Vice President Kamala Harris left a lasting impression in her first and only scheduled debate against former President Donald Trump, earning praise from pop icon Taylor Swift. Throughout the debate, Harris engaged Trump in fiery exchanges on topics like abortion, democracy, and foreign policy, leading to visibly frustrated responses from the Republican candidate.
At 59, Harris, representing the Democratic ticket, managed to rattle Trump during the ABC News debate in Philadelphia. Both sides exchanged sharp personal jabs, with Harris managing to keep Trump on the defensive. Despite Trump’s claim that the debate was his “best” performance, quick polls and political analysts largely declared Harris the winner. Her campaign promptly challenged Trump to a second debate set for October.
With the election just weeks away, Harris faced immense pressure to prove herself before millions of viewers, especially after unexpectedly taking the lead on the Democratic ticket in place of President Joe Biden. The vice president made her move early, surprising Trump with a handshake before the debate even began, and she maintained control throughout the event.
Trump repeatedly raised his voice, accusing Harris of supporting “Marxist” policies and blaming her for the Biden administration’s perceived failures in immigration and the economy. Harris, however, responded with calm amusement, positioning herself as a representative of a fresh start after the Trump presidency, stating, āWeāre not going back.ā
āPack of Liesā
One of the debate’s most heated moments came when they clashed on the issue of abortion. Trump defended his role in ending federal abortion rights, suggesting that individual states should make their own policies. Harris, however, accused him of spreading āa pack of liesā and labeled his policies as “an insult to the women of America.”
The debate also saw Trump defending his refusal to accept the 2020 election results. Harris countered by reminding the audience that Trump had been “fired by 81 million people” and criticized him as a threat to democracy. She further emphasized his conviction as a felon and accused him of using race to divide the nation throughout his career.
On foreign policy, Harris told Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin would āeat you for lunchā regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. She also said world leaders ālaughā at Trump, while he countered by accusing her of being weak on Gaza, claiming she āhated Israel.ā Throughout the debate, Harris maintained composure, drawing Trump into verbal missteps and sharp jabs.
Swift Endorsement
At one point, Harris taunted Trump about the dwindling size of his once-famous rallies, claiming people were leaving early out of āexhaustion and boredom.ā This further provoked Trump, leading him to make several unsubstantiated claims, including a bizarre conspiracy theory about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio. The moderator quickly pointed out that authorities had debunked the story.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Biden commented on the debate, stating that it “wasnāt even close” and showing strong support for Harris. The contrast in their performances was starkāBiden’s earlier debate against Trump in June had been a disaster, effectively ending his reelection bid.
After the debate, a CNN snap poll showed that 63% of registered voters believed Harris had outperformed Trump, who only garnered 37%. Realizing that the debate hadn’t gone as he had hoped, Trump made an unusual appearance in the debate’s “spin room,” attempting to recover ground with journalists.
In a surprise move, pop superstar Taylor Swift also chimed in, publicly endorsing Harris on Instagram. Swift praised Harris as a āsteady-handed, gifted leaderā and signed off with the tongue-in-cheek remark āchildless cat lady,ā mocking an earlier insult aimed at Democrat-supporting women by Trumpās running mate, J.D. Vance. Swift’s post garnered over 5.3 million likes within hours, further boosting Harrisās momentum.
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