Harris places Trump on the defensive during a combative debate

In a combative presidential debate on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris criticized her Republican opponent Donald Trump’s fitness for office, his support of abortion restrictions, and his numerous legal issues, thereby placing him on the defensive.

Harris, a former prosecutor, 59, dominated the debate from the outset, repeatedly provoking her opponent and causing a visibly enraged Trump, 78, to respond with a series of falsehoods.

At one juncture, she provoked the former president by asserting that individuals frequently depart his campaign rallies early due to “boredom and exhaustion.”
“My rallies, we have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics,” Trump stated, expressing his frustration with the size of Harris’ own crowds.

He then shifted to a false claim about immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, which has been amplified by Trump’s vice-presidential candidate, Senator JD Vance, and has disseminated on social media.

“They are consuming the dogs!” he exclaimed, and Harris laughed in disbelief. “The cats are being consumed by the individuals who entered the building.” “The pets of the residents are being consumed.”

Harris replied, “Consider the extreme.” Previously, her advisers had stated that her objective was to provoke Trump into uttering statements that could potentially become viral social media footage.

The sole scheduled debate provided a unique opportunity for both candidates to present their views to a television audience of tens of millions of voters, with only eight weeks until the election and days until early voting commences in certain states.

Healthcare, foreign policy, and immigration were the topics of contention among the candidates; however, the discourse was devoid of specific policy specifics.

The closely monitored debate provided investors with little clarity on critical policy issues, causing Wall Street to remain on edge, despite the fact that betting markets shifted in Harris’ favor.

Nevertheless, Harris’ assertive strategy was successful in directing attention to Trump, resulting in her supporters’ jubilation and a few Republicans acknowledging Trump’s challenges.

Trump reiterated his incorrect assertion that his 2020 election loss was the result of fraud, referred to Harris as a “Marxist,” and falsely claimed that migrants have incited a violent crime rampage.

“Trump failed to maintain his focus on the economy and border by failing to prosecute the case against Biden-Harris. Instead, he pursued rabbit holes on election denialism and immigrants eating our pets,” stated Marc Short, who was the chief of staff for Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence.

Immediately following the debate, musical megastar Taylor Swift informed her 283 million Instagram followers that she would support Vice President Harris and her running mate Tim Walz in the Nov. 5 election, providing a significant boost to the Harris campaign.

It was signed by her as “childless cat lady,” a reference to Vance’s controversial statements.

Market for online predictions foreseeAccording to the 2024 presidential general election market, Trump’s probability of winning decreased from 52% to 47% during the debate. Harris’ likelihood increased from 53% to 55%.

In October, Harris’ campaign issued a challenge to Trump for a second round, indicating its confidence in the outcome of the debate.

Following the debate, Trump made the unusual decision to enter the adjacent “spin room,” a position that is typically reserved for supporters. There, he informed reporters, “This was my best debate.” According to Reuters, a group of undecided electors had yet to be convinced that she was the superior candidate.

After being questioned about the Harris campaign’s request for a second debate, Trump stated to Fox News, “She wants it because she lost.”

“I do have to consider it, but if you were to win the debate, I am inclined to believe that I should reconsider my decision.” Why is it necessary for me to participate in another debate? he stated.

HANDSHAKE WITH A SURPRISE

Trump, who has spent weeks launching personal attacks on Harris, including racist and sexist insults, largely avoided that pattern during the debate’s early moments. However, he soon became agitated under Harris’ offensiveness.

At an event with Black journalists in July, Trump disclosed that Harris had recently “become a Black person.” The moderators inquired about one of those assaults.

He stated, “I am indifferent.” “Whatever she wants to be is OK with me.”

Harris responded, “I believe it is a tragedy that we have an individual who aspires to be president and has consistently attempted to use race to divide the American people throughout his career.” He is of Black and South Asian descent.

She was critical of Trump’s criminal conviction for concealing hush money payments to a pornographic celebrity, as well as his other indictments and a civil judgment that found him liable for sexual assault. President Trump has denied any impropriety and has once again accused Harris and the Democrats of orchestrating all of the cases without providing any evidence.

A surprise greeting between the two opponents, who had never met before, initiated the debate at 9 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Wednesday). This was the first salutation at a presidential debate since 2016, as Harris approached Trump at his lectern and introduced herself by name.

This encounter was of particular significance to Harris, as opinion surveys indicate that over 25% of potential voters believe they lack sufficient knowledge about her. The campaign was only entered by Harris seven weeks ago, following the resignation of President Joe Biden.

Harris spoke passionately about women who are denied emergency care and victims of incest who are unable to terminate their pregnancies due to statewide bans that have proliferated since the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a nationwide right to abortion in 2022. As a result, Harris delivered a protracted attack on abortion limits. In that ruling, the majority was comprised of three Trump appointees.

Also, she asserted that Trump would endorse a national prohibition. Donald Trump denied that claim, but he refrained from explicitly declaring that he would veto such legislation.

Trump, who has occasionally encountered difficulty in his messaging regarding abortion, falsely asserted that Harris and Democrats endorse infanticide, which is considered unlawful in all states, as ABC News moderator Linsey Davis observed.

In addition, Harris endeavored to establish a connection between Trump and Project 2025, a conservative policy framework that includes the prohibition of the transportation of abortion drugs across state lines, the expansion of executive authority, and the elimination of environmental regulations, among other right-wing objectives.

Although some of his advisers were involved in its development, Trump responded that he has “nothing to do” with Project 2025.

According to Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist, Trump “didn’t do himself any favors.” However, he also stated that it is uncertain whether Harris’ performance will alter the race’s dynamics. Polls indicate that the majority of Americans have made their decisions, leaving only a tiny number of undecided voters.

FOREIGN POLICY AND ECONOMY BATTLES

According to opinion polls, the economy is a topic that favors Trump, and the candidates initiated the debate by emphasizing it.

Harris criticized Trump’s proposal to impose high tariffs on foreign products, which she has compared to a sales tax on the middle class. She, on the other hand, emphasized her proposal to provide tax benefits to families and small businesses.

Harris was criticized by Trump for the persistent inflation that occurred during the Biden administration’s tenure, although he exaggerated the extent of the price inflation. He stated that inflation has been a catastrophe for the middle class, the people, and every class.

Despite the fact that neither candidate provided specifics on how they would seek to resolve each conflict, the candidates also exchanged remarks regarding the Israel-Gaza war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Trump was accused by Harris of being willing to abandon U.S. support for Ukraine in order to garner favor with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Harris called Trump a “disgrace,” while Trump claimed that Harris “hates” Israel, an assertion that she dismissed.

Presidential debates may not necessarily alter the opinions of electors; however, they can have a significant impact. In June, Biden’s inferior performance against Trump resulted in his resignation from the campaign on July 21.

In a contest that could once again be decided by tens of thousands of votes in a small number of states, even a minor change in public opinion could change the outcome. Polling averages compiled by the New York Times indicate that the two candidates are effectively deadlocked in the seven battleground states that are expected to determine the election.