Half of America's likely voters will rely on the presidential debates to help them make their choice between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday.
The results show the stakes for the White House rivals as they prepare to face off on Monday on Long Island, New York, for their first of three one-on-one debates, a prime-time TV spectacle expected to draw a Super Bowl-sized audience of 100 million Americans.
The poll also says some 50% of likely voters think the debates will help inform their decision of whom to support, including 10% who say they are not currently leaning either way.
What's more, 39% said the debates will not help, and 11% said they did not know how the debates would affect them.
In a strong signal that most viewers also hope the debates bring clarity, some 72% of respondents said they want to see moderators point out when a candidate says something that is untrue.
