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Rabat – The first face-to-face meeting between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris took place last evening in Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, where the American people and the world watched the two debate a range of issues live on ABC.
Moderated by Linsey Davis and David Spur, ABC broadcasted the audience-less, one hour and 45 minutes of the current vice president and former president throwing verbal jabs back and forth over a range of topics from the economy, world affairs, personal freedoms, immigration to race relations.
This meeting was much-anticipated by American voters, particularly those on-the-fence and unsure of their pick come November. The stakes were at an all-time high, as the two candidates were initially tied in the polls prior to Tuesday, according to a poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College.
According to a flash-poll conducted by CNN after the debate, 63% surveyed said they believe Harris outperformed Trump, whereas 43% favor the counter. The polling also gathered that voters who watched the debate left with a more favorable opinion of Harris than before, whereas their opinions on Trump were unchanged.
These results show a significant drop in Trump’s favorability numbers from his previous debate with former Democratic nominee and current President Joe Biden, in which Trump held a 67% to 33% favorability advantage over his opponent.
This shift proves that the Democratic Party’s strategy in changing their candidate choice, and Biden’s decision to step down has delivered favorable results, giving the party a stronger chance in beating the stalwarts of Trump and his followers.
In case you missed the debate, here is a run-down, quote-by-quote, of the key topics covered and the arguments for each candidate.
Harris and Trump’s central arguments
Harris’ central themes that she discussed would be present in her presidency included bolstering small businesses, running on middle class values, sustaining international norms, respecting the military, the rights of women, and preserving unity in America across racial divides.
She spoke many times about preserving America’s strength, calling the military the “most lethal fighting force” in the world, and ensuring that the country does not “go back,” but instead “move forward.” The latter has been a central slogan throughout the vice president’s campaign.
Trump focused primarily on criticizing the failures of Biden’s administration under Harris’ leadership, with a primary theme of focusing on America’s “weak” immigration policies and border control, a topic that he brought up repeatedly after almost every single question asked.
Similar to his last campaigns in 2016 and 2020, he spoke about his America-first policies, of re-boosting the economy that he asserts has faltered under the Democrats, bringing back more rule of law, and keeping the issue of abortion within state-lines.
America’s economy
“I will implement a 50 thousand dollar tax cut to promote small businesses…”
Harris touched on her economic policies early-on in her opening remarks, focusing strongly on her plans for small businesses, including granting small-business owners a $50,000 tax deduction. She also spoke to her middle-class values and lauded the achievements she felt were important during the Biden administration and the economy.
However, she spent the majority of this topic focused on criticizing Trump’s past economy during his presidency, stating that it was the “worst America has seen since the Great Depression;” a statement that has since been refuted by fact-checkers. She condemned Trump’s allegedly planned 20% “sales tax on everyday goods,” and claimed that under his term America has had the “highest trade deficit” the country has ever seen.
“I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country, I’ll do it again and even better.”
Trump spoke at length on the triumphs he felt were important in the economy during his time as president, saying that Harris “has no plan” when it comes to America’s economic future. He criticized the current state of inflation in the country, saying it is the highest in history and this did not exist during his presidency.
This has since been refuted by fact-checkers. He also dismissed Harris’ assertion that he has a sales tax in his plan, and made it clear that the Biden administration continued to implement the strong foreign tariffs that he set during his term. He took the credit for the benefits of these tariffs in putting the money back into the pockets of the American people.
Immigration
“He [Trump] prefers to run on the problem instead of fixing the problem.”
Although a majority of the debate was spent talking about immigration on Trump’s side, Harris did not comment at length on the state of border security under Biden’s administration. She did allude to her background as a California prosecutor, saying she is “the only one in this room” who has prosecuted transnational criminal groups. She also condemned Trump and the Republican party under his presidency for vetoing a border security bill, accusing him of sitting on the problem of immigration instead of fixing it.
“In Springfield they [irregular immigrants] are eating the pets of the people that live there.”
“They are taking over towns…these are the people that [Harris] and Biden let into our country.”
Immigration was by far the most brought-up topic by Trump throughout the debate. He strongly condemned the Democratic party on multiple accounts for what he feels are their failures in upholding border security. As is usual in many of his rallies and throughout his past presidency, Trump characterized immigrants in alarmingly negative terms, making bombastic comments including that they are “eating the pets of the people that live [in Springfield, Ohio],” and that they come from jails, mental asylums and prisons. The pet comment was quickly fact-checked and shut down by the moderators.
He also made the common trope that immigrants are taking American jobs, specifically those from Hispanic and African American populations. He strongly criticized Biden and Harris for what he felt was their complete lack of authority on the border, mentioning that “we barely have a president” and that all they have to do is “march down and say the border is closed.” He claimed that crime is going down throughout the world because it is high in America with the influx of irregular immigrants, and that under the Democrats they are giving “transgender surgeries to illegal aliens.”
