5 questions heading into Trump and Biden's first debate

 President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, will meet on debate st for first time Tuesday night in Cleveland. Millions of voters will get ir first opportunity to compare candidates' policies and personalities side by side on national television for 90 minutes just five weeks before Election Day and as early voting is already unfolding in some states.

Here are some of biggest questions heading into night:

HOW DOES TRUMP HANDLE BEING ON DEFENSIVE?

In his first formal debate since taking office, Trump has a lot to answer for.

More than 200,000 Americans have been killed by COVID-19 under his watch — highest death toll of any country in world. Tens of millions of people are still out of work. country's cultural and political divisions are widening. And don't forget weekend revelations that Trump has paid less federal income taxes than most working-class Americans for several years.

Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News and Biden will doubt press Trump on those facts.

Trump seems to revel in hand-to-hand combat, and history suggests that neir facts r any code of conduct will prevent him from saying whatever he needs to change subject. He can pivot to more friendly issues such as Supreme Court confirmation fight or “law and order” — or he can jump into mud by going after Biden's mental and physical strength or his family.

Such personal tactics worked for Trump four years ago. But w that he's man in charge of country, it's unclear if voters will be as willing to accept brash outsider act.

HOW DOES BIDEN RESPOND?

It's difficult to keep up with Trump's campaign messs, but one line of attack has risen above rest over past year: that 77-year-old Biden, or “Sleepy Joe,” is t mentally or physically fit to be president. refore, perhaps thing matters more for Biden on Tuesday night than his ability to convince America that he has strength to hold world's most important job.

Given Trump's persistent attacks, Biden faces a low bar in proving his stamina.

But it's worth asking wher that's measure for success that voters should use. After nearly a half century in politics, Biden is a far more experienced debater than Trump, and he has a much better grasp of foreign and domestic policy. On paper, at least, Biden has advant.

Yet former vice president's uneven performances in primary debates offer plenty of reasons for Democrats to be worried.

WHO WILL VOTERS SEE ON ST?

Trump and his Republican allies have been trying to brand Biden as a socialist since he emerged as Democratic minee from a pack of primary candidates that featured a self-described democratic socialist (t Biden). And Biden and his allies have been calling Trump a racist since Biden launched his campaign.

On Tuesday, each candidate will have a prime-time opportunity to debate policies and rhetoric underlying each argument.

Biden, who has long positioned himself to center of his party's most liberal positions, has embraced plans to enlarge government's role in health care, education and environment. Such policies are hardly socialist, but y would represent a significant shift to left and require tax increases.

Trump has a well-established pattern of using racist rhetoric and favoring policies that disproportionately favor white people. For example, Trump has used power of his office to crack down on Black Lives Matter protesters fighting for civil rights, calling m “terrorists” and warning that violent mobs of such protesters are invading largely white suburbs.

While candidates' personalities may draw more attention than ir policies, it's ir policies that will touch lives of virtually every American voter.

HOW WILL BIDEN HANDLE TRUMP'S FALSE STATEMENTS?

Heading into debate, Biden's team was advising him to avoid messy confrontations and fact checking Trump in real time to avoid getting pulled into mud with a president who loves getting dirty.

Biden could easily spend all 90 minutes consumed by trying to refute Trump's claims, and doubt, liberals will want to see Biden take fight to president whenever opportunity presents itself. But Biden also wants to rise above chaos and present voters with a clear alternative who's willing to compromise and move past divisive fights that have dominated Trump era.

It's a delicate balance, and Biden has struggled at times to stick to his advisers' plans. You may remember him snapping at voters on campaign trail back in spring or campaign's futile attempt to get him to shorten and focus his stump speeches.

Even under best of circumstances, as we've seen in Trump's previous debates, it's difficult to take on Trump directly. former TV reality star is clearly comfortable on camera, and he's willing to say whatever he needs to — wher it's true or t.

HOW WILL DEMOCRACY FARE?

Trump has repeatedly sought to undermine integrity of election by raising unfounded concerns about voter fraud. Trailing in polls, he's been escalating such warnings as Election Day nears.

Trump's mess is t supported by facts, but many of his supporters believe it. We'll see how convincing Trump's mess is, with Biden — and perhaps Wallace — pushing back.

re are legitimate concerns about Postal Service's capacity to handle surge of mail ballots as people try to participate in election as safely as possible during pandemic. And several states are scrambling to avoid same ballot-counting delays that plagued primary elections. But experts are quite clear that re is evidence of significant voter fraud and very little chance it will happen in 2020.

experts' voices are t as loud, however, as whatever will be said Tuesday night.

This story has t been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.