Trump loses debate in a big way as Kamala Harris shines

During the debate, there was no discussion about LGBTQ+ Americans, aside from Trump’s smear campaign against transgender people.

Harris’ Clear Policy Agenda Amid Trump’s Lies

Harris focused on policy during the debate, outlining her plan for an “opportunity economy” designed to support working families, small businesses and the middle class.

“I believe in the ambition, the aspirations, the dreams of the American people,” Harris said, offering solutions to lower the cost of living and create jobs.

In contrast, Trump’s responses were full of misinformation and exaggeration.

Despite the absurdity of Trump’s claims, Harris directly addressed the former president’s lies. “You’re going to hear a lot of lies,” she told viewers, describing Trump’s tactics as not only desperate but also detached from reality. Harris was unafraid to confront Trump’s repeated misinformation.

Abortion and Trump’s Twisted Record

One of the sharpest contrasts between the candidates came on the issue of reproductive rights. Harris strongly defended reproductive choice and promised to protect Roe v. Wade, which Trump’s Supreme Court nominations helped overturnwho helped overturn Trump’s Supreme Court nominations. Harris highlighted the dangerous implications of Trump-backed abortion bans, which make it “criminal for a doctor or nurse to provide health care,” even in cases of rape or incest.

Trump, on the other hand, wavered on his position, at one point bragging about his role in overthrowing Deer and another denied that he would support a national abortion ban. His contradictions only added to the confusion. When pressed by moderator Linsey Davis to ask whether he would veto a national abortion ban, Trump awkwardly dodged the question, claiming, “I don’t have to, because … she’ll never vote.”

Trump’s Lies About Immigration

Immigration was another area where Trump’s rhetoric became dangerous and false. His unsubstantiated claim that immigrants were eating pets in American cities, a claim immediately debunked by moderator David Muir, was typical of Trump’s fear tactics. “In Springfield, they eat the dogs. They eat the cats,” Trump said, even after Muir quoted a local official who confirmed that no such incidents had occurred.

Harris responded to these wild claims with clarity, focusing on comprehensive immigration reform. “What we have in the former president is someone who would rather go after a problem than solve a problem,” she said. Harris sharply criticized Trump’s divisive approach and emphasized her record of prosecuting transnational criminal organizations.

Harris calls for unity as Trump sows division

When the former president attempted to inflame racial tensions by questioning Harris’ racial identity, saying he “didn’t know she was black until a couple of years ago,” Harris delivered a sharp rebuttal, reminding voters of Trump’s long history of using race to divide the country.

“I think it’s a tragedy that we have someone who wants to be president, but who has consistently tried throughout his career to use race to divide the American people,” Harris said. “The vast majority of us know that we have so much more in common than what divides us.”

Trump’s performance was marred by lies and extremism

As the debate progressed, Trump’s performance became increasingly erratic, with outlandish claims about immigration, transgender health care and the 2020 election.

He even went so far as to claim that immigrants are responsible for “migrant crime,” despite FBI data showing that violent crime in the United States is declining.

Harris, on the other hand, discussed her plans to tackle fundamental issues affecting Americans, from health care to housing. Trump, meanwhile, seemed stuck in the past, still unwilling to admit he lost the 2020 election. “No, I don’t acknowledge that at all,” he said when asked directly whether he accepted the outcome.

A clear winner emerges

By the end of the debate, the contrast between the two candidates could not have been clearer. While Trump struggled with lies and divisive rhetoric, pundits and viewers seemed to agree that Harris won. Her calm demeanor and policy-focused responses were a stark contrast to Trump’s rambling and often bizarre attacks.

“We can chart a new path forward,” Harris said in her closing statement, pledging to focus on “the aspirations, the dreams, the hopes, the ambition of the American people.”