Former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for president, was his typical self on Tuesday night at the first presidential debate between him and the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, hosted by ABC News. Running through the old standards of abortion, immigration, and LGBTQ people, Trump frequently had to be fact-checked by moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis as he launched into stories about people eating animals and babies being killed after birth — both claims unproven to be true. Meanwhile, Harris looked askance at many of Trump’s lies, while coming off confident and optimistic on the main issues.
Candidates spar on abortion
On abortion, Harris was particularly strong, making reference to the overturning of Roe v. Wade by Supreme Court justices appointed by Trump.
“Now, in over 20 states there are Trump abortion bans which make it criminal for a doctor or nurse to provide healthcare, in one state it provides prison for life,” she said. “Trump abortion bans which make no exceptions for rape or incest. A survivor of a crime of violation to their body, does not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next — that is immoral.”
Then she put the onus on Congress to pass a bill that returns the protections of Roe v. Wade, which she promised to sign if elected to the White House.
Immigration issues
Immigration was also in the spotlight, with Trump answering the first question of the debate by referring to “millions” of people illegally coming over the border. Harris hit back by referencing a bipartisan border bill that the Biden administration tried but failed to pass.
“But you know what happened to that bill? Donald Trump got on the phone, called up some folks in Congress, and told them to kill the bill,” Harris claimed. “You know why? Cause he’d prefer to run on a problem, than to fix the problem.”
Trump chose that moment to go into this anecdote: “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets of the people who live there.”
David Muir was quick to point out that officials in Springfield, Ohio have found no evidence of pet eating happening.
Economy questions
On the economy, the two candidates sparred over policies like fracking, housing, and student loan debt. Harris has promised $25,000 in downpayment support to first time home buyers, $6,000 in child care tax credits, and to maintain fracking. Trump worked to sow doubt in these promises coming to fruition, pointing to the failure of the Biden-Harris’ attempt at student debt cancellation (which was denied by the Supreme Court).
International policy
Other key topics included the war on Gaza. Harris was taken to task on how she would achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Saying “I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself,” Harris walked the line between calling for a ceasefire and the return of Israeli hostages.
“We must chart a course for a two state solution, and in that solution there must be security for the Israel people and for the Palestinian people as well,” she said.
Trump countered that, “she hates Israel,” and claimed that it would be “gone” if Harris is elected.
Meanwhile, on race — Harris said that Trump has constantly used it to divide people, but both avoided the recent brouhaha over his statements that she has recently “become Black.”
Read more: URL Media – Trump’s Attack on Kamala Harris’ Blackness is Racist
“We have a nation in decline, we have a nation that is dying,” was the primary message communicated by Trump to the American people, couched in the idea that he is the only one who can come to the rescue. Harris, on the other hand, painted a future of possibility — including pointing to events like the January 6 insurrection and the Charlottesville riots as things she would not bring the country back to — and touted her solutions. It remains to be seen which approach will resonate the most with voters in November.
