Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The highly forecast debate has held between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, and saw the candidates engage in a 90-minute exchange, involved with personal attacks and pinpointed critiques. Here are five major takeaways:
Tirade on Immigration
Trump finds it difficult to stay in talks and continuously returns to immigration throughout the discussion, Trump’s responses were mixed up, jumping from one concern to another. He continuously returned back to immigration, despite the moderators’ focus on other subjects. At one instance, he falsely affirmed that Haitian migrants in Ohio were eating pets, a comment dismissed by local officials. His uncertain performance left many wondering if voters would view it as a typical Trump-style debate or as a sign of being off-balance.
The constant Jibe
Harris sharpens her words on Trump by swinging, labeling Trump a “disgrace” and sneering at his leadership. She pinpointed that several high-profile Republicans and former officials had distanced themselves from him. Harris criticised Trump of being weak, particularly in handling international relations, stating that autocrats and dictators are eager for his comeback to the White House.
Let’s talk about what Donald Trump left us. pic.twitter.com/qiFoChcKJp
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 11, 2024
The lefties
Trump sketched Harris as far-left, distorting her record as a radical leftist, accusing her of wanting to confiscate guns and defund the police. Harris countered this by explaining that she and her running mate, Tim Walz, are gun owners and that she never helped to defund the police. The debate highlighted Trump’s broader campaign strategy of labeling Harris as a far-left candidate to appeal to moderate voters.
Israel-Gaza blame game
Harris called for a ceasefire for familiar positions on Gaza and ongoing conflict, that would involve the release of Israeli captives. In addition, Trump claimed the war wouldn’t have erupted under his leadership and criticized Harris for what he called her bias against Israel. He falsely accused the Biden administration of lifting sanctions on Iran.
Sharp differences
Both candidates expressed differing views on the war in Ukraine, with Harris advocating for continued support for Ukrainian forces, while Trump fought for an immediate deal to end the conflict. Trump stopped short of expressing full support for a Ukrainian victory, suggesting instead that the US focus on concluding the war. Harris emphasized that under Trump’s leadership, Russian President Vladimir Putin would have already taken Kyiv.
The debate left both candidates with strong moments, but Harris’s concentrated attacks seemed to rattle Trump. How this will affect the race remains to be seen.
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