The first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump brought their differences to the forefront, offering a glimpse into how each candidate plans to govern if elected in 2024. From the outset, Harris came prepared to challenge Trump’s record, diving into policy discussions ranging from the economy to healthcare. Her performance demonstrated her readiness to lead, positioning herself as a formidable alternative to Trump.
Harris had the challenging task of addressing her previous policy shifts, particularly on energy, while dealing with Trump’s presence on the debate stage, something he’s well-practiced in from his previous campaigns. Harris successfully handled these challenges, starting slightly cautiously but soon gaining momentum. She confidently responded to tough questions on her approach to fracking by emphasizing the importance of diversifying energy resources to reduce the U.S. reliance on foreign oil. This was a sharp rebuttal to critiques that she lacked policy substance, a concern that many expected to resurface during the debate.
Throughout the event, Harris kept Trump on his back foot. She accused him of being out of touch with the American people, highlighting how attendees at his rallies leave early due to “boredom and exhaustion.” Harris framed Trump’s business background as a series of failures, pointing out that he had inherited millions but went on to file for bankruptcy multiple times. She also underscored his loss in the 2020 election, saying, “You were fired by 81 million people.”
On policy, Harris painted a clearer picture of her plans, touting support for small businesses, parents, and homebuyers through tax breaks and credits. In contrast, Trump often appeared evasive or lacking in concrete proposals. His repeated statements that he had “concepts of a plan” to replace the Affordable Care Act left him vulnerable, particularly since Harris had clear plans for the future, positioning her as more prepared to lead.
Trump, who was expected to have the upper hand in terms of experience on the debate stage, struggled to maintain control throughout the event. His inability to land substantial attacks on Harris, combined with his wandering into conspiracy theories and defensive remarks, did little to enhance his standing. He notably misrepresented facts about immigrants and repeatedly dodged questions on crucial topics such as abortion and Ukraine. His defensiveness was also evident when moderators fact-checked his statements multiple times during the debate.
One of Trump’s rare, strong moments came when he questioned Harris on her accomplishments over the past three and a half years. He rhetorically asked, “Why hasn’t she done it yet?” in relation to her proposed economic policies. But these moments were few and far between, as Harris continually pressed him on his record and his incoherent policy responses.
Moderators played a more active role in this debate than in past encounters, fact-checking Trump’s claims and keeping the candidates on topic. Harris managed to steer the debate back to policy issues, offering clear distinctions between her vision for America and Trump’s.
Despite Harris’s strong performance, the race remains tight. Trump’s loyal base and the political divisions across key swing states will continue to make this election competitive, even with Harris’s effective showing in the debate.
Image is Donald Trump is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license and was created by Gage Skidmore.
Image of Kamala Harris is in the public domain and was created by the Office of Senator Kamala Harris.
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