On September 10, 2024, in Philadelphia, the largest city in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, ABC hosted the first debate between Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris, and her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump. This debate came less than two months before Americans cast their votes in the November 5, 2024, presidential election.
Key Features of the Debate:
The most significant aspects of the debate between Harris and Trump can be highlighted as follows:
1. The First Meeting:
This was the first time Kamala Harris and Donald Trump faced each other directly. Trump was elected president in 2016, the same year Harris was elected to the Senate. Since then, they had circled each other in the political arena, with Harris earning a reputation for questioning officials in Trump’s administration. Four years later, she played a role in defeating Trump as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Joe Biden. Although tradition would have allowed them to meet during Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, Trump, as the outgoing president, did not attend the ceremony, thus never crossing paths with Harris.
2. An Important Debate:
While this was Trump’s seventh debate since his first campaign in 2016, it marked Kamala Harris’ debut in such a significant event. This debate was crucial for her political career, especially since she entered the race relatively late, and many Americans were less familiar with her compared to Trump, who had already served a four-year term as president.
Harris needed to use the debate to win over a large segment of American voters, particularly young people who were dissatisfied with Biden’s stance on the war in Gaza. The debate presented an opportunity for her to subtly distance herself from Biden’s presidential record, especially as some voters in swing states were frustrated with the economic situation and desired change. However, she also had to demonstrate loyalty to the sitting president.
For Trump, this debate was a chance to recover from the challenges his campaign faced over the summer. Harris had managed to close the polling gap between them, even though Trump had been leading significantly over the current president, Joe Biden, before Biden decided to withdraw from the race on July 21.
While the debate was crucial for both candidates, its location in Pennsylvania added even more weight. The state has become central to American politics, with fierce competition between the two parties. It is one of the most important swing states; Trump won it in 2016, but Biden took it back in 2020. This makes Pennsylvania the battleground of this current electoral contest, and any inappropriate behavior during the debate could have a negative impact on the voting results in this highly contested state.
3. A Balanced Outcome:
Early estimates suggested that the debate ended in a draw, with neither candidate delivering a decisive blow. The debate lacked spontaneity and surprises, as both candidates took a cautious approach. Harris achieved some successes and played the role of the aggressor, appearing strong against Trump. Meanwhile, Trump avoided aggressive attacks to steer clear of accusations of racism or sexism. Both candidates targeted specific voter groups during the debate. Harris focused her message on American women and minorities, while Trump directed his remarks towards his traditional base of white men without college degrees.
The debate between the two rival candidates covered a wide range of issues and featured a series of intense exchanges. Kamala Harris positioned herself as a pragmatic problem solver, attempting to downplay Trump as a “potential dictator.” In contrast, Trump defended his policies, labeled Harris as an extremist, and blamed her for the failures of immigration policies.
Regarding the economy, there was a sharp divide between the candidates’ views. Harris emphasized the concept of an “opportunity economy,” presenting herself as a champion of the middle and working classes. She acknowledged that one of the biggest risks to her campaign was the weak economic performance of the Biden administration. Thus, she expressed solidarity with Americans suffering from high housing costs, vowed to cut taxes, and criticized Trump’s tax policies. On the other hand, Trump attacked the Biden-Harris economy, saying, “I have never seen a worse period than this,” while defending his plans for tariffs and branding Harris as “Marxist.” The debate clearly illustrated the contrast between Trump’s focus on strength and economic protectionism and Harris’ emphasis on justice and equality.
On immigration and border security, the debate not only revealed the candidates’ visions but also highlighted the risks faced by millions of migrants, especially Asian, African, and Black American communities. Trump’s immigration stance remained deeply nationalistic. He reiterated his commitment to tightening border control, limiting both legal and illegal immigration, and completing the border wall with Mexico. He argued that immigrants take American jobs and pose countless security threats.
In contrast, Harris framed immigration as a moral and economic necessity, advocating for a humane approach to immigration and expanding refugee acceptance. She emphasized that diversity is America’s greatest strength, and embracing immigrants is key to the nation’s future success. Trump’s harsh rhetoric on immigration led to questionable claims, such as his false statement that Haitian immigrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Meanwhile, Harris remained more disciplined, presenting herself as a candidate for law and order, drawing on her prosecutorial experience and practical policy solutions.
The issue of abortion sparked heated exchanges in the debate. Trump sought to reaffirm his stance on banning abortion, while Harris called his policy “immoral” and argued that it infringed on women’s right to bodily autonomy. Analysts agreed that Harris came across as stronger on this issue, with Trump resorting to claims that Democrats support “executing” babies after birth, while Harris’ message on abortion was more compelling, aligning with the core values of American freedoms.
