Tuesday, September 10th, marked the second presidential debate but the first match-up between the Republican nominee: former President Donald Trump and the Democrat nominee: current Vice-President Kamala Harris. Originally scheduled to be between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Harris took Biden’s place in the debate after he ended his re-election campaign and endorsed Harris in July and Harris accepted the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention. The debate took place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was hosted by the ABC news network. This is also currently the only scheduled Presidential debate with the Vice-Presidential debate scheduled for October 1st.
Rules were also set forth for this debate session, including no props or pre-written notes allowed on stage, microphones were muted when speaking time was given to the opposing candidate, candidates had two minutes to answer questions and rebuttals, and the debate room had no live audience.
With the rules set and the candidates behind their podiums, the debate began.
Economy
Hosts David Muir and Linsey Davis’ first set of questions for the candidates were on the economy. The first question was for Vice-President Harris, asking if she believed Americans were better off economically than they were four years ago. Harris used this question to discuss her “opportunity economy,” which would give a child-tax credit of $6,000 for young families, give a “$50,000 tax deduction to start up small businesses,” and argue that Trump’s economic plan would give tax cuts to billionaires and increase sales taxes for the middle class. In Trump’s rebuttal, he denied the sales tax and stated that he would increase tariffs and lower inflation. He then cited immigrants as the cause of a poor economy, arguing that they are taking “African-American and Latino” jobs. Harris responded with the claim that Trump exited the presidency with the “highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression” and in the worst public health epidemic while she has spent her time in the White House “cleaning up his mess.” Trump then denied her claim that he supports Project 2025, stating that he has never even read the policy plan. Harris then argued the merits of her economic plan, stating that it had been lauded by a number of economists while Trump’s plan would “explode the deficit” and “invite a recession.”
When questioned about Trump’s plan to enact a 20% tariff on incoming goods which economists claim will raise prices for consumers, he denied that his tariffs would raise prices and instead argued that China was paying the tariffs and that the Biden administration kept Trump’s tariffs in place. Harris responded by claiming that Trump “sold America out” by selling China American-made technological chips that improved the Chinese military. Trump denied her statement by claiming that China bought chips from Taiwan, not America, because “America does not make chips anymore.”
Abortion
The issue then moved to abortion with the first question of the topic being directed at Trump and why women should trust Trump on abortion. Trump began to target Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, claiming that Walz wanted abortion up to the ninth month and execution after birth. He then applauded the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and the returning of the issue to the states instead of having abortion “tied up in the federal government.” Harris responded by condemning Trump’s Supreme Court Justice picks and “Trump’s abortion bans” in the states, some of which do not have an exception for rape or incest. She then pledged to sign a bill as president that would “reinstate the protections of Row vs. Wade” if the bill passed Congress and came across her desk. Trump refused to answer whether or not he would veto a national abortion ban, arguing that his response does not matter because an abortion bill would never pass the Senate. When questioned if she would support restrictions on the right to an abortion, Harris stated that she would support the protection granted in Row vs. Wade before moving to attack Trump’s false claim that Democrats support abortions up to the ninth month and after birth.
Immigration and Border Security
When asked why Biden waited to act on the border issue, Harris cited her background prosecuting transnational criminal organizations and her support for Congress’ border security bill that would increase funding for border agents and for resources that would be given to prosecuting transnational criminal organizations. But claimed that the bill did not pass because Trump convinced Congress members to kill the bill. She then criticized Trump’s rallies which she stated showed that Trump does not care about the people and that people leave in the middle of his rallies out of “boredom.” This statement got a rise out of Trump as he immediately responded to that claim by arguing that she pays people to attend her rallies and that he holds “the biggest rallies.”
Donald Trump then claimed that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating residents’ cats and dogs. When host David Muir refuted that claim as false with a statement from Springfield’s city manager, Trump doubled down on the claim stating that he had “seen people on television” say that immigrants ate their dog. Harris used this opportunity to note Trump’s extremism and highlight her endorsements from over 200 Republicans, including former Vice-President Dick Cheney.
Trump was then questioned about his plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants. He attacked the Biden-Hariss administration for letting criminals into the nation, claiming that crime is down everywhere else in the world but “through the roof here” because Biden let in so many criminals into the country, causing “migrant crime.” When his claim was debunked by the host who cited the FBI when explaining the crime rates were lower, Trump attacked the FBI by stating that they were “defrauding statements” that did not include “the worst cities.” Harris responded by pointing out Trump’s 34 felony charges while Trump argued that the charges were “just weaponization” tactics to help the other side win. Harris highlighted the Supreme Court ruling that would grant the president immunity for official acts to make a point on Trump’s extremism and argued that if he wins this election, there will be no one left to stop him.
