By: Liam Doyle, Yelena
Donald Trump’s landmark first debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday night saw the two party nominees lay out very different visions for the US, but only one of them won over Americans, polls show.
The Republican and Democratic nominees jostled on stage as they strove for a much-needed on-stage win ahead of the November 5 elections, covering multiple topics seen as top concerns for Americans. Among them were abortion rights, the economy, and migration, with ABC hosts taking the two to task on their factuality during the 90-minute debate.
Donald Trump hit the spin room with confidence after the bout, proclaiming that it was his “best debate yet”, and brushing aside early expert analysis hailing it a “win” for Kamala Harris. Polls covering the highly anticipated event have communicated exactly how Americans thought it went.
A preliminary CNN poll regarding tonight’s fiery exchange at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center indicated that Kamala Harris trumped Donald Trump with a score of 63 percent to 37 percent. However, social media is ablaze with both Democratic and Republican supporters claiming their candidate’s victory, yet Trump was swift to name himself the victor straight after stepping offstage.
“I thought this was my best debate,” expressed Donald Trump to the waiting reporters in the spin room, voicing his opinion that Harris had underperformed. He didn’t shy away from expressing his frustrations over being fact-checked by moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis either.
“The reason you do a second debate is if you lose, and they lost,” he confidently told Fox News host Sean Hannity, hinting at a possible reconsideration. To Hannity he said, “But I’ll think about it.” He continued: “I was very happy with the result. I just felt we had a great night and I’d come over [to the spin room].”
Despite these claims, the CNN polls also showed that many believe Harris is more attuned to the concerns of the people, though nearly 55 percent gave Trump the upper hand on economic issues. “It was obviously 3-on-1,” Trump claimed, mirroring Fox News anchors who criticized Harris and the moderators for challenging Trump’s controversial statements regarding migrants resorting to pet consumption and ‘abortions in the 9th month. ‘.
Critics claim the moderators failed to hold Kamala Harris to account, while taking issue with the perceived misconception that Trump backed the Charlottesville rioters who killed a counter-protestor. Notwithstanding some of his contentious debate assertions, which may have alienated swing voters, a CNN poll revealed that around 78 percent of Trump supporters remain unwavering in their opinion of him.
Following the debate, Donald Trump swiftly took to Truth Social to proclaim victory, citing a Newsmax poll that declared him the winner with 93 percent of the vote. “Comrade Kamala Harris is going around wanting another Debate because she lost so badly – Just look at the Polls! It’s true with prizefighters, when they lose a fight, they immediately want another. MAGA2024,” he posted.
Kamala Harris’ campaign team promptly called for a second debate after the first face-off against Donald Trump in Philadelphia. In the spin room, Trump told Hannity that he wasn’t keen on another debate, remarking, “of course she wants one, she lost,” and likening it to a defeated boxer seeking a rematch.
