Credit: Reva Datar

Catch up on what you might have missed during the presidential debate on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump took to the national stage for their first, and possibly final, presidential debate. Be sure to watch the full debate.

Sometimes, it’s hard to tune into these events, whether you have a mountain of homework or you just want to clock in early and get those extra hours of sleep. In case you missed the debate, here are some of the points and key moments from an energetic – and quite intense – debate.

Before we get into the debate, I will tell you that a debate is not just about what the candidates said in terms of policy and specific issues. Their mannerisms, tone and ability to grapple with tough questions on the national stage can be the biggest takeaways from the debate. So, I would encourage you to watch the debate yourself and see not only what Harris and Trump had to say, but how they said it.

The economy

Kamala Harris took the first question of the night. One of the moderators, journalist David Muir, asked Harris if she thought American families are better off now than they were four years ago. Harris, in her response, tried to introduce herself to viewers, telling her story of growing up in a middle class family. Harris also repeatedly mentioned creating an “Opportunity Economy,” which she says entails tax cuts for working families and small businesses. She criticized Trump for his plans for the American economy, saying he would create a “tax cut for billionaires.”

Trump attacked Harris’s and the Biden Administration’s handling of the economy, saying that inflation rates are far too high. Trump also said that before the pandemic, while he was president, “[America] had the best economy.”

Abortion

Trump said that he wanted to stop the “execution of babies,” and accused Harris’s running mate, governor Tim Walz, of condoning the execution of babies. Moderators told Trump that there have been no reports of babies being executed. Trump praised the conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) for their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying that abortion should be up to states, and not controlled by the federal government.

Harris said that the government should not be telling women what to do with their bodies. She blamed Trump for the abortion bans that have been put into place across the country, and reminded Americans that these bans do not take into account cases of rape or incest. Harris also said that she would sign Roe v. Wade into law. Trump was asked about comments by his running mate, senator J.D. Vance, where he said trump would use veto powers for an abortion ban. Trump said they “hadn’t discussed it,” implying that Vance and Trump may not be on the same page regarding some issues.

Immigration

Harris faced the most attacks from Trump regarding the issue of immigration and border security. She was pressed about the high number of migrants crossing the southern border, and she deflected some of these questions, bringing up Trump’s track record with immigration, saying he likes to “run on problems and not fix them.”

Trump said the illegal immigrants are “destroying the country.” Trump said that illegal immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were “eating people’s dogs and cats.” Moderators fact checked Trump on this statement. Trump also said that illegal immigrants were increasing crime rates in the country, however, Muir corrected Trump, saying that crime rates were going down.

Harris used the topic of crime to point out the felony charges brought up against Trump, to which he responded that the justice system was unfairly targeting him.

Israel/Palestine

Harris reiterated her sentiments from the Democratic National Convention (DNC). She condemned Hamas’s actions on Oct. 7, 2023 that killed Israeli civilians, saying that Israel has the right to defend itself. She said, however, that how Israel defends itself matters, and international humanitarian law must be upheld. She advocated for a two-state solution and said she would always support Israel’s right to self-defense, however Harris condemned the killing of innocent Palestinians.

Trump said that the war in Israel and Gaza would have never happened had he been in charge. Trump also attacked Harris for her ineffectiveness in preventing a war in Ukraine. Trump brought up illegal immigrants during this part of the conversation.

Ukraine

Trump harshly criticized the Biden Administration’s handling of the war in Ukraine, saying that things would be different under him because he has the “respect” of world leaders. When Trump was asked if he wanted Ukraine to win the war, he responded that the war should end, and that he would end it. Trump also criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), saying the US has been unfairly and disproportionately investing in the organization.

Harris said that thanks to the aid provided by the US to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been held off, and isn’t attacking the rest of Europe.

Strategies

Harris chose to attack Trump’s personality during the debate. She said Trump “loves dictators and wants to be one.” She also said Trump sells out his morals for personal flattery, and cares more about defending himself than helping the American people. Harris was, for the most part, able to make the debate about Trump.

Trump primarily attacked the Biden Administration’s handling of immigrants at the southern border, the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the state of the economy. Trump connected Harris to the actions of the Biden Administration. Both candidates deflected certain questions, and opted to launch spirited attacks on each other’s morals and personalities.

This was an extremely condensed version of Tuesday’s debate, but hopefully you’re now thinking about the issues that decide our country’s leader. It is important to note that while Harris and Trump made several points, statements were seldom fact checked. Watch the debate, and do your own research to determine what these candidates are trying to tell you.