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Presidential debate poses risks for both candidates
Three veteran political analysts see challenges and opportunities for both Trump and Harris.
MINNEAPOLIS — Hours ahead of Tuesday night’s pivotal debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, KARE 11 checked in with three veteran Minnesota political analysts to get their quick takes on what’s at stake for both candidates.
The consensus remains that Harris has more at stake in the rhetorical tussle in Philadelphia, barring any huge gaffes by Trump.
Steven Schier – Carleton College Political Science professor emeritus:
“Harris has more to gain and more to lose than Donald Trump tonight. The reason for that is about a third of the public in the polls want to know more about her. They don’t really feel they have a good understanding of who she is. That’s an opportunity and it’s also a problem, in that, a lot depends on her performance tonight with that big chunk of the public.”
“However, important this debate may be, it probably won’t fundamentally alter the fact that the race will remain very competitive up to Election Day.”
“Trump will certainly focus on inflation, the economy, and immigration, which are top concerns amongst voters. And Harris will focus on January 6th, the riot at the Capitol, Donald Trump’s personal past, and the threat to democracy he may present.”
“What you’ll see from Harris is an attempt to pivot towards the future whenever she can, so as not to have to discuss the record of the Biden Administration. With Trump what you will see is constant comparisons – my presidency versus Biden’s.”
Larry Jacobs, Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the U of M:
“I don’t think anyone following polls can really tell you who’s ahead at this point, so tonight emerges as maybe the biggest opportunity and the only opportunity to tilt the election in favor of one candidate or another.”
“Donald Trump has done this a bunch of times and has performed well. He knocked Joe Biden out of the race. On the other hand, Kamala Harris has had some momentum, she represents a younger candidate, a candidate with real experience as a prosecutor who will try to pin Trump’s ears back.”
“For Kamala Harris, she has got to convey that she is going to be an agent of change because of the dissatisfaction with the Biden Administration. For Donald Trump, he’s got to assure America he’s going to be a reliable and more under control candidate and president.”
“Can Trump stick to the issues? Or will he give in the temptation to go off on the handle? It will be a disaster for him if he were to any way question the race or gender of Kamala Harris, which he’s done in speeches and other appearances in the past.”
David Schultz, Hamline University and U of M School of Law:
“Only about two to three percent of the voters are undecided, and there are still a lot of voters who don’t know who Harris is. So, for a lot of reasons, she needs to restart momentum, introduce herself. Less than 60 days before the election she’s still introducing herself to large chunks of the American population, so, this debate is really important for her.”
“For Trump, his supporters are locked in. They are loyal. We know they’re going to vote for him. Harris’s support is still, let’s say, softer at this point.”
“Will they stick to the issues? If Trump sticks to issues of the economy, the border, inflation, the public likes where he is. They don’t like where he is on the abortion issue, so you’ll see him trying to walk away from that issue. Harris probably wants to get him upset, get him provoked so he goes off on a handle, goes in a whole bunch of different directions.”
“The future shouldn’t come down to a misstatement or mistake in a debate, but unfortunately, on Wednesday morning, the story for so many people will be did somebody commit a gaffe? Did somebody stay focused? Did somebody implode?”
KARE 11 will provide complete coverage of the ABC News debate Tuesday night and Wednesday.
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Officers say they found the man in the rear of an apartment building suffering from gunshot wounds.
ST PAUL, Minn. — St. Paul Police are investigating after finding a man dead following a shooting early Tuesday morning.
Squads were called to the 1200 block of University Ave. W around 12:30 a.m. after a 911 caller reported hearing gunshots and seeing a person lying on the ground. Upon arrival, officers found a man with apparent gunshot wounds lying in the rear of an apartment building, according to a press conference.
St. Paul Fire medics pronounced the man dead on the scene, according to police spokesman Sgt. Mike Ernster.
The SPPD homicide team is investigating the events that led up to the man’s death and trying to identify potential suspects. If you have any information on this incident, call 651-266-5650.
Case updates and the victim’s name will be released on St. Paul Police social media channels.
A ceremony was help honoring the Minnesota Supreme Court’s newest member.
ST PAUL, Minn. — A vast array of judges, lawyers, family and friends gathered at the Minnesota History Center in Saint Paul to honor the newest member of the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Natalie Hudson administered the oath of office to Associate Justice Theodora Gaitas, who was appointed last spring to replace retiring Associate Justice Margaret Chutich.
“A strong judiciary guards against tyranny, against oppression, against injustice. But a strong judiciary also serves the people,” Gaitas told the crowd.
Gaitas, who spent her childhood in Greece, quoted Greek philosopher Aristotle several times in her speech.
“Aristotle wrote law is order and good law is good order,” she said. “Here in Minnesota, we have good order. Good order relies on a strong judiciary.”
Gaitas has spent the past four years as a jurist on the Minnesota Court of Appeals and before that spent two years as a Ramsey County District Court Judge. She took the legal oath previously before joining the Supreme Court in August, so Monday’s event was purely ceremonial.
Gov. Walz appointed Gaitas and Judge Sarah Hennesy last April to fill two vacancies that were expected on the high court in the months ahead. Justice Hennesy joined the Supreme Court on May 13, replacing the retiring Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson.
Walz took a break from the vice-presidential campaign trail Monday afternoon to attend the ceremony and thank Gaitas for accepting the new role.
“One of the questions we asked is what life experiences shaped who you are,” Walz said. “Justice Gaitas’ personal journey, her personal heartaches, as well as her commitment to others shined through in so many ways. Putting others in front of herself, and her work as a public defender doing it with every ounce of her intellect, but with the compassion that needed to be there too, shined through.”
The heartache he referenced was the sudden death in 2023 of Justice Gaitas’s husband R. Christopher Sur. He died while cross-country skiing in Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis with a friend. Their daughter Clea performed with a musical combo at the ceremony and held a copy of the US and Minnesota Constitutions as Gaitas took the oath.
Lt. Gov. Flanagan praised Gaitas for her breadth of experience and connection to those who use the court system.
“Justice Gaitas has excelled at every level of the legal profession and the judiciary. Her extensive experience as an appellate public defender and judge in the district court and court of appeals instilled a deep understanding of how our justice system can and should treat real people.”
