Harris Puts Trump on Defensive in Combative Debate

By Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery, and Joseph Ax

PHILADELPHIA – Democratic candidate Kamala Harris took a confrontational stance against her Republican opponent Donald Trump during a high-stakes presidential debate on Tuesday, questioning his capabilities for office, his stance on abortion restrictions, and his extensive legal troubles.

Harris, a former prosecutor, effectively dominated the discussion from the outset, repeatedly riling up a visibly frustrated Trump, who is 78. The debate saw him resorting to numerous unfounded claims in response to her challenges.

At one moment, Harris mocked Trump about his rally attendance, suggesting that people often leave his events early "out of exhaustion and boredom." Trump, feeling the pressure, boasted about the size of his rallies, declaring them the biggest in political history.

He then made a bizarre assertion regarding immigrants supposedly eating pets in Springfield, Ohio—an outlandish claim that had circulated online and was endorsed by his running mate, Senator JD Vance. "They’re eating the dogs!" Trump exclaimed, trying to draw laughter as Harris reacted with astonishment. "They’re eating the pets of the people that live there."

"Talk about extreme," Harris shot back, strategically aiming to provoke Trump into making outlandish statements that could go viral online, a tactic her advisers had suggested beforehand.

With only eight weeks left before the election and early voting starting in some states soon, this debate—remarkably the only one scheduled—provided a crucial platform for both candidates to present their cases to a massive television audience.

Although they clashed on various topics, including immigration, foreign policy, and healthcare, the exchange was sparse on detailed policy discussion. Wall Street analysts remained uneasy, reflecting on the debate’s lack of clarity on significant issues even as betting markets began to tilt in favor of Harris.

Harris’s assertive demeanor succeeded in diverting attention toward Trump, leaving her supporters enthusiastic and some Republican observers acknowledging his difficulties. Throughout the debate, Trump perpetuated his false narrative about widespread fraud in the 2020 election and labeled Harris a "Marxist," while also making baseless assertions that migrants were contributing to a wave of violent crime.

Marc Short, a former chief of staff for Trump’s vice president Mike Pence, remarked, "Trump missed an opportunity to make a strong case against Biden and Harris on economic and border issues and instead followed her lead down paths of election denialism and questionable immigrant narratives."

Adding to Harris’s momentum, pop superstar Taylor Swift announced her endorsement of the vice president and her running mate, Tim Walz, immediately after the debate, addressing her message humorously as a "childless cat lady"—a jab at Vance’s controversial comments.

Predictive analytics indicated that Trump’s chances of victory appeared to diminish during the debate, with his odds dropping to 47% from 52%, while Harris’s likelihood improved to 55%.

In a show of confidence, Harris’s campaign invited Trump to a second debate in October. Post-debate, Trump ventured into the "spin room," commenting to reporters, "This was my best debate." Nevertheless, a group of undecided voters expressed to reporters their continued uncertainties about her as the preferable candidate.

Responding to Harris’s call for another debate, Trump stated, "She wants it because she lost," and questioned why he should participate again if he had clearly won the first.

A UNEXPECTED HANDSHAKE

Despite previously launching personal attacks on Harris, which included racial and sexist overtones, Trump largely refrained from this pattern in the initial moments of the debate but quickly became agitated by Harris’s aggressive style.

When moderators brought attention to his past comments suggesting Harris had recently "become a Black person," he responded dismissively, saying, "I couldn’t care less." Harris countered, highlighting the tragedy of having a presidential candidate who manipulates race to deepen divisions among Americans.

Harris confronted Trump over his criminal convictions related to hush money payments and other charges while Trump denied wrongdoing, accusing her and the Democrats of fabricating the cases against him without evidence.

The debate kicked off at 9 p.m. ET with an unexpected handshake between the two candidates—Marking the first handshake at a presidential debate since 2016—Harris approached Trump, introducing herself, which was especially vital for her, given that polls indicated many likely voters still do not know enough about her.

She passionately criticized abortion limitations, emphasizing the plight of women denied necessary medical care and victims of incest unable to terminate pregnancies because of state bans enacted since the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a nationwide right in 2022. Harris asserted that Trump would support a national ban, a claim Trump denied, though he did not clarify if he would veto such legislation.

In response to Harris’s attacks on his policy positions, Trump falsely claimed that she and the Democrats support infanticide, despite this being illegal in every state.

Harris aimed to associate Trump with Project 2025, a conservative initiative proposing an expansion of executive powers and tighter regulations on abortion, among other conservative aims. Trump distanced himself from the project, despite some of his advisers being linked to its development.

Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist, suggested that while Trump "didn’t do himself any favors" during the debate, it remains uncertain if Harris’s performance will substantially impact the race’s dynamics, as polls indicate that most voters have already made their choices.

DISPUTES ON ECONOMY AND FOREIGN POLICY

The debate began with a focus on the economy, a topic that polls indicate tends to favor Trump. Harris criticized his plans for high tariffs on imports, suggesting they would impact the middle class like a sales tax while promoting her own plan for tax benefits aimed at families and small businesses.

Trump pointed fingers at Harris for the ongoing inflation during the Biden administration, albeit exaggerating the inflation rate. He stated, "Inflation has been a disaster for people, for the middle class, for every class."

The exchange continued with discussions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but neither candidate offered specific solutions for resolution. Harris accused Trump of attempting to curry favor with Vladimir Putin by potentially withdrawing U.S. support for Ukraine, calling him a "disgrace," while Trump countered that Harris "hates" Israel, a claim she firmly rejected.

Presidential debates rarely alter voter opinions drastically, but they can have significant implications. Biden’s subpar performance against Trump in June ultimately led to his withdrawal from the race in July. Considering that the upcoming election could hinge on narrow margins in several crucial states, even minor shifts in voter sentiment could determine the outcome. Current polling averages suggest that the candidates are closely matched in the battleground states crucial for the election’s decision.