The debate opened on her terms. Vice President Kamala Harris stepped onto the stage at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, extended her hand, and introduced herself: “Kamala Harris.”
It marked the first time Harris had met Donald Trump, despite both being elected in 2016—Harris to the Senate and Trump to the White House. Since then, they had circled each other, with Harris gaining recognition for her tough questioning of Trump administration officials. Four years later, she was instrumental in defeating Trump as Joe Biden’s running mate.
For over 90 minutes on Tuesday night, Harris kept Trump on the defensive, teasing him about his crowd sizes and confronting him on his wavering abortion stance. Trump appeared unsettled, repeatedly taking the bait.
“Donald Trump has no plan for you; he’s more focused on defending himself than looking out for the American people,” Harris said, launching what felt like a prosecutor’s opening statement to the nation.
With the election race so close and Trump’s base holding steady despite his legal troubles and past controversies, Harris couldn’t afford any missteps. In the end, she delivered what California Governor Gavin Newsom called a “masterclass.”
“She kept her focus on the American people, talking directly to them about issues that matter, while Trump was stuck talking about grievances, crowds, and self-pity,” Newsom remarked. “It was a tough night for Trump, but a win for the American people.”
Throughout the debate, Trump dodged questions about a national abortion ban, saying the topic was irrelevant because neither party would gather the Senate votes needed to pass it. He refused to admit he lost the 2020 election or express regret for his actions on January 6, when his speech preceded the Capitol riot.
Trump attempted to pivot discussions toward immigration, repeatedly accusing Harris of failing on the issue. “She’s been terrible,” he said. But even some of his staunchest supporters conceded Harris had a solid showing. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, now a Trump ally, acknowledged, “We heard Kamala Harris speak better than usual, but actions matter more than words.”
Trump got in a few hits, claiming Harris had adopted his economic philosophy. “I was going to send her a MAGA hat,” he joked, as Harris laughed.
Navigating the heated exchanges, Harris outlined her policy positions and urged viewers to reject Trump’s “old playbook of lies and name-calling.”
“Let’s move forward. Let’s not go back,” Harris urged.
Trump, in contrast, worked to paint Harris as an extension of President Biden, an attack his team previewed before the debate. He also accused her of mimicking Biden’s economic plan, likening it to a simple children’s book.
Trump also attempted to pin Harris down on third-trimester abortion legislation, while she fended off his accusations of supporting extreme climate policies. She emphasized that she would not ban fracking, though some environmentalists criticized her stance as a missed opportunity to advocate for clean energy.
Stevie O’Hanlon of the Sunrise Movement lamented, “Harris focused more on fracking than offering a bold vision for a sustainable future.”
At the end of the night, Trump expressed frustration with the debate moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, accusing them of bias. “It was three against one,” he complained to reporters, echoing sentiments shared by his supporters.
In a break from past debates, the moderators fact-checked the candidates, drawing Trump’s ire. Davis corrected his false claim that Democrats support post-birth abortions, and Muir debunked Trump’s statement that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were abducting pets.
The significance of this debate, likely the candidates’ largest audience before election day, was heightened by Biden’s poor performance earlier in the summer. However, in today’s fractured media landscape, even a strong performance or viral moment does not guarantee electoral success.
The public mood remains bleak. A majority of voters, 61%, say they want the next president to bring “major change,” according to a New York Times/Siena College poll. Only 40% of voters view Harris as the candidate for change, compared to 61% for Trump.
Despite winning her debates in 2016, Hillary Clinton still lost to Trump. Whether Harris and Trump will debate again remains uncertain.
Speaking to a crowd at Cherry Street Pier, near the debate site, Harris declared that she and her running mate, Tim Walz, remained “underdogs.” But they ended the night on a high note.
“Tonight showcased what’s at stake for the American people,” Harris said. “Hard work is ahead, but we will win.”
As she wrapped up her speech, Taylor Swift’s “The Man” played, moments after the pop icon publicly endorsed Harris.
“Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight,” Swift wrote on Instagram. “I’ll be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in 2024.”