2020 election
“Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people, and he has had a hard time accepting that.”
Harris cautioned what she fears will be the reality if Trump does not win this election – he will not accept the results. She alluded to the chaos that unfolded after the 2020 election when Biden won, a result that Trump still refutes as fraud.
“There is so much proof that I have gotten the most votes any sitting president has ever gotten [in the 2020 election].”
Trump again asserted that the results of the 2020 election were fraudulent, not swaying on his earlier positions. He added that the state of America’s democracy is in shambles under the Democrats, and that “we have a nation that is dying.”
January 6 and upholding democracy
“All of this leads me to believe that you [Trump] do not have the ability to not be confused about facts… it is troubling and America deserves better”
On the topic of the US Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2020, Harris was quick to mention that “Trump was indicted and impeached for a reason.” She strongly condemned Trump’s role in the mob that stormed the capital, noting the Capitol police that were killed and people that were injured. She also recounted what it was like for her as a senator in office during that day, promising the American people that her presidency will not hold this kind of chaos.
“I had nothing to do with January 6 other than they asked me to make a speech.”
Regarding the fateful day when his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Trump was asked if he had any regrets for how it played out. He promptly replied that he told his supporters to march “peacefully and patriotically,” but also quickly denied having any association with January 6 and what resulted after his rally. Instead, he blamed the lack of security on the mayor of DC as well as the failures of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
Race
“I think it’s a tragedy that we have someone who wants to be president that consistently over the course of his career attempted to use race to divide the American people…I do believe the vast majority of us know that we have more in common than what separates us.”
Harris’ discourse on race was not a lengthy one, except for a few jabs at her opponents’ past record on race-related issues. She accused Trump of further dividing the country on the grounds of race, recalling that he spread birther lies about former president Barack Obama and was in favor of the execution of Central Park Five – the infamous New York case.
[On the topic of Harris’ race] “Whatever she wants to be is okay with me… I read where she said that she’s not black, that she put out, then I read that she was black…and that’s okay with me, that’s up to her.”
The moderators asked Trump to comment on his past words about Harris’ race, which went viral this past August. He quickly glided over the intention of his remarks, saying that her being “not black” is just something that he read, and that “it’s up to her.”
Abortion
“One does not have to abandon their faith and deeply held beliefs to believe that the government, and Donald Trump, should not be telling a woman what she can do with her body.”
Harris did not sway from her previous pro-choice campaign rhetoric on protecting the right of abortion and returning the protections under Roe v. Wade. On this topic, the vice president brought up multiple emotional examples of the perils that women face now that there are reportedly “no-exception abortion bans” across states.
The Democratic nominee criticized the Republican party and “Trump’s hand selected” Supreme Court for allowing the country to get to the state that it is on this issue. She also strongly condemned the Republican party’s proposed Project 2025, which she asserted would lead to a national abortion ban. Harris further blamed Trump’s party for disallowing IVF treatments for families wishing to have a child, and strongly refuted the claims that Trump made that her running-mate, Tim Walz, is “okay” with child executions after birth.
[On the topic of Roe v. Wade] “They wanted it back in the states, I did something [during my presidency] that no one thought was possible.”
[On the topic of Harris’ running-mate, Walz] “He also says execution after birth — execution, no longer abortion because the baby is born — is OK. And that’s not OK with me.”
Trump was quick to set his record straight on the take down of Roe v. Wade under the Republican-run Supreme Court. He mentioned that under his guidance, “I did something that no one thought was possible,” in terms of bringing the issue “back to the states.” He argued strongly in favor for putting the choice of abortion back into the hands of state leadership, asserting that “it’s the vote of the people to not be tied up by the government.”
The former president also threw out some strong accusations concerning Harris’ running-mate, Tim Walz, claiming that he is okay with “child executions” after the baby is born. This was quickly refuted by the moderators and by Harris herself, saying that there is “no state in the country” that allows this.
He also called the Democratic party “radical” on this issue, claiming that Harris “is okay” with abortion by the ninth month. When asked if he would veto a national abortion ban if it crossed his desk as president, Trump curtly replied that it would “never happen” because the states would not vote for it. He also asserted that he has no part in Project 2025.
Ukraine-Russia war
“Putin would be sitting in Kiev if Trump was in office.”
Harris did not talk at length about the Russia-Ukraine war, besides asserting the well-seated American policy of full and unconditional support for Ukraine under President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership. She insisted that the reason why Trump says he would “end the war quickly” if elected president is because she believes he will “just give it up.” She attacked her Republican opponent for his “friendship” with Putin, jabbing that the “dictator” would “eat [Trump] for lunch.”
“I want the war to stop, I want to save lives.”
