They aren’t even officially nominated by their parties as presidential candidates, but you could argue that tonight’s U.S. presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is make or break time for both men.

For Trump, it is an opportunity for a reset. His recent publicity has been mostly bad. Felony convictions really don’t help a candidacy, no matter what the Republican faithful say. Trump needs to sway the undecided voters, to nibble away at the Democrats base.

Tonight Trump has the opportunity to tell the American people why he should once again be elected as their president. It may be a hard sell after his loss in 2020 and his subsequent actions.

I’m not going to offer any tips on how he can do well in this debate. He wouldn’t listen anyway. As the Justin Trudeau of America, he always thinks what he does is right.

He is so confident he hasn’t bothered with the usual pre-debate preparations, or at least that is what his spin doctors would have us believe. Do you think that he is really going to try and wing it?

Joe Biden has an easier task tonight. Republicans and the media have, rightly or wrongly, brought his age and mental fitness into question. All he has to do tonight is not seem old. If he stays focused and presidential, he will win hands down.

However, if his mind appears to wander, if he has a brain freeze, he might as well tell the Democrats to select a new candidate. Trump is old, Biden is older. Trump comes across as vigorous. What he says is mostly non-sense, but he says it with authority. The voters will contrast the styles and vote for the younger-sounding candidate.

Trump’s biggest problem may be that the moderators are planning on forcing the rules of the debate. That may put him at a disadvantage.

Tonight his microphone will be dead except when it is his turn to say something. As someone who in past debates has shouted others down and been physically aggressive towards his opponents, behaving like a civilized human may be too much for him. There will be no live audience of fans egging him on.

I have to admit, I half expected Trump to pull out at the last minute, saying the debate was rigged against him. (He agreed to the rules beforehand, but he will say he was forced into accepting them.) I wouldn’t be surprised if he walks off the stage the first time he doesn’t like a question.

Imagine if he did. Instead of two hours of issues being debated, the talking heads of the media would be filling the airwaves talking not about the issues but about Trump, and what his actions mean for his campaign. It might be a brilliant political move.

I can’t remember when I last watched a US presidential debate. I don’t get to vote, and American politicians in general seem like lightweights to me.

Tonight though I will be tuned in. Because what happens may make the November vote a foregone conclusion.

The telecast starts at 9 p.m. Eastern. Will you be watching?