On Sept. 10, the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump occurred at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center. With new limitations, such as no audience and microphones to be muted while the other candidate is speaking, Harris and Trump took to the podiums. 

“I think historically, there was evidence that debates had a big impact on elections, but I think in today’s world, voters are deeply entrenched with a candidate, so I’m not sure how much room there is for voters’ minds to be changed,” Miami Palmetto Senior High AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government teacher Kenneth Spiegelman said.

Viewers and the candidates did not see the topics beforehand, forbidding any pre-written notes or allowing voters to prepare for the 90-minute event. 

“I think apart from abortion, maybe economic issues [are most important] because I know that while the issues that concern Democrats most are typically stuff like abortion and guns, I think the economy might be more important for Republican voters,” senior Matteo Scalla said. 

President Joe Biden and Trump debated before Biden dropped out of the race. Previously, topics such as abortion and the Jan. 6 event were addressed, but they discussed the following main points at the Sept. 10 debate: 

Economy

Q: “When it comes to the economy, do you believe Americans are better off than they were four years ago?”

Trump: “We’re doing tariffs on other countries. Other countries are going to finally, after 75 years, pay us back for all that we’ve done for the world.” 

Harris: “My plan is to give a $50,000 tax deduction to start-up small businesses, knowing they are part of the backbone of America’s economy.”

Both candidates discussed the current state of the economy in America, but little was discussed on how they plan to fix it. Harris discussed her plan to bring middle and lower class families up; she explained how one of her passions is small businesses, so she plans on giving a $50,000 tax deduction to build up small businesses. She disputed Trump’s past tax plans, which she labeled the “Trump Sales Tax,” or a 20% sales tax on everyday items. She went on to say that Trump left America with one of the worst unemployment rates since the Great Depression, at 14.8% right before the COVID-19 virus. This was the worst it had been since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started counting in 1948. 

Trump, on the other hand, claimed he did not have a sales tax, but rather, had tariffs on other countries. The tariffs intend to get money back from other countries who have yet to pay our government back. He claimed he had tariffs and still no inflation but later discussed how the country currently faces a 21% inflation rate. He then shied away from the topic of the economy and brought in the topic of immigration by saying the country’s unemployment rates are so high because immigrants from prisons, insane asylums and mental institutions are taking preoccupied jobs from African Americans and Hispanics. He also said that he blames Biden for the country’s immigration issue. Trump again addresses how he plans on creating the best economy America has ever seen, but does not share his initial plan. Later, when asked about his plan to raise tariffs to about 20%, he claimed the only country that will have prices raised is China. 

With the economy being the first topic to be addressed, it was not discussed for long before both candidates went off track. 

“I think the economy and foreign policy are just always important things that need to be talked about, and I don’t think they were as much as they should,” Scalla said. 

Abortion

Q: “Vice President Harris says that women should not trust you on the issue of abortion because you have changed your position so many times. Therefore, why should they trust you?”

Trump: “They have abortion in the ninth month … [Virginian governor] said the baby will be born and we will decide what to do with the baby. In other words, we’ll execute the baby.” 

Harris:  “I think the American people believe that certain freedoms, in particular the freedom to make decisions about one’s own body, should not be made by the government.”

Harris began her response by discussing how abortion is not what women want and pledged that if elected, she would reinstate protections under Roe v. Wade, a court case that was overturned in 2022 which gave away the woman’s right to choose. She later discusses how in over 20 states it is now illegal for a healthcare professional to conduct an abortion, which prohibits many women in need from obtaining one. She went against Trump’s prior plans to sign a national abortion ban. 

On the other hand, Trump expressed that the topic of abortion has ripped our country apart, but refuted Harris’ claim on his abortion ban, stating that he did not want a national ban but admitted that it is because the issue has gone to the states. Trump discussed his feelings regarding seven, eight and nine month abortions, as well as execution after birth, but both of these ideas were fact checked as false later in the debate. Later in his response, he spoke on his concerns with student loan forgiveness. 

Immigration

Q: “But my question to you tonight is why did the administration wait until six months before the election to act, and would you have done anything differently from President Biden on this?” 

Trump: “The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country. And it’s a shame.”

Harris:  “That bill would have put 1,500 more border agents on the border to help those folks who are working there right now over time trying to do their job. It would have allowed us to stem the flow of fentanyl coming into the United States.”

In 2023, Harris and Congress came up with a potential bill to employ more border agents in order to aid America’s issue with immigration. The bill would help prosecute transnational crimes such as illegal importation of drugs and weapons. Eventually, her response discussed Trump’s rallies and invited others to attend his rallies. Harris claimed Trump had previously called Congress to make sure the bill in question was “thrown out” because he did not want to fix the issue with immigration. Her response then shied away from immigration and led into Trump’s response. 

Trump begins by arguing her point about his rallies, explaining that he has the most incredible rallies and that she was incorrect. His rallies were likely addressed as a result of the recent shooting that occurred at a rally in Pennsylvania. Trump felt that if Harris were to make it to office, America would become “Venezuela on steroids.” Later on, David Muir, one of the moderators of the night, fact-checked Trump’s claim about immigrants eating pets with the city manager of Springfield and proved it to be false. Trump continued on with his response when asked how he would deport 11 million immigrants, and put the blame on the Biden administration. He claimed that crime was down everywhere in the world except in America, which was proven during the debate to be false. The FBI claims that overall violent crime is down in the U.S.. 

January 6

Q: “Is there anything you regret about what you did on [January 6]?” 

Trump: “I have nothing to do with that, all they asked me to do was make a speech and I said it was going to be great.”

Harris: “Donald Trump said himself this election would be a bloodbath.” 

Harris began her response with the fact that she was acting senator on Jan. 6 and in the Capitol. She felt that Trump called for the vicious attack on the Capitol, and addressed how Trump was impeached and convicted for the actions occurred on Jan. 6. 

Trump responded by explaining how he had no part in the viscous attack. He claimed he wanted it to be peaceful but it went south without his knowledge. His response did not discuss the question at hand for long before he turned it over to boarder control. 

Overall, the 2024 debate sparked conversation among voters online and all over America, but not for the reasons the candidates wished. 

“I’m not sure how much was fully addressed in the debate, because it descended into a lot of ad hominem attacks, but I think the Vice President’s messaging, I think she was able to get it out as effectively as she could under the circumstances, and I think President Trump stuck to his message in appealing to his base.” Spiegelman said.