Harris and Trump Face Off in First Presidential Debate

Sara Myers

3 weeks ago
woman and man holding U.S.A. flag near gray wire fence

Photo by Connor Betts

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump squared off Tuesday night in their first and potentially only debate before the 2024 presidential election. The highly anticipated event, held in Philadelphia at 9 p.m. Eastern time, offered voters a comprehensive look at a dramatically reshaped campaign landscape.

The debate came after a tumultuous summer that saw President Joe Biden withdraw from the race following a poor performance, Trump survive an assassination attempt, and both candidates select their running mates.

Harris, 59, aimed to demonstrate her ability to effectively advocate for Democratic positions against Trump, seeking to outperform Biden’s previous efforts. Trump, 78, attempted to portray the vice president as an out-of-touch liberal while also appealing to voters skeptical about his potential return to the presidency.

The former Republican president has faced challenges in adapting to Harris, who made history as the first woman, first Black individual, and first person of South Asian heritage to hold the vice presidency. Trump’s occasional use of racial and gender stereotypes has frustrated some allies who prefer a focus on policy debates.

The debate, organized by ABC News, took place just hours before the distribution of the first ballots for the presidential race, with absentee ballots set to be distributed in Alabama starting Wednesday.

Throughout the debate, Trump criticized Harris for her perceived liberalism, while Harris worked to justify her positions and assert that Trump poses a threat to democracy. She referenced his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and the subsequent events of January 6, 2021.

In preparation for the event, Harris engaged in mock sessions in Pennsylvania, including hours with a Trump impersonator.

As the 2024 presidential race continues to unfold, this debate marks a crucial moment for both candidates to present their visions for America’s future and address the concerns of voters across the nation.

Sources:
[1] https://abc7.com/read-harris-trump-presidential-debate-transcript/15288740/
[2] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/highlights-harris-trump-presidential-debate-113576972
[3] https://www.npr.org/2024/09/11/g-s1-22048/up-first-newsletter-trump-harris-debate-taylor-swift-endorsement-food-delivery-environmentally-friendly
[4] https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-debate-tuesday-6ad8c03f6bf1ae88870b7db26276236e
[5] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fact-checking-kamala-harris-donald-trumps-1st-presidential/story?id=113567997
[6] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/fact-check-presidential-debate-trump-harris-rcna169687
[7] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gdnl9pg1wo
[8] https://apnews.com/article/debate-president-trump-harris-takeaways-b648ff0b9baf10d4625548e815d7cfe3
[9] https://slate.com/business/2024/09/debate-donald-trump-kamala-harris-winner-fox-news.html
[10] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/10/harris-campaign-wants-second-presidential-debate-with-trump/

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