The much anticipated and hyped debate between VP Kamala Harris and former US president Donald Trump took place at National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was conducted by ABC News, with World News Tonight anchor David Muir and ABC News Live’s Prime anchor Linsey Davis serving as moderators. The debate took place on Tuesday at 9pm US Eastern time ( 01:00 GMT) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This debate comes at a time when only eight weeks are left for the general elections that will take place on November 5. This was the second presidential debate of the election cycle, but it is the first to include Ms Harris, as she replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee after he withdrew from the race in July.
The debate took place sans any audience. Trump won the coin toss and he decided to deliver the final closing statement, where as Harris selected the podium to the right.
This was the first time that they both met and the VP walked up to Trump and shook hands. “Kamala Harris,” she said, introducing herself as the pair met for the first time ever. “Let’s have a good debate.”
“Nice to see you. Have fun,” the former Republican president responded.
The nearly 90-minute debate kicked off with Harris taking control of the conversation early on. She challenged Trump with pointed remarks about his economic policies, his refusal to acknowledge his 2020 election defeat, and even mocked his rally performances, setting a combative tone for the rest of the debate. Trump started off calm but grew visibly frustrated as the debate progressed.
A standout moment came after the debate, when Pop Superstar Taylor Swift announced her support for Kamala Harris, saying she plans to vote for her. Kamala Harris’ performance was sharp and focused, in stark contrast to Biden’s June debate, where he appeared muddled and hesitant at times. Harris delivered clear answers that highlighted her differences with Trump, using her body language and facial expressions to signal her disbelief or amusement at his responses. This was a noticeable shift from Biden, who often looked passive when Trump criticized him.
Unlike Biden’s performance in the July debate, Kamala Harris came across as more confident and composed, staying focused throughout her responses.
Most U.S. journalists agreed that Harris outperformed Trump in the debate. Even Fox News, that normally leans toward Trump, acknowledged a clear winner but reminded readers the election isn’t over yet. On economic issues, Trump pushed back against Harris, emphasizing his tax-cutting plans and his past economic successes before the pandemic. He claimed Harris was adopting his ideas while labelling her a Marxist. Harris, meanwhile, remained composed and effective in her responses.
The New York Times said Harris “owned much of the night” as she used her skills as prosecutor to put Trump on the defensive. “Harris did not have to defend President Biden as the Republican was left defending his own record as President rather than picking on hers”. It further said that Trump looked miserable”, resorting to crowd sizes and conspiracies – which captured his difficult night, Harris was well prepared in leading him astray.
The Post said that the VP was able to deliver her case against Trump in a way that Biden struggled to do in July. She was ready with retorts to most of Trump’s charges, it added.
CNN reported that Trump fell for every trick Harris used to unsettle him. She was very well-prepared, and each of her responses seemed designed to get under his skin, leaving him frequently out of control. CNN said Trump nearly choked on Harris’ provocations, highlighting how he went off on a bizarre tangent, claiming that migrants were eating Americans’ pets.
Fox News attempted to strike a balance but ended up focusing on how Trump had to clash with the ABC News moderators over fact-checking during the debate.
Trump was initially ahead in the national polls, but Harris’s entry into the race has shaken things up. The latest polls now show the two leaders in a tight race, with Harris holding a slight lead of 1-2% over her Republican rival. If Harris wins the November polls, she will become the first woman to become the President of the United States of America.
