Philadelphia – The first-ever debate between current United States Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and former United States President and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, which took place inside the National Constitution Center, ended in what boxing enthusiasts would call a technical knockout (TKO). Harris didn’t totally knock Trump out of the ‘Race for the White House, the tagline that debate host network ABC used for the night, but she won the political fight on this night.
What better place to make boxing references than in the hometown of Joe Frazier, Bernard Hopkins, and Rocky Balboa.
Despite this being Trump’s seventh presidential debate (in his third presidential bid), both as president and a presidential candidate, he seemed focused more on himself and saying that Harris was lying than the issues at hand. He mentioned United States President Joseph R. Biden several times despite never being asked about the President.
Harris won this crucial debate because she was focused on the questions that were asked and the answers that she gave. Trump was often distracted, like the time he mentioned illegal immigrants in Springfield, Ohio eating the pets of the city’s residents when the topic was something entirely different.
The debate was moderated by David Muir (anchor and managing editor of “World News Tonight”) and Linsey Davis (ABC News Live “Prime” anchor). Muir called the debate, which did not have a crowd or pre-written notes onsite, “an intimate setting for two candidates that have never met.”
Upon meeting on stage, Harris walked over to Trump and the two exchanged a handshake. Harris took that opportunity to verbally introduce herself. It was a moment of gamesmanship that felt like it broke the ice.
“I created one of the greatest economies in the history of this country, and I’ll do it again,” said Trump. Harris rebutted by saying Trump left the country in a mess and that she and United States President Joseph R. Biden during their administration cleaned up his mess.
Harris took an opportunity to try to tie a second Trump presidency to Project 2025. Trump once again denied knowing anything or being associated with Project 2025.
“I’m an open book, everybody knows what I am going to do,” Trump said.
“Donald Trump has no plan for you,” Harris said.
There were moments of name-calling from Trump, such as when he called Harris a “Marxist” and said that her father is a “Marxist professor.”
When the topic of reproductive rights was broached by Davis, Trump was asked first why voters should trust him when it comes to abortion restrictions? He touted getting Roe v Wade off of the books with the help of six Supreme Court Justices that he called brave and geniuses.
“And now states are voting on it,” Trump said about abortion, “It’s the vote of the people now.”
Harris, who said she supports the reinstatement of Roe v Wade, was measured throughout the debate and only once engaged Trump when it wasn’t her turn to speak. She found a way to mention that the former President was arraigned on 34 felony counts without making it sound like a dig at Trump.
“Frankly, the American people are exhausted by this tired old playbook,” Harris said of Trump’s tactics.
Harris was fairly questioned by Davis on how some of her positions on topics such as fracking have changed since before she became vice president. She insisted her positions may have changed, but her values have not changed.
“My values have not changed. A true measure of a leader is a leader that truly understands that the value of leadership is in building people up, not putting people down,” said Harris.
When Muir asked Trump if he regretted anything that he said on January 6, 2020, he didn’t give him a complete answer. “I had nothing to do with that other than make a speech,” he said.
He blamed former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and the Mayor of Washington, D.C. for what took place on January 6.
Trump said the country needs two things: borders and good elections. “We have a nation in decline, David,” Trump said. The question that was asked wasn’t about either topic.
“Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people,” Harris said. “The American people deserve better.”
Following the first commercial break, the war in Ukraine was the topic and both candidates were asked what would they do to stop the war?
“I want to get the war settled, I know (Volodymyr) Zelinsky well, I know (Vladimir) Putin well,” Trump said. “They respect me. They don’t respect Biden.”
Asked what he meant by saying that he didn’t know that Harris was Black. Trump said he doesn’t care what she is. He never answered the question of why he thinks it was appropriate to question Harris’ race. Harris said she thought it was “a tragedy” that this is even a topic of discussion in America today.
Prior to the debate, Democratic and Republican stars such as California Governor Gavin Newsome, Congressman Tim Scott, Congressman Byron Donalds, and former Independent presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, Jr., who publicly supported the Trump-Vance ticket, strolled the spin room at the Philadelphia Convention Center. The men were followed by crowds of the media, as was Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, who also made an appearance on Tuesday night.
Both Donalds and Scott were asked if Trump helped or hurt his campaign Tuesday night and both said he helped his own cause.
“He didn’t hurt himself at all. He was very clear about his administration and the Harris-Biden administration,” Donalds said.
“I think he helped himself. President Trump has already done what he says he’s going to do,” Scott said. “Kamala’s had three years to do and she hasn’t done it yet.”
The Harris-Walz campaign brought former Trump administration staffers Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as White House Communications Director, and Olivia Troye, the former Homeland Security Advisor to former United States Vice President Mike Pence in Philadelphia. Both Scaramucci and Troye made themselves available to the press before the debate. During the debate, Harris mentioned that she has the endorsement of 200 former Republicans. It was a clean right hook to Trump’s ego.
Georgia Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock, a surrogate for both Biden and Harris over the years, was not in the spin room last night, but did speak to The Atlanta Voice about the debate on Wednesday afternoon.
“There were two people on that stage last night. One of them will be the next president,” Warnock said. “The contrast could not be more stark and the right answer could not be more obvious. Donald Trump is unhinged, unfocused, and manifestly unfit to be the President of the United States.”
During closing remarks, which began with Harris and ended with Trump, the Vice President said she believes the country can “chart a new way forward.”
Harris said she intends to be a president for all Americans.
Trump closed the debate by saying “They have had three and a half years” to fix the border or fix the issues with this country’s economy. He failed to say anything he was planning to do if he returned to the White House. “We are a failing nation. We are laughed at all over the world,” said Trump.
