Heated blows were exchanged between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump in a moderated debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
The debate ran for more than 100 minutes and included discussion on abortion, immigration, the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and more in what moderator David Muir, one of the two moderators, described as a “high-stakes showdown.”
Muir asked the first question of the night, asking the candidates’ plans for the U.S. economy. Harris went into detail about how her upbringing as a middle-class kid has shaped her plans for what she called an “opportunity economy.”
Trump responded with his plans on placing tariffs on other countries and how poorly immigration under the Biden administration has been handled.
“I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country,” Trump said. “I’ll do it again and even better.”
Harris responded, “Donald Trump left us the worst employment since the Great Depression.”
She also addressed “Project 2025,” the 922 pages of policy changes for the U.S. government written by Heritage Foundation.
Trump has disavowed “Project 2025,” and his position was no different during the debate.
“I have nothing to do, as you know – and as she knows better than anyone – I have nothing to do with Project 2025,” he said.
He added he has not and will not read the document.
On immigration and border security in the U.S., Trump criticized Biden’s current border policies and the results of a more open border structure. In particular, he said immigrants are murdering and eating the pets of residents in Springfield, Ohio.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs,” Trump said. “The people that came in. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what’s happening in our country and it’s a shame.”
The Columbus Dispatch has since published an article in which the mayor of Springfield addressed these claims.
“It is disappointing that some of the narratives surrounding our city has been skewed by misinformation circulating on social media,” said Bryan Heck, the mayor of Springfield, in a statement given on Sept. 11.
Asked if he had any regrets about the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump said he told his supporters to march to the Capitol “peacefully and patriotically.”
Harris replied by describing her experience at the Capitol that day.
“I was there, and on that day, the president of the United States incited a violent mob to attack our nation’s Capitol – to desecrate our nation’s Capitol,” she said.
Muir also asked the candidates for their plans on how to handle the Israel and Palestine conflict.
“If I were president, it would have never started,” Trump said.
When it was Harris’ turn to speak, Muir asked her if she hates Israel based on Trump’s response to the question.
“That’s absolutely not true,” she said. “I say then, I say now, Israel has a right to defend itself.”
In Harris’ closing statement, she described her aim to becoming president.
“I intend to be a president for all Americans and focus on what we can do over the next 10 and 20 years to build back up our country by investing right now in you: the American people,” Harris said.
Trump closed by reiterating the failures of the current administration.
“What these people have done to our country, and maybe toughest of all, is allowing millions of people to come into our country, many of them are criminals, and they’re destroying our country. The worst president, the worst vice president in the history of our country,” Trump said.
Following the debate, many celebrities and internet personalities have come forward and expressed their thoughts and feelings on the candidates.
Taylor Swift made an Instagram post after the debate ended in which she outwardly expressed her endorsement of Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. In the post, she addressed her distaste for a post made by Trump that featured an artificial intelligence image of herself endorsing his campaign.
“It really conjured up my fears around AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” she said.
Swift encouraged first time voters and provided resources for those who are not registered to do so. She ended the post by signing it with her name followed by “Childless Cat Lady.”
This addition is in reference to comments made by JD Vance, Republican vice president nominee, in which he called Democrats “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives.”
The 2024 presidential election will take place on Nov. 5.
Students can register to vote for free at vote.gov until Oct. 15.
Caden Adkins can be contacted at [email protected].
