Harris and Trump clash in first debate, light on policy details, heavy on attacks
OAKLAND, Calif. - In their first time facing each other in a debate and first-in person meeting ever, Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump worked to sway voters and draw contrast to each other.
The more-than 90-minute debate was light on new policy detail and heavy on sharp attacks and insults. Following the debate, both campaigns claimed victory. Harris told supporters immediately following the debate, "This is very much two different visions for our country," said Harris. "Ours, which is a vision for the future and his, which is about the past taking us backward."
The former president, his team and supporters railed against the moderators for fact-checking some of his false claims about abortion and Haitian immigrants in Ohio, in real-time. "In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats," Trump said when prompted about a question on immigration. "They’re eating the pets of the people that live there."
Springfield’s city manager said there have been no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed and he released a video Wednesday morning. "It is disappointing that some of the narrative surrounding our city, had been skewed by misinformation circling on social media, and further amplified by political rhetoric," said Bryan Heck.
Fact-checks of the debate revealed a number of other false statements or misleading claims from Trump, as well as a handful from Harris. When asked about the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Harris said, "As of today, there is not one member of the US military who is in active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world, first time this century."
There are US service members in places like Iraq and Syria. The nominees sparred over foreign affairs, immigration, abortion and the economy, but experts say the policy answers left them wanting. "She showed America, she’s a strong forceful to take the upper hand, can handle people like Trump," said Peter Loge, professor of school of media and public affairs at George Washington University. "But I think voters still have lots of questions."
What many are talking about after the debate, is the vice president’s ability to stick to her plan and goad Mr. Trump throughout the debate, putting him on the defense and off-topic. Harris goaded him about crowd size, the results of the 2020 election, and other topics. "She was extraordinarily well-prepared
for bringing the case to Donald Trump, prosecuting Trump on his record," said Lauren Wright, political research scholar at Princeton University.
After the debate, the Harris campaign challenged Trump to a second debate in October. When asked about it, he said he was "looking at it," but had not made a decision.