Key points from the Harris-Trump presidential debate
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More news: Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump have completed a fiery first, and possibly only, campaign debate in Philadelphia.
The key takeaways from the debate were:
- Harris getting under Trump’s skin — President Joe Biden was unable to needle Trump effectively during their debate in June, but Harris certainly proved more effective. The former president reacted angrily to her mocking his rally attendance, a long-standing sore spot, accusing the vice president of paying for her own attendees;
- Moderators intervene — The moderators were certainly more assertive than their CNN counterparts in the Trump vs Biden debate in June. ABC hosts David Muir and Linsey Davis repeatedly fact-checked the former president, including over claims Democratic lawmakers were “executing babies” with after-birth abortion and immigrants were abducting pets for food;
- Race relations — Harris raised what she called Trump’s history of “use race to divide the American people”, including his false claims that Barack Obama was born overseas and his calls to execute the Central Park Five, a group of black boys ultimately exonerated of rape. Trump insisted “many people” agreed with him over that case before pivoting to oil policy;
- Harris recovers from a slow start — Harris’ first answer appeared to confirm her critics’ view that she responds in broad platitudes. Asked whether Americans were better off after four years under Biden, she insisted she was “middle class” but did not answer directly. Trump also made early inroads over the economy, particularly as Americans battle high inflation. But once abortion was introduced into the debate, Trump lost his composure and Harris began to take control; and
- Abortion — Harris targeted Trump over abortion rights, after the Supreme Court handed the issue back to the states in 2022 by overturning Roe vs Wade, which had guaranteed abortion rights. Trump falsely claimed Democratic lawmakers were “executing babies” with after-birth abortions, but described Harris’ claim that he would push a national abortion ban as a “lie”.
What they said: Speaking about Trump’s pledge to end the Ukraine conflict in one day, Harris said: “The reason that Donald Trump says this war would be over within 24 hours is because he would just give it up. And that's not who we are as Americans”.
When Trump attacked the Biden administration Harris said: “It's important to remind the former president you're not running against Joe Biden. You're running against me”.
During the debate Trump repeated a debunked claim about immigrants: “They're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats, they're eating... They're eating the pets of the people that live there and this is what is happening in our country and it's a shame”.
Trump pointed to Harris’ changing position on issues like fracking and said: “Everything that she believed three years ago and four years ago is out the window. She's going to my philosophy now. I was going to send her a MAGA hat”.
Trump also distanced himself from the ultra-conservative Project 2025 document: “I haven't read it, purposely. I don't want to, I won't read it … People that came up with ideas, some good, some bad”.
Kamala Harris targets Trump over abortion rights in first debate
The news: Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has promised to sign abortion protections into law, accusing rival Donald Trump of planning a national ban.
The context: The two presidential nominees are going head-to-head in their first, and potentially only, campaign debate in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Trump described claims he planned a national ban as a “lie”, after falsely claiming that Virginia was “executing babies” with after-birth “abortions” under Democrats. The host was forced to clarify that that claim was incorrect.
The former president also distanced himself from Project 2025 – framed as a blueprint for his second term – which he said had “some good [ideas], some bad”.
Reproductive rights will prove a central issue in November, after the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe vs Wade, which had guaranteed abortion rights. Since then, 27 states have imposed partial or full abortion bans.
Appearing in her first presidential debate, Harris initially appeared nervous as she declared herself the only candidate with a plan to “lift up the middle-class and working people of America”.
The candidate’s microphones were switched off while they were not talking, something Harris’ campaign fought against, hoping Trump’s erratic tendencies would play poorly with voters.
Trump is aiming to become the second US President to serve two non-consecutive terms, having been defeated by Joe Biden in 2020.
Wednesday was the second debate of the campaign, after Biden’s disastrous performance in June set in motion his eventual decision to drop out of the race.
The Economist’s polling average has Harris leading Trump nationally by 49.3-46.6, though her lead has thinned recently.
What they said: “Nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion. That is not happening. It's insulting to the women of America,” Harris said.
The sources: Presidential debate, The Economist
