Last night, on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, both U.S. presidential candidates Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off in their first presidential debate.
In the 90-minute debate, both of them tried to present themselves to the American people, aiming to show who will make America great again.
The tense atmosphere was filled with accusations and exchanges of words between both parties. This debate stands as one of the historic debates as, for the first time, a presidential debate was held between a man and a woman.
However, for Trump, it was his second debate, as he faced the current president, Joe Biden, back in June before the latter withdrew from the election due to pressure from the Democratic Party over Biden.
They also discussed several issues during the debate, such as the economy, abortion, immigration, the Gaza war, and the Russia-Ukraine war. Surprisingly, the topic of ‘Who loves Israel more?’ also came up.
Many people around the world, especially Americans, criticized the disproportionate focus on Israel, accusing both candidates of neglecting the concerns and issues of U.S. citizens.
Another issue that drove Kamala crazy was when Trump accused her, saying, ‘They support abortion even in the ninth month of pregnancy. They are extremists, and this is essentially execution.’
She responded to his claims, calling them ‘all lies,’ and pointed out that during Trump’s presidency, he appointed Supreme Court justices who overturned abortion laws. She added, ‘There are 20 U.S. states where doctors or nurses who provide healthcare or assist any woman seeking an abortion are being criminalized.’
It was clear that during the pre-arranged debate, both candidates stuck closely to the scripts they had rehearsed beforehand and paid attention to what their advisors had asked them to do.
Trump appeared calmer and more composed than in his previous debates, clearly intending to avoid the aggressive attacks that had previously portrayed him as anti-woman and a bully.
Despite his advisors’ guidance, he couldn’t resist insulting current President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, referring to them as ‘the worst president and vice president the country has ever had.’
On the other hand, Harris focused more on the issues, addressing Americans directly and making promises to improve their lives.
But the big question remains unanswered: Who will win this race? We will find out in the upcoming days
