
President Donald Trump seized control of the first 2024 presidential debate by silencing Vice President Kamala Harris when she attempted to interrupt him. While answering a question, Trump quickly shut down Harris, saying, “I’m talking now… does that sound familiar?” His remark was a nod to Harris’ 2020 debate moment, where she used a similar phrase to stop Mike Pence from interrupting her.
The debate, moderated by ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis, took place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Critics quickly noted that the moderators often interrupted Trump, while Harris was allowed to make several claims without challenge.
When Trump brought up the issue of post-birth abortion and cited former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s controversial stance, Davis immediately pushed back, denying that such policies exist, despite Northam’s past comments supporting extreme abortion measures.
Trump’s strategy throughout the night was to highlight Harris’ failures as vice president. He repeatedly asked why she hadn’t addressed key issues like the border crisis and economic instability, despite being in office for more than three years. Harris, on the other hand, struggled to defend her record, resorting to generalities and avoiding direct answers to Trump’s questions.
The debate was the first direct confrontation between Trump and Harris, and it remains to be seen whether they will meet again before Election Day. Meanwhile, the spotlight now shifts to the vice presidential debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), which is scheduled for October.