Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris had their first and solely debate on Tuesday night time in Philadelphia. In keeping with CNN, Trump spoke for about 42 minutes and 52 seconds, whereas Harris spoke for 37 minutes and 36 seconds—nearly 5 minutes lower than Trump. The previous president spoke 39 occasions to the vice chairman’s 23 occasions.
The controversy started with Harris’ strolling over to Trump’s podium for a handshake. “Kamala Harris,” she launched herself—it was the 2 politicians’ first time ever assembly in individual. “Let’s have debate.”
Right here’s what every candidate mentioned on a few of the points feminists care about—together with entry to abortion and different reproductive healthcare, the Inexpensive Care Act, childcare, immigration, racial unity and the economic system.
Economic system and Price of Residing
Harris pitched her financial plan:
I’m truly the one individual on this stage who has a plan that’s about lifting up the center class and dealing individuals of America … a plan to construct what I name a possibility economic system. …
We all know that younger households want help to lift their kids, and I intend on extending a tax reduce for these households of $6,000 which is the most important baby tax credit score that we’ve given in a very long time, in order that these younger households can afford to purchase a crib, purchase a automobile seat, purchase garments for his or her kids … $6,000 for younger households for the primary yr of your baby’s life, a essential stage of your baby’s improvement.
My plan is to present a $50,000 tax deduction to begin up small companies, figuring out they’re a part of the spine of America’s economic system.
Trump defined his imaginative and prescient for tariffs:
We’re doing tariffs on different nations, different nations are going to, lastly, after 75 years, pay us again for all that we’ve achieved for the world.
Varied economists have warned Trump’s plan for blanket tariffs would threat a world commerce conflict and that Individuals would tackle the majority of those prices.
Harris on the early work of the Biden-Harris administration:
Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment because the Nice Despair … the worst public well being epidemic in a century … the worst assault on our democracy because the Civil Battle. And what we’ve achieved is clear up Donald Trump’s mess.
In keeping with Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment throughout the Trump administration peaked in April 2020 at 14.7 p.c—the best recorded price because the BLS started monitoring in 1948—principally as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump on presiding over a pandemic economic system:
We acquired hit with a pandemic, and the pandemic was not since 1917 the place 100 million individuals died, has there been something prefer it. … We made ventilators for your entire world. We acquired robes, we acquired masks. We did issues that no person thought doable. … They provide me credit score for lots of issues, however not sufficient credit score for the nice job we did with the pandemic.
Harris on Trump’s financial imaginative and prescient:
Donald Trump has no plan for you, and if you have a look at his financial plan, it’s all about tax breaks for the richest individuals.
Trump clapped again:
She copied Biden’s plan, and it’s like 4 sentences, like, ‘Run, Spot, run.’ 4 sentences, which are simply, ‘Oh, we’ll try to decrease taxes.’
Harris’ plan contains elevating taxes for companies and the best incomes and giving tax breaks to small companies. Learn the total plan right here.
ABC Information anchor David Muir challenged Trump on his plan:
Your proposal requires tariffs, as you identified right here, on overseas imports throughout the board. You lately mentioned that you just would possibly double your plan, imposing tariffs as much as 20 p.c on items coming into this nation. As , many economists say that with tariffs at that degree, prices are then handed on to the buyer.
Harris described the influence of Trump’s tariff coverage, in follow:
The Trump administration resulted in a commerce deficit, one of many highest we’ve ever seen within the historical past of America. He invited commerce wars.
In 2018, the Trump administration oversaw the most important commerce deficit of its 243-year historical past. Harris described the influence of this coverage on the U.S.’ standing amongst peer nations and overseas relations:
You wish to speak about his take care of China. What he ended up doing is … promoting American chips to China to assist them enhance and modernize their army. … A coverage about China must be ensuring the USA of America wins the competitors for the twenty first century, which suggests specializing in the main points of what that requires, specializing in relationships with our allies, specializing in investing in American-based know-how in order that we win the race on AI, on quantum computing.
Harris contrasted herself with Trump on housing affordability:
The values I carry to the significance of homeownership, figuring out not everyone acquired handed $400 million on a silver platter after which filed chapter six occasions, is a price that I carry to my work. We’re going to work with the non-public sector and residential builders to extend by 3 million houses by the top of my first time period. …
I’ve a plan that’s about permitting individuals to have the ability to pursue what has been fleeting when it comes to the American dream, by providing a assist with down cost of $25,000 down cost help for first-time dwelling patrons.
Abortion
Harris related the dots between abortion entry and affordability:
What is going on in our nation, working individuals, working ladies who’re working one or two jobs, who can barely afford childcare, as it’s, should journey to a different state to get on a aircraft, sitting subsequent to strangers, to go and get the healthcare she wants. Barely can afford to do it, and what you might be placing her by is unconscionable.
