In the eagerly awaited television confrontation on Tuesday, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump squared off, albeit it wasn’t as charged as the previous June’s face-off between the resigned President Trump and Joe Biden. Nevertheless, it was a monumental occasion.
The Democrats, who had been skeptical of the untried Harris, stood corrected as she demonstrated her ability to counter her antagonist efficiently, delivering powerful counterpoints. She successfully provoked a defensive and clearly rattled Trump, prompting undignified rants, personal insults, peculiar diversions, and amplified fabrications, especially when he deviated from economic discussions, an area where he might have had a slight advantage according to polls.
Prudently, Harris chose not to comment on the growing evidences suggesting Trump’s escalating apparent incoherence might be age-related. Trump made a fruitless attempt to criticize what he labeled as her “Marxist” political inconsistency. His comments carried him from conspiracy theories about immigrants to crowd size taunts, rejections of wealth inheritance, speculations on pets being consumed, and misleading allegations about a Democratic governor endorsing post-birth baby executions.
Kickstarting the debate on a shaky note, Harris hastened to detail her economic strategy, accentuating tax aid for small enterprises. She next transitioned deftly to the topic of abortion, identified as a crucial vote-puller by her campaign team after the Roe vs Wade overturn by the 2022 US Supreme court. In response, Trump defensively tried to deny his support for a national prohibition, arguing that he was merely returning the power to frame laws on the matter to the states. Meanwhile, several states appear to welcome the move with enthusiasm, implementing local abortion restrictions.
He consistently returned to the assertion that the nation was inundated with illegal immigrants, holding them responsible for the “skyrocketing” crime rates, although the reality is that they are decreasing in several regions. He was laying the groundwork for possible future claims that the upcoming election could be rigged through illegal voter registration. He repeated unfounded social media accusations that Haitian immigrants were stealing pets to consume them in Ohio, much to the anticipated dismay of campaign assistants. Recognising these as blatant mistruths and choosing not to waste her debate time rebutting them, Harris started laughing just as the moderator dismissed the narrative as absurd.
He skilfully avoided an effective comeback from Harris concerning him obstructing a bipartisan border control bill.
The claim that Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, regarded as a highly esteemed man, expressed a need for Trump’s return as president, will likely elicit scepticism from Europeans and leave many compatriots perplexed. When queried about his desire for Ukraine’s victory in the war, Trump invoked the looming danger of a third global conflict.
Harris’ request for a second round of debate prior to the next elections towards the end of the discussion was indeed telling. Predictably, Trump refrained from expressing a firm stance.