Trump Vs Harris: 3 Major Takeaways From The Big US Presidential Debate 2024
2024 Presidential Debate: Donald Trump's numerous false statements were fact-checked live, while Kamala Harris accused him of division. Here are three important takeaways from the much-awaited debate.
Trump Vs Harris: Republican former President Donald Trump and Democrat Vice-President Kamala Harris just had their first presidential debate, and it is being seen as one that will go on to have a big impact on the 2024 US election scheduled to be held on November 5. With less than two months to go for the polling day, and early voting beginning this month, the debate offered a clear look at this presidential race.
The debate televised from Philadelphia was a heated one, as both presidential candidates touched contentious topics ranging from abortion rights, healthcare, to economy.
Here are 3 takeaways from the Donald Trump-Kamala Harris Presidential Debate 2024:
1. Body Language: Confident Harris And Defensive Trump
Harris, who was named the Democrat presidential candidate after Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July, appeared confident in her first presidential debate. Biden, who rambled and was at times incoherent during his debate with Trump, stepped down before facing the former president for a second time amid criticism within his own party about whether he was fit for another term.
Harris, however, was sharp and focussed throughout.
This was the first official meet-up between Trump and Harris, and there was considerable interest among the people to see how the exchange of greetings would be.
Harris could be seen walking up to Trump and offered a handshake as she assertively introduced herself. Trump could not do much and shook hands with her, after weeks and months of racist attacks on the African-American V-P with Indian roots.
Asked why he had questioned Harris’ heritage as a Black and South Asian woman, he said: “I don’t care what she is.”
In response, Harris accused Trump of trying to divide Americans on the basis of race, and charged him with questioning even US-born former President Barack Obama's American citizenship.
Trump did not defend himself, and sought to pin Harris on economy, with Biden's economic policies being one of the strongest poll issues for the Republican campaign.
US political analysts, as reported by different media publications that covered the debate, found Harris comfortable taking the questions and listing the steps the Biden administration has taken in recent weeks.
ALSO READ ON ABP LIVE | What Is Project 2025 And Why Kamala Harris Called It Donald Trump's 'Devious Plan'
2. Trump Getting Fact-Checked Real Time
Donald Trump, true to his reputation, took to spreading misinformation on a range of issues — from abortion rights to 2020 election results to Project 2025. He once again distanced himself from the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, and incorrectly said crime rates had risen in the US.
Trump also claimed abortions were happening in the ninth month of pregnancy, and even after birth (which would be infanticide), and denied any knowledge of "Project 2025", an over 900-page plan for a complete conservative overhaul of the government.
Veteran journalists David Muir and Linsey Davis, moderators from ABC News, were quick to fact-check the former president on all these points, and earned praise for it on social media. This was in contrast to the June debate moderated by CNN, when little fact-checking was done on Trump and Biden's utterances.
Trump was wrong on his claim on abortions as infanticide is illegal in all 50 US states, and abortions are performed after 21 weeks of pregnancy only in cases of medical emergencies or foetal anomalies.
It is also well documented that Trump's policies align heavily with Project 2025 on reproductive, LGBTQ+, and voting rights, and that he has spoken at events organised by the Heritage Foundation, which published the rightwing political initiative.
Trump's claims on immigrants were also fact-checked as he said they were “taking over the towns", and that they were "eating the pets" in Ohio town.
According to a report in The Guardian, while the influx of immigrants is true, most arrived with work permits or authorisation to stay, even as their cases are being heard in the courts.
When Trump made the unsubstantiated immigrants "eating the pets" claim, the moderator told him there was no proof of that.
3. Clash On Foreign Policy On Wars: Afghanistan, Russia-Ukraine, Gaza
The heated debate got more intense when Trump and Harris got on to discuss foreign policy. From US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan to the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, they sparred on every topic.
Trump was smart to bring up the disastrous withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by Biden shortly after taking over from the former, but Harris skilfully distanced herself from the matter and said it was a good decision in the end because taxpayers’ money was not being spent in the conflict zone. She, however, suggested she did not support the manner in which the troop withdrawal was carried out.
On the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, Harris said she wanted a two-state solution and acknowledged the plight of the Palestinians even as she supported Israel’s right to defend itself.
On Ukraine, Trump and Harris sparred over how they would handle the invasion by Russia, and their views were clear on America's role.
Trump did not say he would want Ukraine to win, maintaining that he only wanted conflict to be wrapped up at the earliest, and that he would speak to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Harris argued that Trump seemingly wanted unconditional capitulation of Ukraine, while Trump accused her of failing to resolve the conflict even though she was sent by Biden to negotiate with Putin — which is not true because Harris has never met Putin, though she had had more than one meeting with Zelenskyy.
"I said at the beginning of this debate, you're going to hear a bunch of lies coming from this fellow, and that is another one," Harris said.
China also found a mention as Harris accused the former president of being a sell-out. Trump, meanwhile, said China, North Korea, and Russia too, were scared of him.
Harris also said that world leaders laugh at Trump, to which he is endorsed by people by Hungarian leader Viktor Orban. His response, however, gave a good comeback line to the former district attorney as she accused Trump of admiring dictators and strongmen — the prime minister of Hungary is known for his authoritarian ways.
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