With less than two months until the US presidential elections and polls indicating a very close race, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met for their first debate. This debate had particular significance given the developments that occurred following the previous debate, which led to President Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
Although it’s expected that both sides will declare that they won the debate, the impact of the debate on voters will become clear later. The key question is whether Harris managed to convince undecided voters of her leadership and demonstrate that she has practical plans for the major issues facing the US economy and society, including immigration and abortion. Much of the debate centered on these issues, with each candidate trying to persuade viewers that their approach is the best while criticizing the other’s response as inadequate. Both candidates also tried to undermine their opponent’s credibility and ability to lead and present a clear, coherent plan.
Foreign policy issues took a back seat in the debate. In a brief mention of the war in the Middle East, Harris affirmed Israel’s right to self-defense, stating that as president she “will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.” Harris reiterated the Biden administration’s position, expressing concern over the many innocent Palestinian casualties and calling for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages, thus paving the way for a two-state solution. In this context, Trump focused mainly on criticizing Biden’s policies without giving details on what his policies would be if elected.
In recent weeks, Trump has reiterated his wish to see the war end before taking office, if elected. So even if there are differences regarding their proposed approaches, both candidates agree that “this war must end.” Even if there will be consensus regarding the debate’s winner, the race still remains extremely close, particularly in the swing states that will ultimately determine the results of the elections. As seen in the last two presidential campaigns, predicting the final result in advance will be very challenging.
With less than two months until the US presidential elections and polls indicating a very close race, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met for their first debate. This debate had particular significance given the developments that occurred following the previous debate, which led to President Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
Although it’s expected that both sides will declare that they won the debate, the impact of the debate on voters will become clear later. The key question is whether Harris managed to convince undecided voters of her leadership and demonstrate that she has practical plans for the major issues facing the US economy and society, including immigration and abortion. Much of the debate centered on these issues, with each candidate trying to persuade viewers that their approach is the best while criticizing the other’s response as inadequate. Both candidates also tried to undermine their opponent’s credibility and ability to lead and present a clear, coherent plan.
Foreign policy issues took a back seat in the debate. In a brief mention of the war in the Middle East, Harris affirmed Israel’s right to self-defense, stating that as president she “will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.” Harris reiterated the Biden administration’s position, expressing concern over the many innocent Palestinian casualties and calling for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages, thus paving the way for a two-state solution. In this context, Trump focused mainly on criticizing Biden’s policies without giving details on what his policies would be if elected.
In recent weeks, Trump has reiterated his wish to see the war end before taking office, if elected. So even if there are differences regarding their proposed approaches, both candidates agree that “this war must end.” Even if there will be consensus regarding the debate’s winner, the race still remains extremely close, particularly in the swing states that will ultimately determine the results of the elections. As seen in the last two presidential campaigns, predicting the final result in advance will be very challenging.