Trump is the underdog. Being overconfident won't do it. He needs to work his strategy smartly the entire 90 minutes. Point out the things the media will not give him credit for and do it with precision in words that holds up to the scrutiny of the phony fact checkers sure to follow. Connect policies with results and Biden's reversing policies with a reversing of results. Take us through the key economic and foreign policy accomplishments and make the case for continuing the course. Explain the correct role of the courts and why voters should choose constitutional principles, not politicians in robes.
[Example: "You have vowed to rescind the Trump tax cuts. Can you think of a single example of a country that recovered from a recession by raising taxes?"
https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/09/28/25-questions-joe-biden-should-be-asked-in-the-debate/]
Make Biden choose between socialist and moderate, get him to separate from socialist Left policy proposals in his party, or endorse them. Don't settle for blank canvas or fence sitting.
Get Biden to take clear policy positions, tax rates, spending, energy, fracking, Iran, China, etc. [that would take us backwards]. Follow up on the things he says that don't work, don't make sense and contradict past words and positions. Get us off fossil fuels by 2035? What fossil fuel production and uses will he ban now? None?
All? Make clear how all these Dem policies hurt and cost the poor and the working people.
["Do you or do you not support a ban on fracking? If you do, what do you say to the estimated 7.5 million American jobs that will be lost due to such a ban, which includes an estimated 550,000 jobs lost in Pennsylvania, 500,000 jobs lost in Ohio, 363,000 jobs lost in North Carolina, 353,000 jobs lost in Colorado, and 233,000 jobs lost in Michigan?"]
Get Biden to contradict himself and call him out on it. Crime bill for example, hard prison time for black crack use but not for addict Hunter. You would open our borders but protect us from Covid?!
Get a commitment from Biden to not pack the Court if he wins, or admit he will.
Lay out the case that Obama and Biden spearheaded the shameful FBI abuses.
Give reason and confidence to elect Republican House and Senate to help m.A.g.a.
Do the above in a way that raises his own likeability.