Trump Was Still Competing Against Biden in the Debates
The US presidential candidate debates on the night of September 10-11 left the distinct impression that 73-year-old Donald Trump wasn’t battling 59-year-old Kamala Harris, but rather the previous Democratic candidate, who dropped out of the race in July. The debate wasn’t just intense; it was fiery, and everyone saw what they wanted to see in it. However, the main protagonist of the debates was the American voter.
At the debate, which took place at the Pennsylvania Convention Centre in Philadelphia on the night of September 11, US Vice President Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump faced off in a fierce contest. These were the second presidential debates of the campaign. The first debate hadn’t ended well for the previous Democratic candidate, incumbent President Joe Biden. ABC News turned the event into a nationwide Watch Party. That night, all of America was trying to add something to its understanding of the candidates.
It seems likely that this debate was the last such showdown of the campaign, though Harris challenged Trump to another debate.
Kamala Harris’ brilliant start to her campaign in August wiped out the bitter aftertaste of June’s events, when Joe Biden appeared less than confident. This ultimately led him to the decision to withdraw from the campaign. So, the starting conditions for Harris and Trump were very different on that September night. While Donald Trump had already peaked in his “political form” around July after the assassination attempt on him, Harris was still gaining support among undecided voters.
Trump’s primary task in these debates was to reset his campaign, but it appears that Harris didn’t leave him the opportunity. She aggressively attacked him, drawing attention to the events of January 6, 2021, when an angry mob stormed the Capitol, and she reminded the audience of Trump’s other legal troubles. She did this with great skill, using her experience as a seasoned prosecutor.
Trump had plenty of opportunities to hit back at Harris on economic issues or the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. However, she irritated him so much that he had little time or energy left for rational arguments.
If we examine the key topics that could be considered the candidates’ platforms, they would undoubtedly include fighting inflation, illegal immigration, the Gaza Strip conflict, the risks of global war due to the war in Ukraine, and the legalisation of abortion.
Regarding inflation, the candidates went back and forth. Harris accused Trump of actions in 2020 that later fuelled inflation due to the printing of money. She also criticised his plans to further raise tariffs, which also negatively affects prices. Trump, of course, could remind the audience that rampant inflation occurred during the Democrats’ rule.
Trump’s responses to the moderator’s questions about the war in Europe, led by Russia in Ukraine, were clearly weak. He actually dodged the questions. He promised the moderator that he would quickly bring Putin and Zelensky to the negotiating table and force them to agree to a ceasefire immediately. But Harris accused Trump of “simply giving up,” referring to Ukraine. “If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now,” Harris added.
The Gaza Strip conflict also took centre stage. Kamala Harris insists on a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages. Trump accused her: “She hates Israel. If she’s president, I don’t think Israel will exist in two years.” Harris responded by calling these accusations lies: “That’s completely false. I’ve supported Israel and the Israeli people throughout my career and life.”
Immediately after the debates, the hugely popular singer Taylor Swift called on her followers to support Harris: “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for [Harris] because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader, and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate [Walz], who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
Swift has 283 million followers on Instagram and another 95 million on X (formerly Twitter). Of course, not all of these followers are American voters, but Swift’s call is powerful artillery, likely to bring to the polls those who hadn’t planned to vote. This could provide a serious boost to Harris’s campaign. Trump’s team and the candidate himself need to make a powerful countermove.
It seems that this move was already made by Elon Musk, who wrote on X about his impressions of the debates. He agreed that Harris performed better but called for people to vote for Trump: “...That said, when it comes to getting things done, not just saying nice-sounding words, I strongly believe that Trump will do a far better job. After all, if Kamala can do great things, why hasn’t she? Biden rarely shows up for work, so she’s basically in charge already. The question comes down to this: do you want current trends to continue for 4 more years or do you want change?”
This appears to be Trump’s team’s plan – to try to pin all voter dissatisfaction with Joe Biden’s results on Harris. After all, we understand that the current administration is responsible for everything that happens in the country. As a result, the opposition candidate has strong positions for criticising the current administration. Harris could, with enough effort, try to separate herself from the burden of responsibility that the current administration carries. However, it seems that this is exactly where Trump and his team are aiming to strike after a less-than-successful debate performance.