By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
PHILADELPHIA, USA (Worthy News) – Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump accused each other of being “weak” and “lying” in their first debate of the 2024 U.S. presidential election as both seek to win the race to the White House.
Their exchanges at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia came as moderators from ABC, the U.S. network that hosted the debate asked Harris and Trump for their stances on the economy, abortion, “climate change,” and foreign policy, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas wars.
During the 90-minute debate, they also argued over several topics such as tariffs, trade wars, and migration.
A key issue was a discussion over the economy, as prices have reportedly risen over 22 percent on average since Harris took office as vice president.
Harris countered she had a plan to address those costs, specifically pointing to a more considerable child tax credit and a $50,000 tax deduction for those starting small businesses. Critics said she did not say how she would pay for it.
Harris attempted to move away from those questions, accusing Trump of “inviting trade wars” and adding that he sold American chips to China to help it “improve and modernize their military.”
The vice-president also condemned Trump for a social media post that said: “Thank you, President Xi” over the Chinese president’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘RESPECTED PERSON’
Trump claimed China, Russia, and North Korea feared him during his time in office, citing a statement from Hungary’s prime minister. “The most respected and most feared person was Donald Trump,” Trump claimed Viktor Orbán said.
On abortion rights, Trump said he brought the issue back to states, while Harris cited Trump’s Project 2025, saying bans deny women care.
Harris delivered a lengthy attack on abortion limits, speaking passionately about women denied emergency care and victims of incest unable to terminate their pregnancies due to statewide bans that have increased since the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a nationwide right in 2022.
Three Trump appointees were in the majority of that ruling. Trump strongly defended his policies to give the abortion issue back to the states, saying it had divided the nation.
Harris and Trump also discussed the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. When asked about Israel and Hamas, Trump said Harris “hates” Israel and that under her leadership, “Israel will not exist.”
His comments came after Harris highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza resulting from Israel’s military actions, which were triggered by Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.
Harris said “Israel has a right to defend itself”, adding that “how it does so matters, because it is also true [that] far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed – children, mothers”.
‘TWO-STATE SOLUTION’
On Israel, Trump stressed there would be no war if he were president as Harris called for a “two-state solution” and end to war.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war was also mentioned, with Harris telling Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is a dictator who will eat you for lunch” while Trump called her “the worst vice-president in history.”
The presidential nominees also debated many hot-button domestic issues, such as immigration, fracking, and crime.
Harris slammed Trump for convincing U.S. lawmakers to kill a bipartisan border security bill that would have added 1,500 more border agents.
Trump repeated what his critics describe as “unfounded rumors” about immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, alleging that they were using pets as food.
He also denied having anything to do with the attacks on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Harris said: “The president of the United States incited a violent mob to attack our nation’s capital, to desecrate our nation’s capital.”
SURPRISE HANDSHAKE
The debate got underway with a surprise handshake between the two opponents, who had never met before.
Harris approached Trump at his lectern, introducing herself by name in what was the first handshake at a presidential debate since 2016.
Observers said the encounter was particularly important for Harris. Opinion polls show that more than a quarter of likely voters feel they do not know enough about her. After all, Harris entered the race only seven weeks ago after frail President Joe Biden’s sudden exit.
At one point, Trump said he still did not know the race of Harris, who is of Black and South Asian heritage, but “that’s up to her.” Debate moderators asked Trump about statements he made questioning Harris’ race and suggesting the vice president had not been honest about her identity.
“I don’t know. I mean, all I can say is I read where she was not Black,” Trump answered. “And then I read that she was Black, and that’s O.K. Either one was O.K. with me. That’s up to her.”
In closings, Harris said she was focused on the future as Trump countered by calling the U.S. “a failing nation.”
While she held off on attacking Trump in her closing statement, the former president did not do the same. Instead, he seized on Harris’s years in the vice presidency to argue that she would be an ineffective leader.
“So, she just started by saying she’s going to do this, she’s going to do that. She’s going to do all these wonderful things. Why hasn’t she done it?” Trump asked.
FIXING BORDER?
“She’s been there for three-and-a-half years. They’ve had three-and-a-half years to fix the border. They’ve had three-and-a-half years to create jobs and all the things we talked about. Why hasn’t she done it? She should leave right now, go down to that beautiful White House, go to the Capitol, get everyone together, and do the things you want to do, but you haven’t done it, and you won’t do it because you believe in things that the American people don’t believe in.”
Trump warned, “We’re a failing nation. We’re a nation that’s in serious decline.”
He noticed that “We’re being laughed at all over the world. All over the world, they laughed. I know the leaders very well; they’re coming to see me. They call me. We’re laughed at all over the world. They don’t understand what happened to us as a nation.”
He concluded by calling Harris “the worst vice president in the history of our country.”
And with that, the debate ended.
Harris’ running mate Tim Walz said after the debate that Harris showed her “vision” while JD Vance, on Trump’s ticket, called them “platitudes.”
Asked about Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris, even Matt Gaetz, the Republican Florida congressman, declined to attack the pop star directly.
“I love her songs, but I want to live in a world where liberals make my art and conservatives make my laws and policies,” he replied.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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