In a spectacle more akin to a circus high-wire act than a debate, former President
Donald Trump and Vice President
Kamala Harris faced off in a battle that seemed less about policy and more about who could generate the best viral moments. And while Trump no longer has the panache of yore (also known as the Abu Baker Bag Daddy), he did manage to get a few licks in but this was a debate for Kamala Harris to show-off her prosecutor side.
Here are some of the best memes and jokes:
1) Abdul’s House 2) The Handshake 3) Kelce’s Dilemma 4) Vanilla Swift5) Nancy Pelosi calling 6) Eating the Cats: A musical near you7) Who let the dogs out? 8) KamaLOL 9) Transgender Aliens 10) Fact Checkers Dems thrilled Within the first 30 minutes of the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, I received feedback from four veteran Democratic campaign officials, all of whom had the same reaction: Harris delivered a strong, confident performance, frequently putting Trump on the defensive.
Her approach, especially on issues like abortion rights and student loans, showed potential to win over voters, while Trump often appeared to falter.
Harris came out swinging from the start. She confidently walked across the stage to Trump’s podium, shook his hand, and introduced herself. Her performance was a stark contrast to President Biden’s in the June debate. If Trump had a strategy for the night, it wasn’t evident, as he struggled to fend off her attacks on the economy, tariffs, in vitro fertilization, and China.
Trump’s go-to retort—“another lie”—likely resonated with his MAGA base, but it may not have landed well with undecided or swing voters. Many of these voters have expressed frustration with Trump’s constant grievances, wanting more substance on what he would actually do in office.
Repeatedly, Harris baited Trump, and he fell for it. At one point, she remarked, “People start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.” When moderators asked Trump about immigration, he pivoted back to defending his rallies. Harris further derailed Trump by prompting him into tangents, like when he falsely claimed that migrants in Ohio were killing pets for food. Even when moderators fact-checked him, Trump wouldn’t drop the subject, leaving Harris an opening for a zinger: “Talk about extreme,” she laughed.
For Democrats, Harris’ performance was a clear victory.