Do you know what happened between Harris and Trump during the commercial break?
There’s no doubt that there are a few tensions between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, so their first—and likely only—presidential debate on 10th September wasn’t as smooth as they might’ve intended. And if you watched it and thought that it was perfectly fine, what happened during the commercial break was quite shocking for some.
According to sources, as soon as the debate cut to commercials, the former president quickly turned to leave, let out a deep breath through pursed lips, and left the stage without even glancing at Harris. Ms. Kamala, on the other hand, seemed to start taking notes immediately. She spent the two-minute break writing. She remained focused on her work and then continued reviewing notes before the debate was back on.
How awkward was it?
The entire thing was pretty weird, and as sources say, there was so much tension in the air, that you could’ve cut it with a knife. Thirty seconds before the break ended, Trump returned to the stage. He avoided looking at Harris and she avoided looking at him. To distract herself, the female politician fiddled with her collar a little. Up until the show’s restart, both contestants were staring straight ahead. Once more, not a word was said.
During a commercial break, Harris had another off-camera interaction. She shut her notepad and left the stage, hardly even giving Trump a sidelong glance. We guess it’s safe to say they’re not big fans of one another.
Mr. Donald, on the other hand, stayed on stage for a further ten or so seconds before leaving with a leisurely gait. He came back on stage just as the commercial break ended, jotted something down on a piece of paper, and closed his pen.
Sources added that moments afterward, Harris also entered the stage and jotted down a note on her notepad. They didn’t even exchange glances. Trump straightened his suit and tie as he stared forward. There was only a countdown to air time during the whole commercial break, and if they didn’t have to change a word, they didn’t engage in any conversations.
What happened during the debate?
The debate between Harris and Trump, lasting about 1 hour and 45 minutes, was packed with sharp exchanges and heated disagreements. As you’ve already seen, the intensity was palpable, creating a tense atmosphere that spilled over into awkward moments during the commercial breaks. Viewers couldn’t help but feel the friction as the two clashed on key issues, making for a gripping—and uncomfortable—showdown. If you want to know more about the topics discussed, keep reading!
As you already know, Ms. Harris tried her best to prepare for the debate, and she spent a good amount of time taking notes and reviewing them before being on air. The vice president laced almost every response with an offensive remark meant to provoke the outgoing president. She told Trump he was being ridiculed by foreign leaders and referred to as a “disgrace” by military chiefs.
But she didn’t stop there. The politician continued by saying that he was “wrong” and “weak.” According to her, 81 million voters, or those who supported President Joe Biden in 2020, fired Trump.
… What are your thoughts on these affirmations? Do you agree with Ms. Harris? Is Donald Trump a weak politician? Let us know in the comments below!
Trump was frequently unhinged. As sources say, he repeatedly and loudly insisted on a series of false claims. The former leader continued to push lies about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. He continued by accusing Democrats of supporting post-birth abortions, which is illegal and considered murder everywhere. But that’s not all. He also mentioned a bizarre conspiracy theory that immigrants were eating pets.
After that, he depicted a bleak picture of the country, recalling the “American carnage” he had warned of upon taking office in 2017. Trump ended one of his arguments with something sad, saying that we have a country that is dying.
What does Taylor Swift have to do with the Democrats?
Once the debate ended, Ms. Harris was happy to see singer and pop culture icon Taylor Swift posting something on Instagram, saying that she was backing the Democratic ticket. To make things even more impactful, the musician signed her social media post “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” referring to a popular remark made by Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, which has alienated many women.
Rally crowds
As some people say, Ms. Harris came with a clear goal: to throw the former president off his game. Some say she succeeded. When the Democrat mentioned the politician’s conviction and distinguished legal problems, he was quick to fight back.
Harris and Trump were ready to verbally attack one another. She called him out for blocking a bipartisan immigration bill and also implied that his rallies were dull. Instead of engaging on the issues raised by the moderators, including a few he considers to be his political strengths, Trump spoke at length about the entertainment value of his rallies, adding that the Biden administration was targeting him.
Let’s talk about abortion
The abortion issue was one of the few subjects that most highlighted the differences between Biden’s June debate performance and Harris’s on September 10th. In contrast to our current leader, the vice president was able to react to the previous president’s defense of his abortion policy. Ms. Harris has long been one of the administration’s greatest surrogates on reproductive rights and many women are thankful for her position.
Trump has tried to soften his stance by opposing six-week abortion bans and reaffirming his support for exceptions in cases of r*pe, inc*st, and danger to the mother’s life. Besides this, he appointed three Supreme Court justices who ended federal abortion protections and supported overturning Roe v. Wade.
Direct accusations
As you can tell, Harris and Trump were after one another, and they all had arguments regarding why they think they’re better for the country. The vice president was quick to introduce herself to voters, and she did so by drawing contrasts between her and the former president. The female politician positioned herself as an advocate for middle-class Americans and let Trump seem self-absorbed.
When she was asked about the economy, she looked into the camera and said that Trump has no plans for people. Ms. Harris tried to appeal to people and continued by saying that the former leader was too busy defending himself rather than working to make America a better place.
A good handshake
The first time Harris and Trump met in person was when they took the stage in Philadelphia. After all, Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration. The vice president was the first to set the note by stepping over the six feet between her stage and Trump’s and extending her hand in greeting.
After giving her introduction, she said, “Let’s have a good debate.” Trump responded that it was nice to see her, and the confrontation began. This was the first handshake in a presidential debate since Trump and Hillary Clinton shared the stage in 2016.
Even though Harris and Trump shared a few awkward moments during the debate’s commercial break, we can’t deny the entire conversation was heated. Did you watch the debate? What did you think of it?
Don’t forget to do your research, think about your values and how you’d like America to be, and vote wisely. Speaking of that, if you want to understand politics better, here’s a good book for you.
Who do you think was right? We’d love to know what your thoughts are, so let us know in the comments below! If you enjoyed reading this article and would like to check out something else from Light On Politics, here’s another good post for you: The Democratic National Convention: 5 Shocking New Things We Learned
