Head-on attacks and exchanges of arms punctuated the exchanges between the former president and the current vice-president, who were seeking to convince large sections of the still undecided American electorate.
For more than an hour and a half on ABC News, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump took turns presenting their often divergent, if not contradictory, visions on a myriad of thorny and controversial topics ranging from the economy to immigration, from foreign policy to climate issues and family values.
Immigration, a recurring topic in presidential debates, was no exception during this confrontation. Donald Trump, who introduced draconian policies during his first term (2016-2020), reiterated his promise to deport “millions of illegal immigrants” whom he accuses of being mostly repeat offenders and former inmates of mental asylums, who “commit horrible crimes in the United States.”
“Millions of immigrants continue to flow into our country because of the weak policies of the Biden administration,” said the former president, who renewed his desire to deploy army troops along the border with Mexico to prevent illegal crossings into the United States.
On this issue, Harris tried to adopt a firm stance, although less harsh than that of her rival, in order to get rid of the image of weakness and inefficiency that he tried to attribute to her. The Democratic candidate recalled her fight, during her term as attorney general of California, against drug and human trafficking organizations, without listing clear immigration policies.
“But ask her why she didn’t do anything during her three and a half years as vice president,” Trump said, addressing journalist David Muir, who was moderating the debate alongside his colleague, Linsey Davis.
On the economy, the two candidates’ agendas do not fundamentally diverge on objectives, with both contenders promising, each in their own way, to work to reduce prices, create jobs and improve middle-class incomes.
While Harris wants to crack down on price-gouging companies and expand tax credits for middle- and low-income households, Trump is planning a broad program of tax cuts and protectionist trade policies, particularly against China.
“I was raised in a middle-class family, and I completely understand the needs and the pain of these families,” she said, while recalling the very different fate of her rival, who “inherited millions of dollars and did not have to worry about making ends meet.”
Abortion, another issue that has recently gained particular prominence, has been one of the most notable points of contention between the two candidates. Harris, who holds abortion rights unwavering, has promised to prevent states from banning the procedure before a fetus is viable, although her opponent has accused her of wanting to allow abortions at any time.
Calling her a “radical leftist,” Trump said his rival wanted to allow abortion “in the seventh, eighth, and even ninth month,” an accusation the vice president rejected outright, saying abortion “can only be allowed in certain cases (…) such as incest and rape,” or in cases of risk to the mother’s life.
On the Republican side, Trump, while opposing signing a federal ban on abortion, has reiterated that states should be allowed to adopt whatever restrictions they choose.
In terms of foreign policy, the views expressed diverge both on the Middle East and the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as on Afghanistan.
While both candidates expressed support for the Jewish state, Kamala Harris stressed the need to reach a ceasefire that can end the war in Gaza, save lives and secure the release of hostages, while paving the way for a two-state solution.
For his part, Donald Trump said that “this war would not even have started if I were president”, just like the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
On this subject, Trump reiterated his promise to end this conflict “on the first day” of his mandate, considering that the war was triggered due to the “disrespect” of world leaders towards the current president of the United States and his vice-president.
Asked whether he believed a Ukrainian victory against Russia was in the US interest, Trump replied that “the best interest of the United States is an end to this war.”
2024-09-11 12:15:35