Democratic and Republican camp.
The stake of such a debate is not to gain new voters, but to consolidate, to enthusiastic its base ”, analysis near France 24, Charlotte Euzen, advisor in political communication and teacher at Science po Lille.
And to conclude: "Losing the debate would be tantamount to disappointing his supporters. But barring any great surprise, Trump will make Trump, that is to say he will kick in touch in the face of attacks and ignite backfires, always under pressure. applause from his constituents ".
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