Americans Want More Forceful Biden, Polite Trump in Debate

Some will also be looking for whether or not these men have the mental and cognitive health to serve (a concern that voters have expressed to some degree about each of the candidates in previous polls).

Voters generally agree on what they want the candidates to say, but views diverge on how they should say it. Democrats want Mr. Biden to take a more forceful tone, while Republicans want Trump to take a more polite one.

In a contest where so many have said they're already decided, relatively few watchers think they'll see something that could change their votes. Instead, more will be watching to see how the candidates perform. There are some who say they will be watching for entertainment.

There are some indications Democrats are feeling more apprehensive than Republicans. Democrats aren't as sure their candidate will "win" the debate. They think Mr. Biden needs to avoid mistakes, more so than Republicans think Trump does. And fewer Democrats than Republicans plan to watch the debate live in the first place.