On Sept. 10, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris engaged in their first presidential debate. The two candidates debated on many key issues such as the economy, abortion rights, foreign conflicts, and immigration.
Vice President Harris kicked off the debate by discussing her economic plan to build an “opportunity economy” and “lift up the middle class and the working people of America.” She accused Trump of leaving the country in a terrible economic situation following his term, and claimed if he were to take over again as president, he would provide tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations, which would hurt the middle class. Trump responded to these claims by calling out Harris and President Biden for rising inflation rates under their administration. The former President highlighted his administration’s ability to handle the pandemic, claiming to have brought the economy and stock market post-pandemic to higher levels than ever before. Vice President Harris further claimed that Trump has no real economic plan for the people; his plan is only meant to serve his own self-interest. Trump denied this, and claimed that Harris has no original plan herself, as it is the same as Biden’s plan.
One notable moment from the debate was Trump’s quote on abortion, claiming that post-birth abortions have occurred in certain places across the country. The moderators refuted this statement by clarifying that it is illegal to kill a baby after it is born in every state.
“I think the fact that Trump, a man, thinks that he has any say in choices women make about their bodies speaks a lot to his character,” said freshman Grace Stone.
Regarding abortion, VP Harris stated that in his presidency, “Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade.” Harris added that if she is elected as president, she will proudly sign a bill passed by Congress to put the protections of Roe v. Wade back into place.
Vice President Harris was the first to speak about immigration and border security. She discussed a border security bill proposed by members of Congress which had her support, but was inevitably shot down by Trump, who she claims “preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.” Harris then encouraged people to attend Donald Trump’s rallies, claiming, “it’s a really interesting thing to watch.” She stated that he doesn’t talk about the peoples’ wants, needs, and desires, and at many times, people leave his rallies out of boredom and exhaustion.
The former President refuted Harris’s claims about his rallies and stated that people do not attend her rallies. Regarding immigration, Trump stated that in Springfield, Ohio, Haitian immigrants are eating residents’ pets, which was fact-checked and proven to be false by the moderators. This sparked quite the stir on social media, as people across the political spectrum have been both confused and alarmed by these statements.
The Israel-Hamas War was another topic discussed during the debate. Harris was questioned about how she would handle the stalemate that President Biden has failed to break through. She began by saying that Israel has a right to defend itself, however undeniably, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is devastating. She added that she will work around the clock in order to get the hostages out and chart a course towards a two-state solution.
“Kamala did very well. She looked very poised and presidential,” said freshman Stella Mei.
Trump followed up by claiming that if he were president, the war would have never started. He also stated that Harris hates Israel, and should he be elected, he will attempt to end the war even before his inauguration.
When the moderators asked the former President how he would solve the Russo-Ukrainian war, he claimed that his good relationships with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will provide for a conducive peace talk. Vice President Harris stated the idea that Trump could solve the war was only true because he would “give up” on it.
“Debates can be very contentious and they can bring out the worst in politicians. It is good for voters to see how politicians respond to this type of pressure,” said social studies teacher Mr. Gennaro Fontano.
This presidential debate played great significance as it was the first time the two presidential candidates went head to head. Vice President Harris requested an additional debate in which Donald Trump said no to, claiming that she only wants a rematch because he clearly won.
Ultimately, the debate gave voters a good sense of each candidate’s policies and they will be anticipating a very tight race come Nov. 5. Harris and Trump will continue to campaign for the next two months to prepare for the upcoming election.