Vice President Kamala Harris kept former President Donald Trump on the defensive for much of their debate Tuesday night, in what could be their only appearance together before Election Day.
“Harris stuck to her strategy,” Republican strategist Alex Conant said. “I’m not sure what Trump’s strategy was, and it’s not at all clear that he executed it. Clearly, taking a question on immigration and getting sucked into a debate about his own legal troubles was a missed opportunity.”
Harris repeatedly laid bait for Trump on issues like his rallies, his difficult relationship with former allies, the criminal cases against him, the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and his claims of a stolen election in 2020. Trump, more often than not, responded in kind by defending his actions in each of those circumstances.
“If that was a bridge too far for you, there’s a place in our campaign for you to stand, for our country to stand, for our democracy, to stand for the rule of law, and to end the chaos,” Harris said, making the case for herself as an alternative.
While Conant wasn’t impressed with Trump, he’s not sure it will move polls that have the pair deadlocked.
Democratic strategist Brad Bannon gave Harris a “B” and Trump a “C” for their respective performances, and predicted Harris will get some positive movement in voter surveys.
“Optics are important in presidential politics,” Bannon said. “She was cool, calm and collected, while Trump projected irritation and anger under pressure and looked rattled. Americans want a commander in chief who can function under pressure. Trump proved he can’t.”
Harris arguably had more to prove going into the debate, both because she is newer to the race and because she has largely stiff-armed the press since becoming the Democratic nominee on July 21. But she continued putting pressure on Trump’s lengthy record, suggesting that he can be baited by leaders of hostile foreign countries.
“It is absolutely well known that these dictators and autocrats are rooting for you to be president because they’re so clear they can manipulate you with flattery and favors,” she said. “That is why so many military leaders who you have worked with have told me you are a disgrace.”
Kamala Harris: It is absolutely well-known that these dictators and autocrats are rooting for you to be president again, because they are so clear, they can manipulate you.. that is why so many military leaders, who you have worked with, have told me you are a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/ydlGE8BcKe
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 11, 2024
Trump tried to keep the focus on issues like immigration and economy, which are strong for him, and on Harris’s policy flips from 2019 on fracking and police funding. He also stole her famous, “I’m speaking line” when she tried to interrupt even with her microphone turned off.
“Wait a minute, I’m talking now,” he said. “If you don’t mind, please. Does that sound familiar?”
President Trump UNLEASHED:
"I'm talking now. DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR?"
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 11, 2024
Scott Jennings, a longtime advisor to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), thought that Trump won the first 15 minutes by speaking on the economy and inflation, but faded afterwards.
“Then the immigration question happened,” Jennings told the Washington Examiner. “She evaded responsibility for any of it and pivoted to taunting him on his rallies. And [after that she was] largely … in control of the debate. He had a few moments, and she has lied terribly about a number of things, but I’d say he won the first 15 minutes and the rest she’s been dictating the flow of the debate.”
Republican viewers complained repeatedly about ABC’s moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, saying they were intervening on Harris’s behalf and offering live fact checks of his statements but not hers. Conservative radio host Clay Travis posted on X that “it’s 3 on 1.”
University of New Hampshire professor James Farrell said Trump was too agitated and needed to be calmer, but also thought Trump landed important blows against his opponent.
“Harris has been unable to make any effective defense on the important immigration issue, and his litany of her documented radical positions went totally unanswered,” Farrell said. “I think too she should have answered better Trump’s observation that Biden was pushed out and she got zero votes.”
Trump accused Harris of stealing his ideas, saying he was going to “send her a MAGA hat” and saying “she is Biden.”
Kirstin Kiledal, professor of rhetoric at Hillsdale College, was not impressed with Harris’s presentation of her ideas, giving her a grade of “fail” against Trump’s grade of “pass.”
“‘I believe’ and ‘I have a plan’ and ‘I know,’ however many times you repeat them, do not equal ‘I have a dream,’” Kiledal said. “That is the primary problem. She tells us that she has a plan, and that leaders must have a vision, but the only vision here is MAGA. It is inseparable from the Trump campaign.”
Trump did make that case in his closing statement.
“She says she’s going to do this, she’s going to do that, she’s going to do all these wonderful things. Why hasn’t she done it?” Trump asked rhetorically. “She should leave right now, go down to that beautiful White House, go to the Capitol, get everyone together and do the things you want to do. But you haven’t done it, and you won’t do it.”
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Harris, in her closing statement, returned to her major campaign things, telling Trump he’s not running against Joe Biden and promising a new vision.
“You’ve heard tonight two very different visions for our country,” she said, “one that is focused on the future and the other that is focused on the past and an attempt to take us backward. But we are not going back.”
