The Donald Trump / Kamala Harris debate was a keenly awaited event and, compared to the last Presidential debate between Trump and Biden, this time the tables turned. What the audience witnessed was a coldly calculative and well-prepared Kamala Harris putting Donald Trump on the defensive, especially on the issues of abortion rights and migration.
Trump also faltered in articulating several key topics.
The first Presidential debate between Democratic Party Nominee Kamala Harris and Republican Party Nominee Donald Trump had several epoch moments.
While on one hand, Harris maintained a happy demeanour during the debate, Trump kept a poker face and appeared neutral.
Also, the Vice President was more expressive with her hands.
There was never a dull moment in the fiery 90-minute debate, and Harris often got under the skin of the former President with personal attacks, raising the temperature of this highly anticipated contest.
The two crossed swords for the first time in a debate on Tuesday, September 10, and discussed several issues.
Political pundits are now dissecting the proverbial hair to declare who, in their eyes, was the winner.
Kamala Harris Puts Donald Trump on Defensive in Presidential Debate
Kamala Harris continuously posed uneasy questions on many issues and also mocked the poor attendance at Trump’s election rallies.
She also stated that top US Military officials view him as a disgrace.
This infuriated Donald Trump, and he started sharp retorts in which he indicted Kamala Harris of being the worst vice president in the history of the US because she lacked substantive policies.
Many analysts contend that Trump’s combative style often led him to drive off road, and Harris effectively baited him into unproductive arguments, often leading to Harris getting the upper hand.
The debate and its reactions from different quarters were equally polarizing.
While Democrats hailed it as an outright win for Harris, the reactions from the Republicans were more subdued, and many privately stated that Donald Trump had missed opportunities and allowed Harris to go into high gear.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican who had supported Trump in 2016, told ABC,
“She was exquisitely well prepared, she laid traps, and he chased every rabbit down every hole instead of talking about the things that he should have been talking about. This is the difference between someone who is well prepared and someone unprepared.”
Several commentators also contended that Trump’s fiery style, which awed his support base, will only alienate the undecided voters.
Guy Benson, political editor at Townhall.com, stated that Trump had not done his homework and left many points on the field.
He also missed several opportunities to push his opponent to the wall. He was continuously baited and then outsmarted by Harris.
Trump’s economic policies, like tariffs as a cure-all for economic woes, also came under sharp scrutiny. His harping on tariffs will worsen inflation and not generate revenues from China. On the other hand, Harris steered the conversation towards broader concerns over US manufacturing and competition with China.
House GOP conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik told the NYT it was an all-out Trump victory.
“President Trump delivered a powerful America First message directly to the American people, focusing on reining in inflation and strengthening our economy, securing our border, and peace through strong foreign policy,”
Stefanik continued,
“Kamala Harris tried to hide from her radical record supporting banning fracking, raising taxes, defunding the police, and opening the border, but President Donald Trump correctly held her accountable for failed Kamalanomics fueling inflation, her role as Joe Biden’s open border czar, and her weakness on the world stage,”
Stefanik also stated that the ABC Moderators did not look like journalists but looked more like pro-Kamala activists and attacked former President Trump to give him a head start while Kamala continued to lie. She also said that Trump won today, and he will win on Election Day.
Also Read: Did Donald Trump Go To Wharton School of Economics Due to His Family Background?