On climate change, Harris stated that it is a “very real” issue and linked it to two specific concerns: rising homeowners’ insurance costs in the U.S. due to extreme weather events caused by climate change, and the need for action against global warming. She highlighted the Biden administration’s $1 trillion investment in clean energy, which she claimed created new jobs in renewable energy manufacturing and opened avenues for innovation. Trump, however, downplayed the importance of combating climate change, focusing instead on the economic benefits of traditional energy sources.
The candidates also clashed over racial issues. Harris listed several racially divisive actions by Trump, such as his legal settlements over discrimination against Black renters in New York in the 1970s, his call for the execution of wrongfully accused Black and Latino teens in the Central Park case of the 1980s, and his baseless claims that former President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. Harris sought to portray Trump as a divisive figure who exploits racial differences, while she championed racial justice and described America’s diversity as its greatest strength.
On healthcare, Harris defended the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), warning that without it, Americans would face skyrocketing healthcare costs. She criticized Trump’s attempts to repeal the act, arguing that doing so would harm millions of Americans. Trump, meanwhile, claimed he had a better healthcare plan than Obamacare but provided no specific details, only stating that he had “concepts for a plan” and would not change the current system unless he had a better and cheaper alternative.
In terms of foreign policy and national security, the debate touched on several key issues. On the Ukraine-Russia war, Trump reiterated his claim that he could end the war if elected, boasting of his relationships with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He asserted that Putin would not have launched a full-scale invasion if Trump had been in office. When asked whether a Ukrainian victory was in America’s interest, Trump responded that ending the bloody conflict was more important. Analysts noted that it was unfortunate Harris was not asked the same question. Instead, she took the opportunity to criticize Trump’s admiration for authoritarian leaders, accusing him of being encouraged by dictators to run for president again. While Harris offered no concrete details on her future approach to dealing with Kyiv, her statements suggested she would follow Biden’s path.
Regarding the war in Gaza, Harris tried to appeal to progressives, leftists, and Muslim minorities, stating that the war must end with a ceasefire, hostages must be released, and a two-state solution must be pursued to rebuild Gaza. Trump, in contrast, sought to appeal to the American Jewish community, claiming Harris hated Israel and predicting that Israel would cease to exist within two years if she won. Analysts noted that while Trump sometimes sought to inflame anger among Arab Americans over Biden’s handling of the conflict, he quickly abandoned this tactic during the debate and instead criticized Harris for ignoring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit to Capitol Hill. Trump also blamed Biden’s administration for Hamas’ attacks, claiming it had lifted sanctions on Iran, which had been “bankrupt” under Trump’s presidency and therefore lacked the funds to support Hamas and Hezbollah.
On China, despite being a major political and economic challenge to the U.S., the discussion was limited. Trump touted his success as the only American president to force China to pay billions, but the focus remained on tariffs and their effects on inflation and the U.S. economy, rather than addressing China’s growing influence or military expansion. Neither candidate offered a clear plan on how to deal with China, instead focusing on the economic impact of tariffs.
Finally, regarding U.S.-European relations, Trump provided a straightforward response, emphasizing the need for Europe to increase its defense spending significantly and rapidly. He pointed out that his previous policies had forced Europeans to invest more in their defense. Analysts viewed the debate as a reminder to Europeans that Washington is an unstable ally, and under Trump’s leadership, it might not support NATO or Europe in the face of growing challenges. Trump explicitly promised to impose tariffs of up to 20% on Europe.
The results of the debate can be summarized as follows:
Polls Favor Harris: A poll conducted by CNN following the debate showed that nearly two-thirds of voters believed the Democratic candidate outperformed her Republican opponent. The poll revealed that 63% of viewers thought Harris won the debate, compared to only 37% who believed Trump emerged victorious.
Russia’s Displeasure: The Kremlin expressed dissatisfaction with how Russia was discussed during the debate. The Kremlin stated that it “did not like the way Putin’s name (Russian President Vladimir Putin) was used in the debate between Harris and Trump.” In response to Trump’s claim that he could end the war in Ukraine with a phone call to Putin, the Kremlin remarked, “Such a call will not end anything.”
In summary, while the debate was successful in achieving its initial objectives, it remains difficult to predict the outcome of the presidential race at this stage. On the contrary, the debate highlighted how challenging it will be to determine the winner, especially with the polls remaining close. The initial reading of the Harris-Trump debate underlines the significant gap in ideologies between the candidates, presenting Americans with a stark contrast. Harris appears as the candidate of “diversity, equality, justice, and inclusion of minorities,” while Trump champions “America First,” advocating for strength, economic protectionism, and law-and-order policies that promote U.S. isolation from the global challenges hindering its progress and international leadership.
