In Kamala Harris’ first debate as the Democratic nominee since President Biden’s decision to back down, she certainly came prepared. She clashed forces with the Republican challenger and former President Donald Trump, and as far as we’re concerned, we can firmly agree that it was exactly what we expected.
In June, “her boss” (if you watched the debate, you know this has been a recurring theme on the Republican nominee’s behalf), President Joe Biden faced off against Trump, but it was more than obvious that another term would be too much for our current president.
He had, in fact, a catastrophic performance, forcing him to drop out of the 2024 race only 28 days later and let Kamala take the lead. Harris and Trump have never met before, and as presidential candidates haven’t shaken their hands during a debate since 2016, the Democratic nominee walked across the stage and introduced herself. “Kamala Harris,” she said as she extended her hand, and Trump shook it.
As the candidates appeared quite somber in the very first minutes, the mood shifted rapidly when Harries implied that people now seemed to leave Trump’s election rallies too soon. From that moment, the debate took a fierce and fiery turn. If you want to recap with us some of the most noticeable moments, join us:
Harris gives the side eye, Trump stares straight ahead
I guess it’s fair to say that this debate reminded us all of how charming and engaging a good debate can get. They are pretty much about style as they are about substance, so all eyes were on how Harris and Trump stood side by side.
Her microphone might have been off while Trump talked, but the split screen wasn’t, so Harris’s facial disapproval of his comments on immigration and the evolution of the economy took the spotlight.
It was very visible to the audience, and you could barely focus on what Trump was reiterating. At times, Harris brought her hand to her chin, staring at her adversary and pondering over his responses with an expression of bewilderment on her face. As Trump delved into his belief that in Ohio, people eat cats and dogs, I think we all synchronized our facial expressions with Kamala’s. Who wouldn’t?
But when Harris spoke, Trump stared right ahead, never looking across to his opponent. The former president did, however, jump on the opportunity to use one of Harris’s most famous debate lines against her. As she was speaking over Trump, he stopped in the middle of the sentence and said, “I’m talking, please.
If you don’t mind, please. Does that sound familiar?” His jab was meant to remind everyone of the time Harris addressed former vice-president Mike Pence as he spoke over her in a 2020 debate, saying, “Mr Vice President, I’m speaking.”
Harris struck a cord fast enough
Harris cracked through Trump’s staunch veneer a bit too hard when she called “so rich” for making a series of statements about crime rates among immigrants when he was “someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes.” But what really made Trump see cartoon-like stars in front of his eyes was her bringing up the crowd at his rallies. This one’s actually so good, I will emphasize it like never before:
“I am going to do something really unusual, and I’m going to invite you to attend one of Donald Trump’s rallies, because it’s an interesting thing to watch. People start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.”
All in all, this debate was quite a robust back-and-forth. It mainly highlighted some of the most important election issues we know are very likely to sway America’s undecided voters. Trump’s performance was very similar to his last performance on the debate stage.
However, what made the difference this time was his opponent. Now, he’s not up against an 81-year-old man who’s being scrutinized for every stumble. Now, Trump met the “prosecutor” Harris, as she brought the fight right to him. And after something we can now call a “stiff start” for both of them, Harris eventually managed to get under his skin.
The economy, which was seen as one of Trump’s strengths, is a big topic
As most national polls show Trump and Harris in a dead heat, the Republican nominee is still ahead in the polls when voters are asked which candidate they trust more when it comes to America’s economy. Naturally, Harris was well aware of the fact that she had to demonstrate to American voters that she’d be able to help them deal with the spiraling costs of living in the United States.
“I was raised as a middle-class kid, and I am the only person on this stage with a plan that implies lifting up the middle class and working people of America,” she said in one of her opening remarks. She also added how much she believes in the ambitions, dreams, and aspirations of the American people, and why it is so important to prioritize the concept of opportunity economy.”
Then, she went on to blame America’s ongoing economic struggles on the Trump administration’s approach until 2020. She reiterated how Donald Trump left us with the worst unemployment since the Great Depression, which is quite a statement.
The sparring went on to the topic of abortion access
Both candidates are well aware of the fact that Harris is hands-down more popular among female voters, so the issue of abortion access and pregnancy care was bound to be an important point of discussion on the debate stage.
Back in 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, also known as Roe vs. Wade, stating that individual states should decide the if, when, and how of an American’s right to terminate a pregnancy.
In what has remained as an emotional moment, Harris looked down the barrel of the camera. She directly addressed the women of America in one of her responses, saying: “Understood, if Donald Trump were to be re-elected, he will sign a national abortion ban.”
Trump responded by saying that he is not in favor of the abortion ban. However, he also added that it’s a matter of the past now since the states have now taken over this issue. Then, he was asked if he would veto a national abortion ban, to which he answered that he wouldn’t have to.
Now, we should all agree that his take on the matter has become confusing, to say the least, but his latest strategy is meant to push questions about bans back and blame the states.
The debate took a weird turn when Trump mentioned a dog-eating conspiracy theory
The debate took quite an unexpected turn when Trump mentioned immigration issues, but also brought up an online conspiracy theory that involves Haitian immigrants who steal pets to eat them.
“In Springfield, they are eating the dogs, the people that came in, they are eating the cats…they are eating the pets of the people that live there. This is what’s happening in our country, and it’s such a shame.” the former president stated.
Harris’s microphone was off, but we could still hear her laugh. She shook her head and said: “What?” Here’s what it’s actually about local officials in the Ohio city of Springfield stated there isn’t any evidence that household dogs and cats are turned into food.
Moderator David Muir asked Trump to provide a live fact-check during the debate. Then, Harris was asked if she would like to respond to Trump’s unverified claims. She laughed them off. Immigration is yet another policy area where voters prefer Trump’s take than Harris’s, according to most polls, because he promised to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants across the country’s southern border.
Trump plays his best card: war and foreign policy
By the time moderators brought up the next series of thorny questions about foreign policy, which also included wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Trump was visibly frustrated and annoyed.
It didn’t help that Harris struck yet another cord by saying that world leaders laugh at Trump and call him a “disgrace” for refusing to concede the 2020 elections, to which the Republican nominee insisted that he has the respect of the heads of state.
The debate ends frostily, and then Taylor Swift gets on stage (no, not literally)
At the end of the debate, the candidates took turns to make their final pitch to the nation and didn’t shake hands. It’s still unclear if they will meet for another series of debates before election day on November 5.
However, only a few moments after the debate wrapped, one of America’s most powerful and influential women endorsed Harris. Taylor Swift wrote on her Instagram page that she has decided to endorse Kamala Harris, and that she advises her fans and her platform to conduct their own research at hand and see the candidate’s takes on the topics that matter to them.
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