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AFP
WASHINGTON
HILLARY CLINTON and Donald Trump were neck and neck on Monday as they girded for their first presidential debate, an intensely anticipated clash of opposites that could set the tone for the last six weeks of the White House race.
An estimated 90 million people were expected to watch the Democratic and Republican candidates go toe-to-toe for 90 minutes starting at 9:00 pm on the stage at Hofstra University in New York.
Surrogates have been out in force trying to manage expectations, and preempt public perceptions of their respective candidates, two of the least admired contenders for the White House in contemporary US political history.
Clinton, 68, enters the fray as a polished former secretary of state and ex-senator, who after almost 40 years of public service is steeped in the issues.
Trump, a 70-year-old billionaire and former reality TV star, is good on his feet, and unpredictable -- more comfortable in the limelight than on issues.
The battle of wits, egos and big personalities comes with the November 8 elections just six weeks away and the race in a virtual dead heat.
Moderated by NBC anchor Lester Holt, it will revolve around three themes:"America's direction, achieving prosperity, and securing America."
The candidates are under immense pressure, with any slip of the tongue holding the potential for disaster.
In a close race, the debaters' real prize may be the estimated nine percent of voters who have yet to make up their minds.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll on Sunday found Clinton tied with Trump at 41% among registered voters.
On Monday, a national poll by Quinnipiac University also found them in a virtual dead heat, with Clinton at 43% to Trump's 42 among likely voters.
The poll found that, by a margin of 41 to 32%, likely voters expect Clinton to win the debate. And 84% said they intend to watch.
Expectations may be higher for Clinton because she is a veteran of 34 primary debates, having run for president in 2008 when she lost to now-President Barack Obama in a long, hard-fought Democratic primary.
"When the spotlights are at the brightest and the pressure is the most intense, that's when she brings her A-plus game," her running mate Tim Kaine has said.
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27/09/2016
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