In 1st Presidential Debate, Kamala Puts Trump on Defensive

In the first heated presidential debate on Tuesday, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris put Republican Donald Trump on the defensive.

She attacked Trump with a barrage of issues ranging from abortion limits, his fitness for office and his myriad legal woes. Trump, 78, was slightly shaken by Harris, 59 repeatedly. It prompted a visibly angry Trump to utter a series of falsehood-filled retorts.

Harris slammed Trump over his criminal conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star as well as his other indictments and a civil judgment finding him liable for sexual assault. Trump denied all charges and accused Harris and the Democrats of orchestrating all these cases without any evidence.

Trump reiterated his false claim that his 2020 election defeat was due to fraud. He termed Harris a “Marxist”.

The candidates opened the debate by focusing on the economy. Harris attacked Trump’s intention to impose high tariffs on foreign goods. “Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression,” Harris said.

The debate started with a surprise handshake between the two opponents, who were meeting for the first time. Harris approached Trump, introduced herself by name, in what was the first handshake at a presidential debate since 2016.

Harris entered the presidential race only seven weeks ago after President Joe Biden’s exit.

Harris spoke passionately about the issues related to abortion, women denied emergency care and victims of incest unable to terminate their pregnancies due to statewide bans that have proliferated since the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a nationwide right in 2022. Three Trump appointees were in the majority of that ruling.

She also claimed Trump would support a national ban, an assertion Trump called a lie.

Trump, who has sometimes struggled with messaging on abortion, claimed falsely that Harris and Democrats support infanticide, which – as moderator Linsey Davis noted – is illegal in every state.

Trump, who has made personal attacks on Harris that have included racist and sexist insults, avoided insults during the debate’s early moments but became increasingly agitated under Harris’ offensive.