The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump was marked by sharp exchanges and heightened tensions, lasting over 90 minutes.
The debate, which began with a cordial handshake from Harris, quickly escalated into a fierce confrontation.
A CNN and SSRS post-debate poll revealed that 63% of viewers believed Harris won the debate, while 37% favoured Trump.
However, the debate marks a significant shift from pre-debate polls, which had shown a 50-50 split in expectations.
In June, a similar poll indicated that Trump had a substantial lead over President Joe Biden.
Throughout the debate, Harris accused Trump of relying on a “tired playbook” of falsehoods and personal attacks while challenging his past policies and directly addressed his previous remarks.
Trump targeted Harris on issues such as Afghanistan and immigration and frequently attempted to link Harris to President Biden’s economic policies, using the refrain, “She is Biden,” and made controversial comments about her racial identity.
The debate saw both candidates engaging in sharp exchanges, with Trump’s confrontational style including memorable lines like, “Wait a minute, I’m talking now, if you don’t mind,” and Harris’ retort, “Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people.”
Harris also drew dramatic comparisons, likening Trump’s rhetoric to that of fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter.
Following the debate, Harris’ campaign called for a second debate, emphasizing the stark choice voters face between moving forward with Harris or reverting to Trump’s policies.
In a post-debate statement, Harris’ team highlighted the debate as a critical moment for voters.
Conversely, Trump dismissed the call for another debate, suggesting that Harris requested it due to her perceived poor performance.
