Philadelphia.-During ninety minutes of intense debate, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump clashed vehemently as they presented their points of view on the economic situation, abortion, undocumented immigration, the war in Ukraine, the crisis in the Middle East and the validity of the Constitution in the United States.
The Democratic vice president and the former Republican president engaged in a public battle to make explicit their views on domestic politics and the international arena with the electoral goal of convincing undecided voters who will define the elections on November 5.
Harris supported her campaign speech by saying that the page had to be turned, in a direct criticism of Trump’s position and an indirect questioning of Joseph Biden’s management in the White House. The vice president offered a package of economic measures that Biden did not deploy in his four-year term.
“You’re arguing with me, not President Biden,” Harris replied when her Republican opponent tried to tie her position to Biden’s economic results.
Trump, in turn, claimed that the Democratic administration had destroyed the US economy due to inflation and unemployment. The Republican candidate denied that he was considering lowering taxes for the wealthiest sectors and ratified his geopolitical decision to impose tariffs on imports from China.
“There was no inflation under me, and they (Biden and Harris) put in the highest inflation in history,” Trump said at the start of the debate.
In this part of the public debate, Trump and Harris aimed at the same electoral objective: to give a direct response to the main concern of Americans: the economy moving forward, in a context of constant inflation and a sign of cooling in job creation.
The second round of the fight in Philadelphia revolved around undocumented immigration, which has grown exponentially during Biden’s administration. Trump recalled that Harris had tried to resolve this regional crisis with little success, and then deployed a succession of arguments that have no empirical support.
“In Springfield, they are eating the dogs, the people who came, they are eating the cats… they are eating the pets of the people who live there. And this is what is happening in our country, and it is a disgrace,” Trump said.
He added: “We have millions of people coming to our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and asylums.”
Harris remained silent, her smile frozen.
Undocumented immigration – along with the economy – are the domestic issues that most concern the independent electorate. Neither Trump nor Harris proposed a roadmap to limit the impact of forced immigration in the United States. A humanitarian crisis that will be aggravated by the institutional situation that Venezuelan society suffers due to the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro.
Tensions in the studio set up by CBS multiplied when both opponents discussed the right to abortion. Harris defends this legal concept and the majority of women up to 45 years old will vote for her candidacy on November 5. Trump, on the other hand, rejects abortion, has no gender support and is barely supported by conservative groups in the deep interior of the United States.
The Republican candidate claimed that Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, supported “the execution of a baby after birth, and that abortion in the ninth month was okay.”
Centimeters away from Trump, the Democratic candidate replied when it was her turn.
“That is not true. Abortion is not permitted for a full-term pregnancy anywhere in the United States, and that comment is insulting to women,” Harris argued.
She added: “Donald Trump certainly shouldn’t be telling a woman what to do with her body.”
At the exact time of the debate, ABC News journalists David Muir and Linsey Davis called for a commercial break, which lasted just a couple of minutes.
After the commercial break, the candidates discussed international politics, where they clashed again regarding the situation in the Middle East, the war between Ukraine and Russia, the global role of NATO and the geopolitical importance of Iran.
“I want the war to end. I want to save lives that are being wasted in vain. Millions of people are being killed. It’s millions. It’s much worse than the numbers that they’re getting, which are false. I think it’s in the best interest of the United States to end this war and negotiate a deal, because we have to stop all these human lives from being destroyed,” Trump said when asked if he wanted Ukraine to beat Russia.
Faced with her Republican opponent’s response, Harris launched a broadside that hit below the waterline.
The Democratic candidate said: “If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in kyiv right now and he would understand what that would mean, because Putin’s agenda is not limited to Ukraine. He would understand why European allies and our NATO allies are so grateful that you are no longer president. Putin would be sitting in kyiv with his eyes set on the rest of Europe, starting with Poland. And why don’t you tell the 800,000 Polish-Americans here in Pennsylvania how quickly you would give in for a favor and for what you consider a friendship with someone who is known as a dictator who would eat you alive?”
According to the drawing of lots made prior to the public confrontation, Harris had to close before hearing from Trump.
The candidate has an electoral strategy that aims to look ahead and close the gap with Republican voters who have always occupied the centre of the table. She turned to them when the debate was dying.
“I will be the President of all Americans,” Harris concluded.
Trump already knew that he was going to keep the last sentence of a debate that had a historic audience. And he debated with his staff what he should say as a closing statement: a conciliatory phrase, or a line that would sum up his political nature.
In the end, Trump was true to himself: “Kamala Harris is the worst vice president of the United States,” he told Infobae.
#Harris #Trump #engaged #heated #debate #economy #abortion #immigration
2024-09-11 23:57:42
– What were the key points discussed by Kamala Harris and Donald Trump regarding the economy during the debate?
Table of Contents
Title: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Clash in Intense Debate: Economy, Immigration, and Abortion Take Center Stage
Meta Description: In a heated debate, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump presented their views on the economy, immigration, abortion, and international politics, with each candidate trying to convince undecided voters ahead of the November 5
Presidential Debate: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Clash on Economy, Immigration, and More
The highly anticipated presidential debate between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former Republican President Donald Trump took place in Philadelphia, with the two candidates clashing on a range of issues, including the economy, immigration, abortion, and foreign policy.
Economic Debate
Harris criticism of Trump’s economic policies and his administration’s handling of the economy, promising to “turn the page” and implement new economic measures that President Joseph Biden did not deploy during his four-year term [[3]]. Trump, on the other hand, claimed that the Democratic administration had destroyed the US economy, citing high inflation and unemployment rates [[3]]. The former president denied considering lowering taxes for the wealthiest sectors and reaffirmed his decision to impose tariffs on Chinese imports.
Fact-Checking the Debate
ABC News live fact-checked the debate, revealing that both candidates made statements that were exaggerated, lacked context, or were entirely false [[2]]. Similarly, NBC News fact-checked the debate, highlighting instances where Trump and Harris erred on facts, including conspiracy theories and flubbed facts [[3]].
Immigration and Foreign Policy
The debate also revolved around undocumented immigration, which has grown exponentially during Biden’s administration. Trump criticized Harris’s previous attempts to resolve the crisis, while Harris offered a more nuanced approach to addressing the issue. The discussion also touched on foreign policy, with both candidates offering their perspectives on the war in Ukraine, the crisis in the Middle East, and the validity of the Constitution in the United States.
Conclusion
The presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump marked a turning point in the 2024 election cycle, with both candidates aiming to convince undecided voters who will define the elections on November 5. As the debate highlighted, the economy, immigration, and foreign policy will be key issues in the coming months.
References:
[1] ABC News Presidential Debate: Harris and Trump meet in … election #election2024 #donaldtrump #kamalaharris #abcnews
[2] Fact-checking Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s 1st …
[3] Fact-checking the presidential debate between Trump and …