In response to a question about changes in her policy since her 2020 bid for the presidency, Harris stated that she will not ban fracking but aims to “invest in diverse sources of energy to reduce reliance on foreign oil” but reaffirms that her values on protecting the middle class, seniors, and sexual assault victims have not changed. Trump then attempted to paint her as a “radical left liberal” who wants to ban fracking and defund the police. He then praised his policies in the oil and fossil fuel industry and argued that solar energy takes up too much space.
January 6th
When questioned if Trump regretted anything about the insurrection on January 6th, he argued that he told people to march on the capitol “peacefully and patriotically” and instead argued that the attention should be on violent migrants rather than the events on January 6th. He then denied his involvement by claiming he was only asked “to make a speech” and that Nancy Pelosi was the one responsible. Harris described the events that occurred as a “violent mob” and drew comparisons to the “Unite the White” white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2018 in which Trump claimed there were “good people on both sides.” She painted her presidency as a path to the future stating that “we will not go back.”
Election Denial Claims
Trump continued to deny that he lost the 2020 election, stating that his previous admissions of defeat were “sarcastic.” Harris reaffirmed the fact Biden won the presidency with “85 million votes” and claimed that Trump wanted to “upend the will of the voters in a free and fair election.” She stated that world leaders are laughing at Trump because he refused to admit defeat despite losing numerous election denial court cases.
Israel-Hamas War
When questioned on how to break the stalemate between Israel and Hamas, Harris reiterated her support for Israel’s right to defend itself but noted that “it matters how” and reaffirmed her support for a cease-fire and a two-state solution that would provide security for both Israelis and Palestinians. Trump argued that under his presidency the war would never have started. He also claimed that “Putin would have never invaded Ukraine” because he “knows Putin very well.” He then argued that Harris hates both the Israel and Arab populations and that her economic policies have only empowered Iran. Harris denounced Trump’s claim, stating that she has always supported Israel, arguing that dictators such as Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin want Trump in power because he can be easily manipulated with “flattery and flowers.”
Russia-Ukraine War
When asked if Trump wanted Ukraine to win the war, he refused to give a direct answer and simply stated he wanted the war to end and for Europe to finance a larger portion of the war. He also claimed that could end the war as president-elect before even being inaugurated into office. When Harris was questioned on how she would handle the war, she cited her actions during her Vice-Presidency of providing defense advice to President Zelesky and arranging a committee of 50 countries to help provide support for Ukraine.
Withdraw in Afghanistan
When questioned on whether or not Harris felt responsible for how the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, she stood by Biden’s decision to withdraw and stated that Trump negotiated “one of the weakest deals you can imagine” that “bypassed the Afghan government” and “negotiated directly with the Taliban.” Trump admitted that he did “get involved with the Taliban” and cited Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan as the reason “Russia attacked Ukraine. It was because Russia saw how incompetent [Harris] and her boss are.”
Kamala Harris’s Racial Makeup
When questioned on his remarks about Harris’s ethnicity, Trump claimed that he actually did not care what race she was and only made those remarks because he “read where she was not black” and then “read that she was black.” Harris states that these remarks only demonstrate that Trump is only trying to divide the country, while she will be a president that unites people.
Healthcare
Trump was questioned on his plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and he stated that he “saved ObamaCare.” When pressed on his policy plan, Trump admitted that he “has concepts of a plan” and would only change ObamaCare if there was a “better and less expensive option.” Harris explained that she has strengthened the Affordable Care Act and for the first time “allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capped the price of insulin at $35 a month, and capped prescriptions for seniors at $2000 a year.” She stated that “healthcare is a right.”
Climate Change
Harris states that to fight climate change, the Biden administration has invested $1 trillion into clean energy production, increased domestic gas production, increased manufacturing jobs, and invested in American-made products. Trump denied Harris’s claim to creating new manufacturing plants and jobs, arguing that the “administration is selling the country down the tube.”
Closing Statements
Harris began her closing statement by representing her vision for the future as America progresses, stating “we will not go back.” She reiterated her commitment to the middle class, bringing down the price of goods, and creating an “opportunity economy.” She then listed her previous office positions as a district attorney general, senator, and vice president to emphasize that she has had “only one client: the people.” She promises to be a president for all by investing in the people.
Trump criticized Harris’s policy plans, arguing that she has had three and a half years in the White House to enact her goals, asking “why didn’t she do it?” He then argued that foreign nations are laughing at the United States and that we are headed toward World War III. He then claimed during his presidency, he “rebuilt the entire military” while the Biden-Harris administration “gave it away to the Taliban.” He then reiterated that Harris allowed “millions of people into our country” and that they are “destroying our country” before ending with the statement: “[Biden and Harris are] the worst president and the worst vice president in the history of our country.”
