In debate, Trump needs to expose Harris as flip-flopper in chief

Former President Donald Trump got lucky during the first general election presidential debate in June. 
President Joe Biden imploded on stage in real time before the eyes of the American people, leaving zero path forward for him to continue in his bid for a second term. 
By comparison, Trump came out looking victorious. 
He probably will have to try a little harder at the debate Tuesday evening against his new opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
While Harris is unlikely to stumble as much as her boss did, unscripted settings are not her forte. She’s also traditionally not good under extreme pressure – or when she’s pushed hard on her record. 
Trump could use both those weaknesses to his advantage – if he doesn’t let his own faults get in the way. 
Harris’ mediocre record:Kamala Harris seems ‘unburdened’ by her lackluster past. She can thank the media for that.
In her first major interview since becoming the Democratic nominee, Harris wasn’t pressed to answer for her ever-growing list of flip-flops on major issues, from immigration to health care. She doesn’t even hold the same views on banning plastic straws anymore.
ABC News’ debate moderators – and Trump – need to turn up the heat and demand that she explain what she actually believes to voters.
My thought (and one echoed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., over the weekend) is that Harris is as progressive as ever, but that she’s trying to reinvent herself as a centrist to appear as a more palatable candidate to voters in the middle. 
Harris’ policy shifts are so extreme, however, that she owes Americans a better picture of what she would do as president. 
Trump made a smart move in bringing on former Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to advise him for the debate. Gabbard ran against Harris in the 2020 Democratic primary and got in some zingers at a debate related to Harris’ record as a prosecutor. And Harris − clearly rattled by Gabbard’s cool, confident delivery −didn’t handle it well.
It’s telling that Harris and her campaign had tried to change the debate rules ahead of time, pushing for hot mics throughout the sparring match. It’s clear she hopes the attention will be on Trump acting the bully or saying inappropriate things – as he’s prone to do. 
Harris remains vague:Kamala Harris says her ‘values’ haven’t changed. We still have no clue what they are.
With the mics muted while the opponent is speaking, chances are more limited for the kind of standout moment that could get outsize news media and social media attention. It also takes pressure off Harris and her flip-flops.
As much as Harris wants to distance herself from the Biden administration, the fact remains she’s a central part of it. 
After four years in office, Harris has a hard task to define herself as a fresh candidate with fresh ideas to combat high inflation and illegal immigration – two issues that remain top of mind for voters.
On those issues, Trump leads Harris by double digits, according to the latest New York Times/Siena College poll. 
The poll also found that many more voters see Trump – not Harris – as a candidate of change. And that’s often what voters want in a presidential election, especially if they aren’t happy with the current direction of the country. 
More than twice as many of those surveyed (53%) said Trump represents “major change,” compared with 25% for Harris.   
Rather than dwell on past grievances, Trump would be wise to talk about what he plans to do to improve the economy and fight the chaos at the border. 
And Harris needs to answer for her many flip-flops and differentiate herself from Biden. 
The debate stakes are high for both candidates, but they’re highest for Harris. 
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] or on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques