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Students Speak Out: Who truly won the first Presidential Debate?

Political Correspondents share their top seven takeaways that led to their decision on the debate’s winner.
Students Speak Out: Who truly won the first Presidential Debate?
Junior Zaina Isreb: Independent

Top 7 Takeaways:

1. One thing I found intriguing was Trump’s discussion on crime statistics in America, and how we have had one of the highest increases in crime rates while other parts of the world have had a significant decrease. Trump uses this to demonstrate how Biden and Harris’ border control is inadequate, and how many criminals are entering our nation.

 

2. Something else that I found interesting was Kamala’s statement that she intended to cut grocery prices, despite Trump’s claim that inflation was at its greatest point in history while President Biden and Vice President Harris were in office.

 

3. Trump also discusses the country and its international policy; he adds that when he was in power, there were few wars that America was involved in because Trump’s overseas connections are strong and other political leaders are terrified of him. He argues that international policies are particularly poor at present because other political leaders were not afraid of President Biden. Trump also relates this to the thought of Harris having the same policies as Biden, which means political leaders will treat Vice President Harris the same way they treated Biden.

 

4. Something I found interesting is that when the topic of October 7th comes up, Vice President Harris discusses her belief in a two-state solution that will free the hostages while also helping rebuild Gaza, but she has been in office while the government has paid for attacks on Palestinians and has not expressed an opinion. Trump attempted to attack Harris for her notion of a two-party solution, and to defend herself, she began to contradict what she had previously said.

 

5. Something I found pretty interesting during the debate was after Trump’s allotted time making a decent point that made sense, he would get shut down by the mediators

 

6. Another intriguing point I saw throughout the debate was when Vice President Harris brought up Trump’s argument and challenged his justification that history isn’t important right now because our country is in decline. While this is true, he does defend the comment, which leads people to believe he is guilty. It also makes him appear unprepared as if he is just attempting to change the subject, which does not look well during the discussion. 

 

7. Another intriguing thing I noticed during the debate was Kamala’s attempt to get under Trump’s skin by bringing up his trial, old coworkers and other issues. Her strategies for getting under his skin worked well, causing him to contradict himself and become confused, making her appear more put together and prepared to run for president. 

The Winner: Trump

While I believe both candidates made valid points, it is equally necessary to consider the negative comments expressed during the discussion. Unlike the first debate where all eyes were on Joe Biden, this debate focused on Trump himself rather than President Biden or Vice President Harris. Harris also attempted to get under Trump’s skin by picking on topics that irritated him, which worked in her favor. Overall, it’s unclear who won the debate, but I feel Trump won because, while Harris stated her policies more eloquently, his statements made more logical sense and connected more to his policies. 

Senior Jax Jackson: Democrat

Top 7 Takeaways:

1. I think it was very smart for Kamala Harris to begin the debate by stating her plans to help the middle class while mentioning how her opponent would not do so. Mentioning small business tax deductions and appealing to the voter by referencing her own middle-class upbringing is a good way to put the voter at ease and to feel that Harris is personable.

 

2. I find it interesting that Trump is standing behind his treatment of the pandemic. While such high tariffs jacked up prices for the consumer, it helped the economy grow. However, claiming that Trump handled the pandemic well and continuing to mention specific personal protective equipment that his government supplied seems like too large of a claim for a man who questioned if UV light could cure coronavirus.

 

3. While I personally disagree with pro-life ideas, I think that Trump made a decent case for his abortion plan. He didn’t fully answer the question of why his opinions of abortions have been so volatile, but once he stopped grasping at straws with such claims, his argument improved. Mentioning how state votes have been carried out emphasized the rights of voters. On the other hand, Harris was clear and to the point in her rebuttal, offering specific appeals to the emotions of voters. She was intense with her response, and her claims made it clear how radical she felt Trump’s views were. In the middle of this conversation, Trump attacked Biden randomly and switched to explaining a failed situation about free student loans. This made his argument incredibly difficult to follow. Then when asked to return to the topic, he deflected the follow-up question and when asked about a conversation that J.D. Vance reported that they had, Trump said that conversation didn’t happen. This seems like it may cause distrust in the Republican Vice President candidate along with how he interacts with Trump.

