On Sept. 10, presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debated for the first time. This was the second presidential debate of the year after the one on June 27, which ultimately became a large factor in Biden dropping out of the election after many voters expressed a lack of confidence in his performance. Biden dropped out with fewer than five months until the election, making it an extremely unusual situation for his Vice President to have to follow.
In the second presidential debate, Harris quickly attacked Trump’s abortion policies, involvement in the attacks of Jan. 6, 2021, his rallies and lack of plans for the country. “Let’s not go back. We’re not going back. It’s time to turn the page,” Harris said. Throughout the debate, Harris reiterated the idea of an evolving and changing nation and stated that Trump was not the right candidate to make this happen.
Trump stayed focused on stating his plans for immigration restrictions and reminded American citizens of some of the so-called failures of the Biden administration. One of the most memorable moments of this debate was when Trump accused immigrants in Ohio of eating pets, a claim that city officials have repeatedly denied.
Regardless of what candidate they support, 63 percent of registered voters said that they believe that Harris would do a better job after viewing the debate, according to a CNN poll. This is compared with the 50-50 split before the debate. 96 percent of Harris supporters also said that they were confident in their choice of candidate, while 59 percent said the same about Trump.
While the presidential debates are often thought to be an important deciding factor in who citizens vote for, the vice presidential debates often prove to be irrelevant, as far fewer people watch them compared to the presidential debates. Vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance faced off on Oct. 1, and the results are much less clear. There are differing opinions on who won, as both candidates have been thought to have performed well.
“I found the vice presidential debate to be much more enjoyable to watch. Both sides were pretty respectful to one another,” says Kai Segall ’27, representing the feelings of many.
