Kamala Harris and Donald Trump faced off in their first, and possibly only, televised debate at a critical juncture of the US presidential race. Taking place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the two candidates surprised onlookers by shaking hands before stepping behind their podiums.
Broadcast live on ABC News, tens of millions tuned in to the 90-minute event, as the nation inches closer to the November 5 election, with just 56 days remaining.
Polls show the race is nearly tied, and the debate was a key opportunity for both Harris, the Democratic vice president, and Trump, the Republican former president, to win over undecided voters. Harris, entering the race just eight weeks ago after President Joe Biden’s abrupt departure, faced considerable pressure to make an impression. Trump, meanwhile, planned to focus his attacks on Harris over economic issues and immigration, potentially lacing his arguments with personal insults, a tactic he has employed throughout the campaign.
The debate offered Harris, America’s first female, Black, and South Asian vice president, a platform to define her vision, and she leaned on her rallying slogan, “we’re not going back” to the chaos of the Trump era. Trump, on the other hand, aimed to portray Harris as responsible for the Biden administration’s unpopular policies, hoping to shift the public’s focus towards her perceived failings.
Under the rules, the debate was being held without an audience, while the rivals' microphones were only to be on when it was their turn to speak in order to avoid interruptions.
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