Regarding this topic, Trump immediately avoided directly answering when asked whether he wants Ukraine to win the war with Russia. Instead, he carefully mentioned that he wished for the war to stop, and condemned the large number of civilian casualties.
Notably, when asked this direct question again, he also avoided answering, but instead criticized Biden for giving too much money to Ukraine and not pushing on Europe to provide their fair share. He also lauded his own relationships with both Putin and Zelensky, claiming that if he were president the war would never have happened in the first place. He blamed Harris for allegedly failing at negotiations in Kiev before the war began, and promised in his presidency to mediate a full end to the carnage.
‘Israel-Hamas war’ (Gaza genocide)
“Israel has the right to defend itself, but how it does so matters”
“We must rebuild Gaza, Palestinians must have security, self-determination and the dignity they so rightly deserve.”
Harris addressed this topic – arguably the most contentious amongst prospective voters – with an aura of caution, not deviating from the rhetoric that the Biden administration and American foreign policy spokespersons have asserted on their Israel-Gaza position.
Referring to the Gaza genocide as the “Israel-Hamas war,” which is the common term in American and many Western political circles, Harris was quick to mention “how we got here in the first place.” She spoke of how the “terrorist organization” Hamas “slaughtered 12,000 Israelis” and that allegedly “women were horribly raped.” She asserted the well-seated American policy of constant support of Israel, saying “I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, particularly as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran’s proxies pose to Israel.”
In regards to the side of Palestinians, Harris did not talk at length, but mentioned that how Israel defends itself matters, noting that “far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.” She again asserted that “the war must end,” there must be a two-state solution, and “we must rebuild Gaza, Palestinians must have security, self-determination and the dignity they so rightly deserve.”
“If I were president it would have never started…”
“When she’s president I have reason to believe that in two years from now Israel will not exist”
Trump did not talk at length about how his new administration would go about ending the genocide, but did strongly criticize Biden-Harris’ handling of the situation, asserting that it would “have never started” if he were president. He promised that under his presidency he will get the war on Gaza settled “quick and fast.”
The former president attacked Harris for “hating Israel,” mentioning that when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to Congress, she was not present for his speech because she was at a “sorority party.” This has been proved by fact-checkers as true, although Harris did meet with the prime minister the following day.
Trump jabbed at Harris saying that if she were president, “in two years from now Israel will not exist.” He further accused her contempt for not just being limited to Israel. “She hates the Arab population, the whole place will be blown up, Arabs, Jewish people…Israel will be gone..”
America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan
“I agree with Biden’s decision..”
When asked whether she regretted the way in which America withdrew from Afghanistan, Harris was cautious to jump over mentioning any of the negative criticisms, replying that she agreed with Biden’s decision. She further lauded the fact that at this point in time, no Americans are currently risking their lives in full combat zones. She took the opportunity to criticize Trump’s decision during his presidency to invite the Taliban to Camp David, a meeting that was later cancelled.
“They blew it.”
Trump strongly criticized the way in which the Biden administration withdrew from the war-torn country, asserting that they “left billions of dollars of military equipment behind.” He also said that it was a failure and embarrassment for America on the world stage, and that this perceived weakness was the reason that Russia attacked Ukraine.
Healthcare and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
“What we need to do is maintain and grow the Affordable Care Act.”
“Access to healthcare should be a right, not just a privilege to those who can afford it.”
Harris made it very clear on the topic of healthcare that her administration would continue the path forward with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. She also mentioned several statistics during the Biden administration, including that they have reportedly capped the cost of insulin to $33 a month.
In regards to her opponent, she mentioned that Trump tried to appeal the ACA around 60 times while he was president and she was a sitting senator. She also notably pointed out that she will never forget the moment when it was up for a vote in the US senate and the “late, great John McCain walked onto the Senate floor and said ‘No you don’t.” Harris also condemned that Trump has “disparaged” the late Republican senator who she called an “American hero.”
“I could have let it rot, but I saved it.”
“I have concepts of plan, I am not president right now. But if we come up with something…I would only change it if we come up with something that is better and less expensive…”
On the topic of the ACA, Trump asserted that it was he (not mentioning McCain) that insisted on keeping it despite the fact that his administration was planning on replacing it with something better. He also promised that during his next presidency his administration would figure out a new plan. He further blamed Harrris for trying to get rid of good private healthcare for hard working Americans who are willing to pay, asserting that under her presidency everyone will have to wait long periods of time for surgeries.
What is next?
Climate change, personal freedoms and personal attacks were also covered in the just-under two hour debate, with Harris strongly asserting that she is not against fracking, and Trump criticizing the Biden’s administration’s misuse of land for solar power. However, only time will tell as to what voters will take away as the most central and key issues that will sway this election come November.
As the world watches as Americans get ready to head to the polls, the stakes could not be higher for the 2024 US presidential race.
