September 11th 2024.
As the first and potentially only debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump unfolded, it became clear that Harris had a clear strategy in mind. Throughout the one hour and 45 minutes, she baited Trump with precision and he took the bait every single time. Harris had put in extensive preparation for this debate and it showed. She strategically peppered her answers with comments designed to provoke a reaction from the former president.
Harris did not hold back as she boldly told Trump that world leaders were laughing at him and military leaders considered him a "disgrace." She didn't hesitate to call him out for being "weak" and "wrong." And she didn't shy away from reminding him that he was fired by the 81 million Americans who voted for President Joe Biden in 2020. Harris pointed out that it seemed like Trump was having a hard time accepting this reality.
Trump, on the other hand, seemed to be out of control throughout the debate. He repeatedly and loudly insisted that false claims were actually true. He even went as far as to repeat his baseless allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. He also regurgitated a conspiracy theory about immigrants eating pets, and falsely accused Democrats of supporting post-birth abortions, which is considered murder and is illegal everywhere.
In a typical Trump fashion, he painted a bleak picture of the United States, echoing his infamous "American carnage" rhetoric from his 2017 inauguration. He declared that the nation was dying, further highlighting his negative outlook on the country.
After the debate, many had their own takeaways from the intense exchange between Harris and Trump. One of the most notable moments was when Harris set the tone by walking over to Trump's podium and offering a handshake. It was the first time the two had met in person since Trump skipped Biden's inauguration. Trump responded with a simple "nice to see you," and this was the first time a presidential debate had started with a handshake since Trump's 2016 debate with Hillary Clinton, where he notoriously stood uncomfortably close to her.
Throughout the debate, Trump generally looked forward while Harris communicated through her facial expressions. She laughed, smirked, shook her head, and at times, appeared bemused. When Trump repeated the debunked myth of Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio, Harris couldn't help but mockingly laugh while shrugging and pointing at Trump.
Despite even his own running mate signaling to refrain from spreading conspiracy theories, Trump couldn't resist. He brought up the unfounded claim that migrants from Haiti in Ohio were eating pets. When confronted with the fact that city officials denied any evidence of this, he doubled down, stating that "people on television" were talking about it. When pressed further, he simply said, "we'll find out."
When the topic shifted to crime, Trump claimed that it was on the rise in the United States, contrary to the rest of the world. However, moderator David Muir pointed out that FBI data showed a decline in crime in recent years. Trump, once again, turned to a conspiracy theory, accusing the FBI of being corrupt and issuing fraudulent statements. He insisted that "it was a fraud."
Towards the end of the debate, Trump continued to push the narrative that US elections are a "mess" and claimed that Democrats were trying to get undocumented immigrants to vote. Despite being pressed on this, Trump stood firm in his belief, once again indulging in a baseless conspiracy theory.
Overall, it was clear that Harris had set the tone for the debate, and Trump couldn't resist taking the bait. Their clash highlighted their starkly different approaches and left many with their own takeaways from the intense exchange.
The much-anticipated debate between Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump lasted a grueling one hour and 45 minutes. From start to finish, Harris strategically baited Trump with every opportunity she had, and he fell for it every time. It was clear that Harris had done her homework and was ready to confront Trump on every front.
Throughout the debate, Harris made sure to get a rise out of Trump with her answers, commenting on his lack of support from world leaders and the military. She didn't hold back, calling him weak and wrong, and even reminding him that he was essentially fired by the 81 million Americans who voted for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Harris pointed out that Trump was having a hard time accepting this fact.
It was evident that Trump was struggling to keep his composure. He continuously interrupted and shouted over Harris, insisting on the legitimacy of his numerous falsehoods. He repeated his baseless claims about widespread fraud in the 2020 election, even going as far as to push a conspiracy theory about immigrants eating pets. He also falsely accused Democrats of supporting post-birth abortions, which is illegal and considered murder in all states.
Trump painted a bleak picture of America, reminiscent of his infamous "American carnage" speech during his inauguration in 2017. He claimed that the nation was dying, perpetuating his narrative of fear and division.
Here are some key takeaways from the debate. Right from the start, Harris set the tone by walking over to Trump's podium and offering a handshake. It was their first in-person meeting, as Trump had skipped Biden's inauguration. Harris introduced herself and politely said, "Let's have a good debate." Trump responded with a simple "Nice to see you." This was the first handshake in a presidential debate since Trump notoriously loomed behind Hillary Clinton during their town hall-style debate in 2016.
Throughout the debate, Harris maintained her composure and communicated through facial expressions. She laughed, smirked, shook her head, and at times, seemed amused by Trump's remarks. When he repeated a debunked theory about Haitian immigrants eating pets, Harris couldn't help but mockingly laugh and shrug while pointing at Trump.
Despite being advised by his own running mate, Trump couldn't resist bringing up conspiracy theories during the debate. He even doubled down on the false claim that migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets. When moderator David Muir pointed out that city officials had denied any evidence of this, Trump simply stated that "the people on television" were saying it. He later argued that crime in the United States was on the rise, despite FBI data showing a decline in recent years. When confronted with this, Trump deflected to yet another conspiracy theory, claiming that the FBI was corrupt and spreading false information.
Towards the end of the debate, Trump even went as far as to claim that US elections are "a mess" and accused Democrats of trying to get undocumented immigrants to vote. As the debate came to a close, it was clear that Harris had successfully rattled Trump, and she had set the tone for what would be a heated and contentious debate.
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