(Image source from: REUTERS)
The two presidential candidates, Donald Trump of the Republican party and Kamala Harris of the Democratic party, engaged in a heated debate hosted by ABC news, addressing various issues such as abortions, wars, the economy, and the housing crisis. With the election just eight weeks away, the candidates met on the debate stage for the first time. They shook hands at the start, breaking an eight-year streak of no handshakes during presidential debates. Harris introduced herself to Trump, as this was their first encounter. When asked about the economy and the cost of living, a top concern for voters, Harris spoke about her middle-class background and her plans to support families and small businesses if elected. She accused Trump of providing tax cuts to the wealthy and leaving the economy in a poor state when Biden took over. Harris also stated that Trump has no plan to help the American people.
The Vice President responded to the administration's claims about immigration by saying they would hear the same old tactics of lies, grievances, and name-calling. She argued that the previous president left behind a struggling economy, a devastating public health crisis, and an attack on democracy, which the current administration has been trying to fix. The former president then accused the Vice President of being a Marxist, to which she responded with a smile. The former president claimed he did a great job handling the pandemic, but the Vice President warned that he would try to ban abortions if elected again, which he denied. When asked about a national abortion ban, the former president said such a law would not pass Congress. As the discussion shifted to immigration, the Vice President predicted the former president would focus on that issue extensively.
She encouraged people to attend Trump's events as they are "quite intriguing to observe". She mentioned that at the previous President's events, he discusses imaginary figures like Hannibal Lecter, and that attendees start departing his events due to boredom. Trump angrily claimed that no one attends Harris' events. He then discussed a conspiracy theory about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio. Harris shook her head as Trump laughed about this. When Trump criticized the Biden administration's crime policies, Harris responded that it was ironic coming from someone charged with crimes multiple times. Trump said these charges were an example of the Justice Department targeting a political opponent. He then mentioned the assassination attempt, saying he was a victim because of what Democrats had said about him. Harris stated that world leaders view Trump as a disgrace, prompting an angry response from the former President.
Trump claimed that if he had been president, the situation would not have reached this point. He also alleged that Harris dislikes Israel and the Arab population in the region. Harris refuted Trump's claims and emphasized her support for Israel. During a discussion about the Ukraine war, Harris stated that if Trump had been president, Putin would have been in Kyiv, and Trump would have "given up" in the face of Putin's pressure. When asked if he wants Ukraine to win the war against Russia, Trump did not give a direct answer but said he wants the war to end, as it is in the best interest of the US. As Trump repeatedly brought up the Biden administration's failures and tried to link them to Harris, she responded that he was not running against Biden.
Trump disregarded Harris's racial background, stating he was unconcerned about it. He claimed he had read that she was not Black. Harris described Trump's attempt to use racial identity to divide people as a "tragedy." She clarified that she is distinct from both Biden and Trump, representing a new generation of leadership. Trump asserted that the current administration is "divisive."
