The presidential debate of current U.S Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S President Donald Trump started a domino effect of significant shifts for this upcoming election. 67.1 million viewers listened as they discussed issues and policies they intend to address if granted the highest position in the oval office. As of early October, Harris has 94.2% of the Democratic vote and 12% of the Republican; while Trump is has 84.2% of the Republican vote and 1.7% of the Democrats. Since that intense debate, a few wild cards have thrown the world for a loop from both parties. Trump has not been open to a second debate with Harris, stating that “it’s too late, people are already voting.” Spectators have made note how odd that is, seeing that the second debate with Harris would’ve been October 23rd, merely one day off from the date he debated Biden for a second time back in 2020. The DNC actually mocked Donald Trump for not agreeing to a 2nd debate by creating a photoshopped meme of Trump in a chicken suit. The statement next to the picture read, “There’s no debate: Donald Trump’s a chicken.” In response, RNC grassroot supporters have claimed Harris’s team for allegedly paying TikTokers to bash Trump online in order to help further persuade young voters and Trump has openly called Harris “mentally disabled.” His wife, Melanie Trump, surprisingly released a video promoting women’s rights that caused a stir. Harris will soon be traveling to the symbolic birthplace of the Republican Party with Liz Cheney, the highest-profile Republican, endorsing her. All of the back-and-forth has been unfolding week after week, creating plenty of trolling content over social media and parodies on Saturday Night Live. However, beyond the TikTok videos and chicken posts, bigger issues of healthcare, childcare, abortion, and economic plans are still a major concern as Trump and Harris fight tooth and nail for the home stretch of this year’s election.
Hot-Button Issues
A good deal of time was used for Trump and Harris to discuss the state of the U.S economy. Trump spoke proudly of putting America in the best economic position during his time as President, saying that success was only dampened by the 2020 pandemic that hit at the end of his term. “We handed them over a country where the economy and stock market was higher than before the pandemic came in. She doesn’t have a plan. She copied Bidens plan, and its like 4 sentences like ‘run spot run’. People give me credit for rebuilding the military and a lot of things, but enough credit for the great job we did in the pandemic. They know it, and so does everyone else.” Harris’s response scrutinized Trumps statement and claimed to in fact have a plan that would improve the middle class, ultimately improving the lives of the large, working class. “Donald Trump has no plan for you. When you look at his economic plan its all about tax breaks for the richest people. I am offering what I describe as an opportunity economy. The best economist in our country if not the world have reviewed our plan for America. The Wharton School says his plan will explode the deficits; it will increase inflation and by the middle of next year would invite a recession.”
Another pressing topic was the 900+ page Project 2025. Many people see Project 2025 as a threat to the lives we know now. Many people see Project 2025 as a necessary agenda to help America have better structure. Harris blamed Trump for helping create this document while Trump claimed to have no idea what it is. “You know, and she knows better than anyone that I have nothing to do with Project 2025, that’s out there, I haven’t read it, I don’t wanna read it, purposely, I’m not going to read it, this is a group of people that got together and came up with some ideas, some good, some bad but it makes no difference. I have nothing to do with it. Everyone knows I’m an open book, everybody knows what I’m gonna do, cut taxes substantially and create a great economy like I did before.”
Gun violence is an ongoing issue in the United States that both parties seemingly disagreed on but ultimately had similar ideas of freedom to own firearms. Abortion was a huge topic as well. Trump was fact checked by the commentator after claiming abortions were being done after birth in some states. He ultimately supports abortions being regulated in each state separately; Harris supports abortions being legal in all states for medical reasoning. Immigration and border control were two other topics that pulled large reactions from both candidates. Trump blamed Harris for the millions of illegal immigrants currently in the U.S, saying this threatens jobs, the amount of housing we have, and other factors that affect America’s well-being. On the other hand, Harris denies all of these claims and chastised Trump’s plan for a mass deportation. “He only finished 2% of the wall and it didn’t come from his own pocket. I want to bring a balance, tougher enforcement with new legal pathways for people to become Americans.” Harris spent a lot of her time defending herself from many of Trumps claims by repeatedly reminding listeners that Biden is in office making the decisions he’s criticizing, not her. Trump spent a lot of his time reminding listeners that he has already held a successful Presidential term and is more than able to do it again.
Trump has been part of the top three most viewed Presidential debates since Gerald Ford vs Jimmy Carter in 1976. It goes without question that, hypothetically, if Trump and Harris were to debate again it would be his forth. The stark contrast between the two candidates’ personalities, appearance, communication styles and agendas has caused more than a political divide, but also racial and economic division that we have ever witnessed. Both Trump and Harris have shown great confidence in their ability to be the next Head of State.
Early voting begins October 21st – November 1st
Election day is November 5, 2024