At-home abortions by way of medicine abortion are authorized, secure and accessible in all 50 states. The group Plan C has a complete information to discovering abortion drugs on their web site, which is regularly up to date and has all the most recent data on the place to seek out abortion drugs from anyplace within the U.S.
Trump sounded the (false) alarm of post-birth abortions:
They’ve abortion, the ninth month, they even have. And you may have a look at the governor of West Virginia, the earlier governor of West Virginia … he mentioned, ‘The infant can be born, and we’ll resolve what to do with the newborn.’ In different phrases, we’ll execute the newborn.
ABC Information anchor Linsey Davis corrected Trump:
“There isn’t any state on this nation the place it’s authorized to kill a child after it’s born.”
Trump defended the Supreme Court docket resolution in Dobbs:
What I did is one thing, for 52 years, they’ve been attempting to get Roe v. Wade into the states, and thru the genius and coronary heart and energy of six Supreme Court docket justices, we had been in a position to do this. … I did an ideal service in doing it. It took braveness to do it, and the Supreme Court docket had nice braveness in doing it, and I give great credit score to these six justices.
The autumn of Roe modified the U.S. abortion panorama dramatically. As of July, 14 states have complete abortion bans and one other eight ban abortion at or earlier than 18 weeks’ gestation. Harris defined how we acquired right here.
Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the USA Supreme Court docket with the intention that they might undo the protections of Roe v. Wade, they usually did precisely as he supposed. And now in over 20 states there are Trump abortion bans, which make it legal for a physician or nurse to supply healthcare. In a single state, it supplies jail. …
That is what individuals wished? Pregnant ladies who wish to carry a being pregnant to time period, affected by a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room as a result of the healthcare suppliers are afraid they may go to jail, and she or he’s bleeding out in a automobile within the parking zone? She didn’t need that. Her husband didn’t need that, a 12- or 13-year-old survivor of incest being compelled to hold a being pregnant to time period. They don’t need that. …
When Congress passes a invoice to place again in place the protections of Roe v. Wade, as president of the USA, I’ll proudly signal it into legislation.
The abortion rights established in Roe v. Wade mentioned an individual might have an abortion till a fetus turns into viable—which normally occurs six months (24 and 28 weeks) after conception—whereas permitting states to ban abortion within the third trimester—the seventh, eighth and ninth months of being pregnant.
Harris invited non secular voters into her coalition:
One doesn’t should abandon their religion or deeply held beliefs, to agree the federal government and Donald Trump actually shouldn’t be telling a girl what to do along with her physique.
Davis requested Trump if he would veto a nationwide abortion ban. Trump dodged:
I received’t should. She mentioned she’ll return to Congress. She’ll by no means get the vote. It’s unimaginable for her to get the vote, particularly now with the 50/50 primarily, 50/50 in each Senate and the Home.
Davis mentioned Trump’s vice presidential choose JD Vance mentioned Trump would veto a nationwide ban. Trump corrected her:
I didn’t focus on it with JD, in all equity. … Look we don’t have to debate it, as a result of she’d by no means have the ability to get it.
Trump goaded Harris to nail down her place on later abortions:
Will she enable abortion within the eighth month? Ninth month, seventh month, come on, okay, would you do this? Why don’t you ask the query?
Underneath 1 p.c of all abortions happen after the twentieth week of being pregnant, in line with the CDC.
Undertaking 2025
Harris’ fast pivot to Undertaking 2025 proper after introductory statements put Trump on the defensive.
I’ve nothing to do with Undertaking 2025. That’s on the market. I haven’t learn it. I don’t wish to learn it purposely. I’m not going to learn it.
Undertaking 2025—80 p.c of its authors served within the first Trump administration—requires a takeover of the U.S. system of checks and balances in an effort to “dismantle the executive state.”
Harris defined how a second Trump time period to alter U.S. democracy as we all know it.
That is somebody who has brazenly mentioned he would terminate, I’m quoting, ‘terminate‘ the Structure of the USA that he would weaponize the Division of Justice towards his political enemies, somebody who has brazenly expressed disdain for members of our army. Perceive what it could imply if Donald Trump had been again within the White Home with no guards, as a result of actually we all know now the Court docket received’t cease him. We all know JD Vance isn’t going to cease him. It’s as much as the American individuals to cease him.
Jan. 6 and the Peaceable Switch of Energy
Trump tried to distance himself from Jan. 6:
I had nothing to do with that, aside from they requested me to make a speech. … It might have by no means occurred if Nancy Pelosi and the mayor of Washington did their jobs. I wasn’t chargeable for safety. Nancy Pelosi was accountable. She didn’t do her job.
The Nationwide Guard can solely be activated by the president or a governor. The Home choose committee on the Capitol assault mentioned it discovered “no proof” for Trump’s declare that Pelosi turned down his request for 10,000 Nationwide Guard troops.
