Washington: After the fiery presidential debate between Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump concluded, Harris' campaign said the Vice President commanded the stage on every single issue and showed Americans that Harris was prepared to usher a 'new way forward' while calling out Trump's incoherence.
"Tonight, Vice President Harris commanded the stage on every single issue that matters to the American people. Americans saw exactly what kind of President Kamala Harris will be: one who offers a New Way Forward for the country, who will be a president for all Americans, and who will turn the page once and for all on the darkness and division of Donald Trump. And she reminded the American people that she is the only candidate in this race ready to serve as our next Commander-in-Chief," said Harris-Walz campaign chair Jen O'Mally Dillon.
"Donald Trump was totally incoherent. He was angry and rattled, and it all began when Vice President Harris held him accountable for his record overturning Roe v. Wade and harming women nationwide. Trump refused to say he would veto a national abortion ban. He again said he had no regrets over January 6th. And in case you missed it, through the countless lies he rattled off on stage tonight, Trump offered zero plan for the everyday needs of Americans, saying only he had "concepts" of a plan," he added.
The candidates clashed over issues such as immigration, foreign policy and healthcare, but the debate was light on specific policy details. Harris went on the offensive, succeeding in putting the focus on Trump. The former President initially avoided insults during the early moments but became increasingly agitated under Harris' offensive, prompting personal remarks. While scientific polling will take a few days to show if the race shifted, both campaigns, predictably, claimed victory.
'It was 3-on-1': Angry Republicans criticise debate moderators
Meanwhile, dozens of angry Republicans slammed ABC News moderators for their perceived bias during the debate, fact-checking Trump and challenging his assertions while overlooking the inaccuracies in Harris' remarks. Trump himself called it his "best debate EVER, especially since it was THREE ON ONE."
"I think it was a bit of a three-on-one situation. Certainly, they backed up Kamala Harris from the moderator standpoint. But she went up there and did exactly what Joe Biden did in 2020. She said things to the American people that we know are not true. She’s not able to do the things that she said she is going to do. She hasn’t even explained it," said Trump's daughter Lara, who is the co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
Vice presidential nominee JD Vance told media Harris' speech lacked "real substance", "you hear someone speaking as if she weren’t the sitting Vice President of the United States." Elon Musk also said debate hosts were not fair to Trump, but admitted that Harris exceeded expectations.
Harris puts Trump on the defence
Several observers agreed that Harris had managed to get under Donald Trump's skin. Harris at one point brought up Trump's campaign rallies, goading him by saying that people often leave early "out of exhaustion and boredom." This appeared to have infuriated Trump, who pivoted to an unsubstantiated claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are "eating the pets" of residents. "Talk about extreme," Harris said, laughing.
Harris' remark about the size of Trump's rallies was a turning point in the debate, which sent him on a rant against the Biden administration's political action against him. “People don’t leave my rallies, we have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics," he said. Another big moment was when Harris walked across the room and reached out for a handshake, the first handshake in a presidential debate since 2016.
The Democratic vice president provoked Trump with reminders about the 2020 election loss that he still denies, delivered derisive statements at his unsubstantiated claims and sought to underscore the Republican former president's role in the Supreme Court's overturning of a national right to abortion two years ago.
Trump also tore into Harris as too liberal and a continuation of Biden's unpopular administration, as he launched into the sort of freewheeling personal attacks and digressions from which his advisers and supporters have tried to steer him away. Harris received a major boost as global popstar Taylor Swift announced that she will vote for the Vice President in the upcoming elections. The endorsement is the biggest for Harris from the entertainment industry.
(with inputs from agencies)
ALSO READ | Who won the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump? Here's what observers say
