Harris nails Trump on the defensive in first presidential debate
The Democratic candidate seemed more prepared and agile. Trump often showed irritation. Further face-offs possible. To Harris the endorsement of Taylor Swift
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Key points
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The first debate between the two American presidential candidates had a protagonist, indeed an undisputed protagonist: Kamala Harris took the initiative and attacked Donald Trump from the very first bars of the highly anticipated televised duel - starting with the initial gesture with which she resolutely approached him to introduce herself and force him to shake her hand. Trump, immediately uncomfortable, then seemed nailed on the defensive for much of the 90 minutes, often irritated or irate, and at times confused, by barbs that portrayed him as 'weak' as well as the wrong leader.
Prevale Harris
Trump's spokesmen, at the end, criticised the Abc network journalists who moderated the debate, claiming that they were biased against the Republican candidate. However, the reading of the clash is also evident in two major US newspapers: 'Harris puts Trump on the defensive in heated debate', headlined the New York Times online. Almost identically, the Washington Post: 'Harris keeps Trump on the defensive'. The Wall Street Journal was more neutral: 'Candidates exchange accusations in tough debate'. But on Wall Street, the stocks of the Trump Media and Technlogy Group, which controls his Truth Social and often acts as a barometer of his fortunes, gave their verdict in the pre-market: a 15 per cent drop.
The impact on the electorate, especially on the small and decisive undecided groups in a handful of states, remains to be seen, in a battle that in the polls is now, less than two months from voting, neck and neck. Both camps, the only moment of agreement, have indicated that they might agree to at least one more debate. In the judgement of early commentators, the absence of real knockout blows has been noted, leaving room for seeking revenge.
Taylor Swift's support for Harris
.Immediately after the debate, however, Harris got at least one new, explicit and desired endorsement: that of music star Taylor Swift. He called her, in a post on Instagram, a "confident and talented leader", who can lead the country "with calm and not chaos".
Harris, from the spotlight podium, focused on two major elements in the face-off. He presented Trump as an extremist, firstly on abortion, where he showed clear passion and called for the return by law of protections for women's rights. But also on protectionism and widespread tariffs, which he called a tax on consumers. On anti-democratic authoritarianism and the former President's indictments, recalling how he had incited the 6 January uprising and complimented Nazi and racist protesters. And on isolationism, which undermines allies and encourages dangerous enemies such as Vladimir Putin. The second central element for Harris was an appeal to the centre and to look to the future, choosing a new generation leader such as herself: she said she wanted to be President of all Americans, condemned what she called the politics of division and hatred, and asked voters to 'turn the page', to archive the 'American carnage' image evoked by her rival.
