In a tense and divisive presidential debate on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris repeatedly put her Republican rival, Donald Trump, on the defensive, attacking his fitness for office, support for abortion restrictions, and legal woes. The debate, moderated by ABC News, was marked by heated exchanges and personal attacks, with Harris controlling the narrative from the start.
Harris, a former prosecutor, came prepared to take on Trump, leveraging her experience and skill to land several key blows. She attacked Trump’s support for abortion restrictions, highlighting the devastating impact of statewide bans on women’s healthcare. Trump, who has sometimes struggled with messaging on abortion, falsely claimed that Harris and Democrats support infanticide, which is illegal in every state.
The debate also saw clashes over immigration, foreign policy, and healthcare, with neither candidate offering specifics on how they would address these complex issues. However, Harris’ forceful approach succeeded in putting the focus on Trump, leaving her allies jubilant and some Republicans acknowledging Trump’s struggles.
Trump repeated his false claim that his 2020 election defeat was due to fraud, called Harris a “Marxist,” and asserted falsely that migrants have caused a violent crime spree. Harris criticized Trump over his criminal conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star, as well as his other indictments and a civil judgment finding him liable for sexual assault.
The debate got underway with a surprise handshake between the two opponents, who had never met before. Harris approached Trump at his lectern, introducing herself by name, in what was the first handshake at a presidential debate since 2016. The encounter was particularly important for Harris, with opinion polls showing that more than a quarter of likely voters feel they do not know enough about her.
Online prediction markets swung in Harris’ favor after the debate, with her odds improving to 55% from 53%. Trump’s likelihood of victory declined to 47% from 52%. In a sign of confidence, Harris’ campaign challenged Trump to a second debate in October.
The debate’s outcome has significant implications for the election, with polls showing a vast majority of Americans have made up their minds, leaving a small sliver of undecided voters up for grabs. Presidential debates do not necessarily change voters’ minds, but they can be deeply consequential. Biden’s poor performance against Trump in June led him to abandon his campaign in July.
In a contest that could again come down to tens of thousands of votes in a handful of states, even a small shift in public opinion could alter the outcome. The two candidates are effectively tied in the seven battleground states likely to decide the election, according to polling average.
