Aisha TukurTrump supporters got plenty of ‘red meat’ but Harris earned Taylor Swift’s coveted endorsement. Both left some disappointed.
In their first presidential debate, former United States President Donald Trumpand Vice President Kamala Harris both accused each other of fuelling division in America.
The candidates quickly dived into contentious issues, from migration and fracking to Israel’s war on Gaza, but there were no groans or rapturous applause as the pair spoke without a live audience at the National Constitution Center (NCC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Around the country, though, millions of Americans watched on from their living rooms or watch parties in bars and clubs, while outside the official debate venue in Philadelphia, protesters called for Harris to earn their vote with a ceasefire in Gaza.
With pre-debate polls placing Democratic candidate Harris and Republican candidate Trump neck and neck in the race, Al Jazeera spoke to political observers from across the country about who were the biggest winners and losers on the night.
Barbara Perry, a presidential historian at the University of Virginia:
Perry said, “Trump supporters received plenty of red meat to devour.
“The vice president offered a clear contrast between the specifics of her policies for the future compared to Trump’s generalities about the dark past, as he sees it.
“Kamala Harris needed to give undecided, moderate voters who are persuadable in the swing states a comfortable reason to cast their ballot for her.
“At the very least, she didn’t put those voters off or make any disqualifying gaffes. And she earned Taylor Swift’s endorsement,” Perry said, referring to a statement from the pop superstar right after the debate, where she said she would vote for Harris in November.
Michelle Austin Pamies, a Haitian-American leader and lawyer from South Florida:
Paimes said it was good that the “ugliness” of Republicans’ debunked claimsabout Haitian immigrants were revealed.
“It is clear that the former president wants to promote this idea that in Springfield, Ohio immigrants are eating pets,” she said referring to a comment that Trump made about Haitian immigrants in the debate.
“I thought it was good that it was it was discussed in the presidential debate, because I thought the ugliness deserved to be noted.
“I think the only reason that was brought up is because it was the most repulsive thing that could be said. And I just feel that it’s a way of othering that is very, very disgusting.
“I did appreciate the fact that the moderator clearly stated that it’s not a fact, that the city manager stated that there was no credible reporting of any such activity.”
