Washington DC [US], September 11: Vice President Kamala Harris appeared to dominate in the second presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, as the two sparred over multiple polarising issues ranging from abortion, illegal immigration and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
The second presidential debate was hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia, on Tuesday.
According to Al Jazeera, Trump’s rhetoric throughout the debate zigzagged across an array of topics and he struggled to stay on message with answers that lacked focus. He also appeared more concerned with landing blows against Harris.
On the other hand, Harris launched pointed barbs at Trump and appeared to get under his skin, calling him a “disgrace” on several occasions.
Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are the official presidential candidates of their respective parties after they accepted the nomination at the conventions earlier this year.
The first presidential debate was held in June between President Biden and Trump, where the former’s performance raised concerns over his age. Following this, Biden bowed out of the race and endorsed Harris.
Biden hailed his deputy Kamala Harris following the debate with former President Donald Trump and called her the “best choice” to lead the country forward.
Stating that he has been proud to work alongside her for three and a half years, Biden said the result of the debate “wasn’t even close.”
“America got to see tonight the leader I’ve been proud to work alongside for three and a half years. Wasn’t even close. VP Harris proved she’s the best choice to lead our nation forward. We’re not going back,” Biden stated in a post on X.
Kamala Harris also posted a picture from the debate stating, “We are not going back.”
During the debate, Trump attacked the Biden-Harris administration over illegal migration, and the worsening conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. He also termed both President Biden and VP Harris as the “worst in history.”
Harris defended her administration’s stand on US support to Ukraine and Israel. She attacked Trump on the abortion and also vowed to become the president for “all Americans.”
Trump tried to portray Harris as a far-left candidate who would pursue open-border policies, ban fracking and confiscate people’s guns. He also pushed to link her to President Joe Biden, painting them as fundamentally the same type of politician.
Harris responded by questioning Trump’s fitness for office and calling him a “disgrace”.
Trump, in his rebuttal, pushed to portray Harris as extreme left-wing and even called her a “Marxist”. He alleged that Harris plans to “confiscate everybody’s gun”
In response, Harris said that she and her vice presidential pick Tim Walz are, in fact, gun owners.
The two presidential candidates strongly disagreed on US’ position on the two major conflicts around the world.
While Trump claimed he would push for a deal to end the conflict, and even vowed to end the conflict as president-elect (before assuming office), Harris stressed the need to support Ukrainian forces to push back against the Russian invasion.
Being asked if it’s in America’s best interest for Ukraine to win, Trump said, “US’s best interest to get this war finished and just get it done.”
The Vice President rebutted the former president’s reluctance to pledge full-fledged support for Ukraine, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin would already be in Kyiv if Trump were in office.
Meanwhile, on Israel, Harris said she backs a ceasefire deal in Gaza that would see the release of Israeli captives, but she renewed her pledge to continue to arm Israel. She also voiced support for the two-state solution.
Former US President Barack Obama praised Harris’ debate performance and said everyone saw who has he vision and strength to move this country forward instead of dividing it.
“Tonight, we saw firsthand who has the vision and strength to move this country forward instead of dividing us. @KamalaHarris will be a president for all Americans,” he stated on X.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama also heaped praises on VP Harris and said there should be no doubt or further room for discussion, that the “only candidate in this race who is ready to be President” is Kamala Harris.
“After tonight’s debate there should be no doubt – no room for discussion -@KamalaHarrisis the only candidate in this race who is ready to be President,” she stated in a post on X.
“I am once again urging everyone to roll up their sleeves and DO SOMETHING – phone bank, knock on doors, talk to any and everyone you know and urge them to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Every vote will matter in what will be a close race. We cannot afford to have anyone sitting on the sidelines. There’s simply too much at stake,” she added.
The US presidential elections are scheduled to be held on November 5 this year.
