In a pivotal moment of the 2024 presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump engaged in a heated debate in Pennsylvania on September 10. This battleground state, with its 20 electoral votes, is crucial for both candidates in their quest to secure the 270 votes needed for victory in the Electoral College.
The debate, reminiscent of the first televised presidential face-off between Kennedy and Nixon in 1960, drew mixed reactions from political analysts and voters alike. Telegraph columnist Tim Stanley succinctly described the encounter: "He was crazy and she was insufferable." US editor Tony Diver noted that while Harris's attack strategy appeared effective, her lack of policy discussion was notable.
A Telegraph reader poll showed a narrow lead for Harris, with 55% of respondents favoring her performance. Some viewers praised her articulation and composure. Reader Ian Gilman commented: "Harris was articulate, focused, kept her cool, whereas he fell into all her traps, getting angry and going off into irrelevant ramblings."
However, critics pointed out a lack of clarity in Harris's policy proposals. John Helliwell remarked: "I am struggling to understand any policy she has. It's word salad at best." Others questioned why the current administration hadn't implemented their proposed changes during their tenure, which began in January 2021.
Trump, the 45th president who served from 2017 to 2021, received praise for his performance on certain topics. John Dee deemed him "brilliant" on climate change and "strong" in his criticism of the Affordable Care Act. Trump's linking of the August 2021 fall of Kabul with Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine was described as "clever."
"Trump should have been hammering her on every topic asking why she and Biden hadn't done these things up to now and how they have failed for the last three years."
Many viewers expressed disappointment with both candidates. An anonymous reader stated: "This was a very low-brow debate. From both sides. Good luck America, you deserve so much better." Hubert Fras found it "entertaining if pretty depressing," highlighting Trump's "ranting" and Harris's "woodenly spouting a lot of unconvincing rote answers."
The debate also raised questions about moderator impartiality. Some readers, including Stu Whisson, perceived bias in ABC News's framing of questions. Sarah Hiser suggested that "the moderators were doing the debating for Harris."
As the first female, African American, and Asian American vice president, Harris's performance was closely scrutinized. Meanwhile, Trump's debate style, which has been a topic of discussion since his 2016 campaign, continued to divide opinion.
With the presidential election scheduled for November 5, 2024, this debate may prove crucial in swaying voters in Pennsylvania, a state where the 2020 election was decided by a mere 1.2% margin. As the campaign intensifies, both candidates will need to address policy concerns and convince voters of their vision for the future of the United States.