Kamala Harris and Donald Trump faced off in their first-ever presidential debate on Tuesday night, with Harris taking a jab at Trump’s rallies as “boring”. The Democratic vice president, 59, humorously encouraged viewers to check out one of Trump’s events, saying it’s “a really interesting thing to watch”.
During the heated exchange on the ABC News debate stage, Harris criticized Trump’s rally speeches, pointing out that he talks about fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter and makes bizarre claims about windmills causing cancer. She also noted that people often leave his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.
Harris emphasized that Trump fails to address the needs and desires of the American people, promising to prioritize them if elected president. In response, Trump fired back by insulting Harris’ own rallies, claiming that “people don’t go to them” and accusing her of bussing in attendees and paying them to be there. He boasted about the size and enthusiasm of his own rallies, calling them the “biggest” and “most incredible” in political history.
The contentious debate also saw Trump accusing Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, of supporting “baby executions”, a claim which Harris vehemently denied. Moderators had to intervene multiple times to keep the debate on track, as Trump veered into personal attacks and off-topic remarks.
The event took place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, with Harris and Trump standing at customized podiums to accommodate their height difference. The debate had no live audience and was moderated by ABC News’ Davis and David Muir.
Overall, the debate highlighted the stark differences between the two candidates and their approaches to governing. With the election drawing near, both Harris and Trump made their cases to the American people, each claiming to be the best choice to lead the country forward.
