The first meeting between the candidates for the US presidency, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, was called by some commentators "a rendezvous with history". Harris surprised many with her direct and offensive approach. Trump was predictably angry and loud, which must have pleased his voters. After a heated debate and the presentation of two visions of America, it is only clear that one TV debate will not be enough
The debate in Philadelphia was organized by ABC news, and presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump repeatedly tried to interrupt each other while their microphones were turned off and the other was speaking, despite the predetermined rules.
During the 90-minute discussion, the candidates discussed topics such as the right to own weapons, illegal migrants, the right to abortion, economic reforms, but also the attitude towards the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Donald Trump's performance was predictable, the most attention of the deeply divided American audience was focused on how Kamala Harris would be able to handle him on the biggest stage.
Her performance was good and convincing, according to most commentators. She was often smiling, even seeming to be amused when the former US president delivered his well-known and highly arbitrary tirades about migrants, his own greatness or the demise of the US economy under the leadership of Democrats. That she was nervous could only be seen from the fact that her throat was tight here and there, that she had to try to make her words sound natural.
The first point in the debate was won by Kamala Harris who, immediately after arriving on the stage, decisively approached her rival Donald Trump, offered him her hand and introduced herself with the words "I'm Kamala Harris".
She maintained this approach throughout the debate, often addressing Trump directly, with her body turned toward him and seeking his gaze.
Trump barely looked at her during the debate. He spoke about her in the third person, and when he addressed her directly he looked at the moderators or at the camera, trying to send a message that she was not a worthy opponent.
Economy
Asked about her plans to boost the economy, Harris said she would continue with tax cuts for families with children and tax breaks for small businesses, while attacking Trump's plans to impose broad duties on foreign importers as a "sales tax" on everyday goods. which "will ultimately be paid for by the American people."
Trump, on the other hand, focused on his proposal to impose tariffs on foreign imports to protect American businesses from unfair competition.
Trump has criticized the "highest inflation in modern American history" and the rising cost of living under the Biden administration and argued that the tariff increase will bring more money into the country that can boost the US economy. The only thing is that inflation in the USA was higher on several occasions after the Second World War
"We had to first clean up the mess that Donald Trump left behind," Harris countered.
Migrations
During the discussion on the issue of the situation of migrants, Trump presented a series of well-known, controversial positions, often in the realm of conspiracy theories.
He claimed that the Democratic nominee would turn the US into "Venezuela on steroids" by allowing illegal immigrants to cross the border unhindered, because they are all criminals and thieves.
Trump portrayed the situation on America's southern border as a crisis, claiming that a record increase in illegal crossings into the US had reached "21 million people" per month.
Experts have stated that the figure is much lower. Official data shows that the total number of "encounters" from the northern and southern borders in the last three and a half years, including legal entries, was approximately 10 million, writes "Telegraph UK.".
The former US president once again showed extreme views on migration and said that migrants in Ohio eat cats and dogs.
"They eat dogs in Springfield," he said. "The people who came in are eating cats." They eat the pets of the people who live there. And this is what is happening in our country."
His opponent laughed at that.
"Speaking of extremes. When we hear this kind of rhetoric, when the issues that affect the American people are not being addressed, I think the choice is clear in this vote," she said.
Harris, on the other hand, has a somewhat softer approach to this issue. She previously advocated the decriminalization of illegal border crossings. Now, though, she says she will renew her push for comprehensive border legislation that would tighten immigration into the US and vows to "enforce America's laws."
The American liberal media, very inclined to the Democratic Party, criticized the Biden administration, however, that, for many Americans, the crucially important issue of illegal entry into the USA was remembered only six months before the election.
Health care and abortion
Abortion issues, on which polls suggest Harris has a slight lead among voters, sparked some of the debate's most contentious exchanges.
Trump has accused Democrats of supporting "execution after birth," insisting he did the country a "service" by paving the way for states to decide on abortion after the Supreme Court struck down constitutionally guaranteed abortion rights.
Revising his previous positions, Trump added that he favors exceptions established by the Ronald Reagan administration for cases involving rape, incest and when the mother's life was in danger.
Asked if he would veto a national abortion ban, Trump declined to answer, saying it would never happen because the issue is now up to the states.
He also falsely claimed repeatedly that Democrats want to legalize last-trimester and ninth-month abortions, even leaving the possibility of "executing babies after birth," to which moderator Lynsey Davis coldly said, "There is no state in this country where to legally kill a baby after it is born.”
Harris often returned to the high cost of abortion restrictions and bans in more than 20 US states, some of which do not make exceptions even in the case of rape or incest.
"Understand what this means: a person who has survived a crime, an injury to his body, does not have the right to decide what will happen to his body next." It is immoral," she said.
Gaza and Ukraine
Harris gave a careful response to a question about the conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, pledging to continue to support Israel's right to self-defense while pushing for a ceasefire, the return of hostages taken by Hamas and a two-state solution.
"Israel has the right to defend itself, but it is also true that too many innocent Palestinians have been killed," she said. Due to the increasing suffering of the Palestinians, the Biden administration's wholehearted support for Israel began to have a negative impact on the ratings of the Democrats, so Kamala Harris found herself on thin ice.
"She hates Israel." "If she becomes president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years," said Trump, however, out of nowhere.
To which Harris replied: "That is absolutely not true." Throughout my career and life, I have supported Israel and the Israeli people.
When it comes to the war between Russia and Ukraine, Trump has outlined his ambitious plan to get Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sit down and negotiate an end to the war.
When asked how he would approach the invasion of Moscow, Trump said: "I want the war to end."
Pressed again to answer whether he thought Ukraine should win the war, Trump replied that it was in "the best interest of the country to end this war by agreement and to stop the destruction of human life."
Harris replied: "If Donald Trump was president, Putin would be sitting in Kiev right now."
Who has a better chance?
All in all, the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remains close even after the first direct confrontation, the difference between the two candidates is within statistical error.
According to an analysis of several polls conducted by the American television CNN, Harris is supported by 49 percent of respondents, and Trump by 47. However, given the complicated American electoral system, polls at the national level are only one of several indicators of public opinion.
Most observers focus on the swing states, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and a few others, where Harris and Trump have roughly equal support.
"Politika" journalist Eugene Daniels certainly believes that Harris convincingly overcame Trump in the bitter debate.
"Harris is probably performing better than any Trump opponent since he started running for president in 2015. She was determined and wanted to lure him to react violently", says this journalist and concludes that Harris is ready for a second debate, while it is questionable how Trump would withstand it.
The question, however, is to what extent it really matters to the deeply divided American audience what the performances of Donald Trump and Kamal Harris are, and how much what they represent - two very different visions of America.
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