PHILADELPHIA – In their highly-anticipated first meeting on the presidential debate stage Tuesday night, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris exchanged heated blows, setting the tone for a contentious 2024 campaign.
Although the two candidates shook hands at the start of the debate, the 90-minute event quickly turned confrontational, with Harris relentlessly targeting Trump on issues ranging from his Capitol riot actions to rally crowd sizes, leaving the former president visibly rattled.
Harris Lands Blows, Trump on the Defensive
Throughout the debate, Harris repeatedly forced Trump off his talking points, particularly during exchanges on immigration and the Capitol riot. Her remark about people leaving Trump’s rallies early due to “exhaustion and boredom” clearly struck a nerve, diverting Trump’s focus from policy and prompting him to defend his crowd sizes instead.
The former President who is used to being on the attack, appeared at times unable to demonstrate an ability to take an attack.
Trump’s Controversial Claims Fail to Land
In a defensive stance, Trump veered into a debunked claim about Haitian immigrants in Ohio—a moment that raised eyebrows and distracted from his core message on immigration.
When the debate moderator raised that the Dayton City Manager said there were no reports of immigrants stealing and eating family pets, the former President appeared both puzzled he was being questioned and confrontational to the moderator for raising doubts to his claims.
Harris, meanwhile, continued to press Trump on his past conduct, successfully keeping him off balance.
Polling and Public Sentiment Favor Harris
Early polling indicated Harris came out on top. A CNN snap poll showed voters believed the Vice-President performed better, and betting markets echoed this sentiment.
However, public opinion remains mixed on the Biden administration’s handling of key issues like inflation, an area where Harris faced challenges. Despite this, she maintained the upper hand throughout the debate.
Late night television hosts for the most part lambasted the former president over his debate performance.
