Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris recently took the debate stage against former President Donald Trump in Philadelphia, and it quickly became clear that she had two main objectives: to sling as much mud as possible and to hope that the ABC News moderators would serve as her personal cheerleaders. While Trump faced a barrage of “fact checks” that often bordered on the ridiculous, Harris, with the help of her friends at ABC, managed to dodge scrutiny over her own shaky claims and vague promises of governance.
The debate ran the gamut of hot-button topics, including the economy, abortion, immigration, and the continuing conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. Harris, who has a history of flip-flopping on major issues, chose to largely avoid explaining her dramatic pivots and instead recycled her plans for a $6,000 child tax credit for families and $50,000 in startup funds for small businesses. Given her lack of a coherent stance, one could almost feel sorry for her as she attempted to project confidence while launching relentless attacks on Trump, who she branded as a divisive leader.\
Kamala Harris, ABC moderators take aim at Trump on debate stagehttps://t.co/QOTnbz3Nfl pic.twitter.com/bOwpoEAx0u
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) September 11, 2024
When confronted about the Biden administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan—an event that resulted in the tragic deaths of 13 American service members—Harris danced around the question. Instead of acknowledging any responsibility, she creatively blamed it all on Trump’s supposed “weak deal” with the Taliban. Apparently, accountability is reserved for others in Harris’s world, particularly when the moderators conveniently forget to follow up on her claims.
In contrast, Trump stood firm by championing the profitability and strength of his previous presidency prior to the turmoil of COVID-19. He pointed out that the current chaos—from Ukraine’s troubles to emboldened adversaries like Iran and China—is the direct result of Biden and Harris’s inept policies. With grand proclamations, he promised to resolve the Ukraine conflict before even setting foot back in the White House, highlighting the Biden administration’s failure to even initiate a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Despite Harris’s attempts to portray herself as a refreshing new face in politics, Trump repeatedly linked her to the unpopular Biden, insisting they are two peas in a leftist pod. With a litany of not-so-subtle jabs at Harris’s policy inconsistencies—like her sudden pivot on fracking and her past support for defunding the police—Trump emphasized her history of contradictions that would make even a chameleon blush. In a debate where the stakes were particularly high for Harris, she demonstrated a remarkable talent for deflecting, with little substance to back her claims for a “new way forward.”
As the night progressed, it became clear that while Trump focused on the significant issues at hand, Harris was more interested in ad hominem attacks—insisting Trump was unfit because of his past convictions, while largely avoiding direct questions about her own record. The atmosphere felt more like a high school debate club than a serious discussion about the future of America, particularly when the moderators allowed Harris to sidestep critical queries. It’s almost comical how those in charge of fact-checking seemed more like participants in a game of “let’s not challenge Kamala,” when in reality, her wavering stance needed thorough examination.
In a potential twist, internet sleuths uncovered that Harris’s newly unveiled campaign agenda was suspiciously similar to discredited material from Biden’s past campaign—leading one to wonder how original her proposals truly are. With her campaign suffering from a severe identity crisis thanks to her years in the Biden administration, it’s safe to say that many are still left scratching their heads about where Harris actually stands. After weeks of in-depth preparation, her performance may not have been the powerful debut she was aiming for—especially when her opponent has been busy connecting with voters and consistently vocalizing what they actually want for their country.
