Donald Trump often steals the show, but this debate's spotlight will be on Kamala Harris

For Kamala Harris, Tuesday night's presidential debate with former U.S. president Donald Trump could be a significant moment of opportunity for the vice-president, but also, perhaps, a significant risk.

«I do think this is a debate about Kamala Harris more than it's a debate about Trump,» said Alan Schroeder, professor emeritus at Northeastern University's school of journalism, and an expert on presidential debates.

With Trump such a known commodity, the debate — the first and possibly only contest between the two current candidates — could offer Harris the occasion to grow her level of support. On the flip side, she could alienate voters if she does not perform well.

«Trump has been so dominant on the American political stage for the past decade, really,» Schroeder said. «And now it's about someone else.»

Trump won't have Biden as distraction

That could be an advantage for Harris, says Schroeder, because there will be more attention on her. But it also means more pressure and «the absolute need for her to have a successful debate, in order to capitalize on this momentum.»

But for Trump, experts say a poor performance — which may include his habits of avoiding answering questions, making false statements and repeating personal attacks he's made against Harris on the campaign trail — could have more resonance this time without the distraction that President Joe Biden's performance provided last time.

«Biden was so awful that it actually overwhelmed the fact that Trump did not have a good debate performance either,» said Patrick A. Stewart, a political science professor at the University of Arkansas, and the author of

Stewart also believes Trump, who has «never been a policy guy,» may also be judged on whether he still has the