Trump doubled down on claims that Biden didn’t win the presidency legitimately:
There’s a lot proof. All it’s a must to do is have a look at it, and they need to have despatched it again to the legislatures for approval. … Should you have a look at the info, and I’d like to have you ever do a particular on it. I’ll present you, and I’ll present you Wisconsin, and I’ll present you Pennsylvania, and I’ll present you we’ve so many info and statistics.
Healthcare and the Inexpensive Care Act
Trump responded to a query about what his administration would do about Obamacare.
Obamacare was awful healthcare. …
We’re engaged on issues, we’re going to do it and we’re going to switch it. … If we are able to provide you with a plan that’s going to price our individuals, our inhabitants much less cash and be higher healthcare than Obamacare, then I’d completely do it, however till then, I’d run it nearly as good as it may be run.
I’ve ideas of a plan. … You’ll be listening to about it within the not too distant future.
Harris defended the Inexpensive Care Act and the Biden-Harris administration’s report on decreasing healthcare prices:
What we have to do is preserve and develop the Inexpensive Care Act. … What the Inexpensive Care Act has achieved is get rid of the power of insurance coverage firms to disclaim individuals with preexisting circumstances. I don’t have to inform the individuals watching tonight. You bear in mind what that was like? Keep in mind when an insurance coverage firm might deny if a baby had bronchial asthma, if somebody was a breast most cancers survivor, if a grandparent had diabetes? …
Now we have allowed, for the primary time, Medicare to barter drug costs—on behalf of you, the American individuals. Donald Trump mentioned he was going to permit Medicare to barter drug costs. He by no means did. We did, and now we’ve capped the price of insulin at $35 a month. … Now we have capped the price of prescription medicine for seniors at $2,000 a yr.
Immigration
Trump on the hazard of immigrants:
You have a look at Springfield, Ohio, you have a look at Aurora in Colorado. They’re taking up the cities. They’re taking up buildings. They getting into violently. These are the people who she and Biden led into our nation, and they’re destroying our nation. They’re harmful. They’re on the highest degree of criminality. And we’ve to get them out. Now we have to get them out quick. …
Now we have hundreds of thousands of individuals pouring into our nation from prisons and jails, from psychological establishments and insane asylums, they usually’re coming in, they usually’re taking jobs which are occupied proper now by African Individuals and Hispanics and in addition unions. …
I consider 21 million individuals, not the 15 that folks say, and I believe it’s so much greater than the 21 that’s larger than New York State pouring in, and simply have a look at what they’re doing to our nation. They’re criminals.
Harris defended her immigration credentials:
America Congress, together with a few of the most conservative members of the USA Senate, got here up with a border safety invoice, which I supported. And that invoice would have put 1500 extra border brokers on the border to assist these people who’re working there proper now over time, attempting to do their job. …
That invoice would give extra assets to permit us to prosecute transnational legal organizations for trafficking in weapons, medication and human beings. However what occurred to that invoice? Donald Trump acquired on the cellphone, known as up some people in Congress and mentioned, ‘Kill the invoice.’ And why? As a result of he’d want to run on an issue as an alternative of fixing an issue.
Trump delivered the internet-breaking line of the night time, as he described a baseless declare about immigrants consuming canine and cats:
What they’ve achieved to our nation by permitting these hundreds of thousands and hundreds of thousands of individuals to return into our nation and have a look at what’s occurring to the cities everywhere in the United States. And lots of cities don’t wish to speak, it’s not going to be Aurora, Springfield. A variety of cities don’t wish to speak about it as a result of they’re so embarrassed by it.
In Springfield, they’re consuming the canine, the individuals got here in, they’re consuming the cats. … They’re consuming the pets of the people who stay there. And that is what’s occurring in our nation, and it’s a disgrace.
Trump delivered one other meme-worthy line characterizing Harris as too smooth on immigration:
She needs to do transgender operations on unlawful aliens which are in jail.
Range in America
Harris on the significance of racial unity:
The American individuals desire a president who understands the significance of bringing us collectively, figuring out we’ve a lot extra in widespread than what separates us. … I journey our nation. We see in one another, a buddy. We see in one another, a neighbor. We don’t desire a chief who is consistently attempting to have Individuals level their fingers at one another.
Legacy and The place the U.S. Is Headed
Harris mentioned her expertise as a prosecutor and elected official may help unite the nation:
I began my profession as a prosecutor. I used to be a DA, I used to be an lawyer basic, United States senator, and now vice chairman. I had one consumer: the individuals. And I’ll inform you, as a prosecutor, I by no means requested a sufferer, are you a Republican or Democrat? The one factor I ever requested them, are you okay?
Trump declined to finish on an optimistic word, calling Harris “the worst vice chairman within the historical past of our nation.”
Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) will take part on this yr’s solely vice presidential debate on Tuesday, Oct. 1, on CBS.
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