The stage is set
It’s Tuesday – or Debate Day for all who are following! I’m Rebecca Morin, senior national news reporter at Paste BN.
21 days until the vice presidential debate. 56 days until Election Day. 18 days until the All Things Go music festival (which I'm heartbroken I'm not attending this year.)
VP Harris has the most to lose in debate with Trump
It’s going to be a make or break moment for Democrat Kamala Harris at Tuesday night’s debate against Republican Donald Trump. Harris has seen a honeymoon period after skyrocketing to the top of the ticket. But the expectations are high for the vice president and former prosecutor. Read more.
- How to watch Trump, Harris face off ahead of 2024 election
- Follow along with live updates of the Harris-Trump debate
- Watch: Philadelphia readies for Kamala Harris-Donald Trump presidential debate
So what’s Donald Trump’s strategy? Attack.
The attack dog is going to come out Tuesday night. Former President Donald Trump is planning to go after Harris on an array of issues – from the economy, inflation, to immigration. And he will likely also go after Harris personally. Read more.
Behind the scenes
ABC News signage is installed in the media center inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center one day before the presidential debate. More photos.
A politics pit stop
- When is the vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz?
- 1 in 4 Republicans supports political violence if election is 'compromised,' study says
- When is Election Day 2024? See key dates from now through November
- Republicans in Congress fault Biden over chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s name to appear on Michigan presidential ballot, in blow to Trump
Presidential debate bingo: Play Paste BN's free game during the Harris-Trump showdown
You asked, On Politics answers: Birth control and abortions
Got any questions or comments? Please send them in! One “On Politics” reader asks: “Why aren't women using birth control to PREVENT pregnancies instead of terminating their pregnancies? It's preventable, for the most part.”
Lots to dive in on. First, roughly half of people (51%) who got abortions were on birth control at least a month before they became pregnant, according to an analysis by Guttmacher Institute published in 2018. As of 2018, the institute – which advocates for abortion rights but is cited for its in-depth data across the board – found that 65% of U.S. women aged 15–49 were using a contraceptive method in 2018. Birth control is not 100% effective.
While the abortion rate is nowhere as high as its peak in 1990, it did go up slightly in 2023 from previous years. The rate for 2023 was 15.9 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age — an 11% increase since 2020, per Guttmacher.
Got a burning question for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.