‘Dog-eating immigrants’ comment, disputes on Ukraine, and economic finger-pointing: Highlights from the Harris-Trump debate
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump faced off in their inaugural debate, where they discussed key issues including the economy, migration, and the Ukraine conflict. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
In the first pivotal 90-minute debate of the US presidential election, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican counterpart Donald Trump exchanged sharp criticisms regarding various domestic issues. The event took place in Philadelphia, hosted by ABC and moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis. It covered key topics such as economic policies, immigration, abortion rights, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Before this critical encounter, polling by the New York Times/Siena College indicated Trump led Harris by a slender 1% margin among likely voters, with around 5% still undecided. Despite her tenure as vice president under Joe Biden, 28% of those surveyed expressed a desire to know more about Harris.
Here are the primary insights from the debate:
**Economic Policies**
As soon as the debate began, Harris and Trump delineated their visions for the US economy's future. Harris highlighted her strategy for what she describes as “an opportunity economy,” aiming to make housing affordable, expand child tax credits, and introduce tax deductions for small business startups. She stated that the Biden administration needed to "clean up Donald Trump’s mess" following his presidency.
Despite this, Harris evaded a direct response when asked if she thought "Americans are better off than they were four years ago."
Trump, countering Harris's statements, blamed the economic difficulties on current administrations. "We’ve had a terrible economy because inflation... It breaks up countries. We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before, probably the worst in our nation’s history," he claimed, criticizing Harris for lacking a plan to enhance American welfare and proposing trade tariffs on countries like China.
**Immigration**
Trump continued to voice severe criticism of the Biden administration’s immigration policies, including allegations that immigrants were "taking over the towns… they’re going in violently." He also repeated online rumors that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were harming and consuming pets, claims that have been widely debunked by US media sources.
Harris defended her support for a bill aimed at enhancing border security and accused Trump-friendly legislators of blocking it to aid his campaign.
**Ukraine Conflict**
Trump reiterated his commitment to halt the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, steering clear of affirming his support for a Ukrainian victory. He claimed that his good relations with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky could have prevented the conflict, criticizing Biden for failing to command respect from these leaders.
Harris accused Trump of being too accommodating toward "dictators," claiming that under his presidency, "Putin would have been sitting in Kiev right now." She endorsed the Biden administration's approach, emphasizing its role in keeping Ukraine independent through military aid.
**Abortion Rights**
The debate underscored deep divisions between the candidates on abortion, following the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court. Harris pledged to work towards reinstating the rights previously guaranteed, stating, "Donald Trump certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body." In contrast, Trump argued for the issue to be decided at the state level, aligning with the views of "the founders."
**Post-debate Reactions**
Following the debate, Trump declared it his "best debate" to date, although he criticized the ABC moderators for being "very unfair." Former President Obama praised Harris, suggesting she demonstrated qualities of "a president for all Americans." Harris, while addressing her supporters, positioned herself as "the underdog" in the race.
A CNN flash poll shortly after the debate showed 63% of US voters felt Harris outperformed Trump, with 37% favoring Trump’s performance.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
Before this critical encounter, polling by the New York Times/Siena College indicated Trump led Harris by a slender 1% margin among likely voters, with around 5% still undecided. Despite her tenure as vice president under Joe Biden, 28% of those surveyed expressed a desire to know more about Harris.
Here are the primary insights from the debate:
**Economic Policies**
As soon as the debate began, Harris and Trump delineated their visions for the US economy's future. Harris highlighted her strategy for what she describes as “an opportunity economy,” aiming to make housing affordable, expand child tax credits, and introduce tax deductions for small business startups. She stated that the Biden administration needed to "clean up Donald Trump’s mess" following his presidency.
Despite this, Harris evaded a direct response when asked if she thought "Americans are better off than they were four years ago."
Trump, countering Harris's statements, blamed the economic difficulties on current administrations. "We’ve had a terrible economy because inflation... It breaks up countries. We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before, probably the worst in our nation’s history," he claimed, criticizing Harris for lacking a plan to enhance American welfare and proposing trade tariffs on countries like China.
**Immigration**
Trump continued to voice severe criticism of the Biden administration’s immigration policies, including allegations that immigrants were "taking over the towns… they’re going in violently." He also repeated online rumors that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were harming and consuming pets, claims that have been widely debunked by US media sources.
Harris defended her support for a bill aimed at enhancing border security and accused Trump-friendly legislators of blocking it to aid his campaign.
**Ukraine Conflict**
Trump reiterated his commitment to halt the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, steering clear of affirming his support for a Ukrainian victory. He claimed that his good relations with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky could have prevented the conflict, criticizing Biden for failing to command respect from these leaders.
Harris accused Trump of being too accommodating toward "dictators," claiming that under his presidency, "Putin would have been sitting in Kiev right now." She endorsed the Biden administration's approach, emphasizing its role in keeping Ukraine independent through military aid.
**Abortion Rights**
The debate underscored deep divisions between the candidates on abortion, following the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court. Harris pledged to work towards reinstating the rights previously guaranteed, stating, "Donald Trump certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body." In contrast, Trump argued for the issue to be decided at the state level, aligning with the views of "the founders."
**Post-debate Reactions**
Following the debate, Trump declared it his "best debate" to date, although he criticized the ABC moderators for being "very unfair." Former President Obama praised Harris, suggesting she demonstrated qualities of "a president for all Americans." Harris, while addressing her supporters, positioned herself as "the underdog" in the race.
A CNN flash poll shortly after the debate showed 63% of US voters felt Harris outperformed Trump, with 37% favoring Trump’s performance.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
