PHILADELPHIA, USA— In a contentious first presidential debate, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump engaged in a wide-ranging discussion that highlighted their divergent views on the economy, immigration, and abortion, among other pressing issues.
With less than two months before Election Day, the stakes were high for both candidates, but especially for Harris, who is still working to define herself to a large segment of voters.
A New York Times/Siena College poll released ahead of the debate, held on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, found that 28% of voters still needed to learn more about Harris, while only 9% said the same about Trump.
The poll showed Trump leading Harris by a narrow 1-point margin, with 5% of likely voters undecided.
Sparring Over the Economy
Harris wasted no time in presenting her vision for an “opportunity economy,” contrasting it with Trump’s policies, which she described as benefiting the wealthy.
“I was raised as a middle-class kid, and I am actually the only person on this stage who has a plan that is about lifting up the middle class and working people of America,” Harris said.
She emphasised her proposal for a $6,000 child tax credit aimed at helping young families afford basic necessities.
Trump, meanwhile, derided Harris’s economic plan, calling it a continuation of what he dubbed the “disastrous Biden-Harris economy.”
“I’ve never seen a worse period of time,” Trump said, defending his record on tariffs and accusing Harris of being a “Marxist.” At one point, he joked, “I was going to send her a MAGA hat,” implying that Harris was co-opting his policies.
Competing Visions of Change
Both candidates positioned themselves as the agent of change voters are seeking. Harris characterised Trump as relying on “the same old, tired playbook” of name-calling and grievances, pointing to his controversial Project 2025, which she described as a “dangerous plan” for his potential second term.
Trump, in turn, portrayed Harris as an extension of President Biden, criticizing her stance on immigration and accusing her of failing to control illegal migration.
“These are the people that she and Biden led into our country, and they’re destroying our country,” Trump said. On the economy, he quipped: “She copied Biden’s plan. And it’s, like, four sentences. Run, Spot, run.”
Policy Shifts in Focus
Trump sought to paint Harris as inconsistent, bringing up her shifting stances on issues like fracking and gun control.
Harris, who previously supported banning fracking during her 2020 presidential campaign, was quick to defend her current position.
“I made that very clear in 2020, I will not ban fracking,” Harris said, adding that she had cast a tiebreaking vote in favour of the Inflation Reduction Act, which opened new leases for fracking.
Trump didn’t miss the opportunity to push back, claiming Harris would end fracking in Pennsylvania if elected. “If she won the election, fracking in Pennsylvania will end on Day One,” he said.
Abortion Takes Center Stage
The debate also saw a heated exchange over abortion, with Trump refusing to commit to whether he would veto a federal abortion ban if Congress passed one.
“Well, I won’t have to,” Trump said. “Everybody’s happy with what we did with Roe v. Wade.”
Harris, who has made the restoration of Roe v. Wade a centerpiece of her campaign, seized the opportunity to distinguish herself from Trump on the issue.
“When Congress passes a bill to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law,” she said. “But understand, if Donald Trump were to be re-elected, he will sign a national abortion ban.”
Baiting Trump
Harris frequently sought to rattle Trump throughout the debate, at one point suggesting that people leave his rallies early due to “exhaustion and boredom.”
Trump, visibly irritated, defended the size and energy of his rally crowds, claiming he has “the most incredible rallies in the history of politics.”
He also veered into unsubstantiated claims about migrants, alleging, “They’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats.”
Harris responded by urging voters to “turn the page” and reject what she described as a return to Trump’s divisive leadership.
The Biden Factor
Despite Biden’s absence from the race, Trump repeatedly invoked the sitting president, criticizing his handling of classified documents and his energy policies.
Harris, however, remained focused on differentiating herself from both Biden and Trump.
“You’re not running against Joe Biden; you are running against me,” Harris reminded Trump. She later added: “Clearly, I am not Joe Biden. And I am certainly not Donald Trump.”
As the debate drew to a close, both candidates made their final pitches to a divided electorate, with Harris appealing to exhausted voters seeking change and Trump doubling down on his familiar message of law and order.
The race remains razor-thin, with both candidates heading into the final stretch of the campaign with everything to play for.