 

4. It was smart for Harris to wait until over 30 minutes into the debate to mention Trump’s convictions. While it is the obvious way to put down her opponents, abstaining from talking about this earlier allowed Harris to lead with her policy and her ideas to protect the people’s rights without jumping to a claim meant solely to bring down her opponent.

 

5. Harris spun the plot from Biden showing his age to how Trump is showing his age. Trump’s response to her showed that his speeches are incoherent and he bragged about the size of his rallies. Her argument was that Trump killed the bill that would improve border security. He then replied by explaining how she did nothing for border control, not mentioning her point that he had stopped the bill. Then, Trump made an offensive remark about Venezuela in relation to immigration.

 

6. Trump did a lot of debating with the moderators by interrupting them or talking out of turn. Harris also had a few instances where she spoke out of turn, but Trump stopped his own time to put her in his place. It felt hypocritical for him to tell her to stop speaking when the moderators consistently had to ask him not to go over time.

 

7. I am frustrated by how often Trump talks about border control. Every time he is uncomfortable, he deflects the conversation back to border control. I will say that his statements about whether or not he lost the last election could be taken as sarcasm, so it is unfair of David Muir to attack him on that. However, even after he had made a substantial point, he turned back to a point that wasn’t asked about. This made his arguments difficult to understand throughout.

The Winner: Harris

As a journalist, this debate was extremely worrisome for me. The amount of times that the moderators had to step in to fact-check a radical claim was deeply disturbing. Debates containing false claims like these misinform the American people and are a major cause of the divided country we have today. Overall, I will say that Harris won the debate. She kept her composure throughout, even as Trump spewed hateful remarks. She made her standpoints clear on human rights and how she had handled border control as Vice President. However, what truly won the debate for her was her personability. Establishing her less-than-lavish upbringing, describing specific interactions with voters and how they are affected by policies, and speaking down the camera lens eloquently and directly made me feel that I was being spoken to and reminded of what this election meant in her eyes. That, in her words, the rights of Americans are under dispute, and she will do anything to protect the American people.

Junior Mia Nicosia: Republican

Top 7 Takeaways:

1. To begin with, when the candidates were to shake hands, Trump walked to his podium and waited for Harris to come to him, quickly setting the tone for who would lead the debate. While some may view this as an ungracious act, it symbolizes his control over the stage. Harris, on the other hand, seemed to stumble right from the start, coming across as scripted and lacking passion for the debated topics. The difference in demeanor carried through the debate, as Harris appeared nervous, frequently fidgeting and interrupting Trump, while he remained unphased. Body language plays a significant role in debates, and Trump’s composed demeanor made Harris look unsteady. 

 

2. The economy was a critical issue, and Trump’s fact-checking of Harris on this topic was a defining moment. Harris claimed Trump left behind massive unemployment and has no economic plan, but Trump quickly corrected her, attributing the unemployment spike to the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting his record of creating one of the greatest economies in U.S. history. He further emphasized his plan to rebuild the economy, dismissing Harris’ claim that he only cared about himself. Trump’s ability to back up his points with facts and figures while exposing Harris’ inaccuracies was crucial in shaping his victory.

 

3. A third major takeaway was Harris’ tendency to avoid answering questions directly. On several occasions, rather than addressing the questions she was asked, she diverted to stories about her personal life or generalized statements about what she believes Americans want. This tactic made her appear evasive and unprepared to tackle substantive policy discussions. In contrast, Trump’s responses were direct and fact-focused, often shutting down Harris’ claims with sharp rebuttals. For instance, when Harris claimed that Trump was selling China semiconductor chips, Trump immediately corrected her by stating that China was buying the chips from Taiwan instead of the U.S. 

 

4. Throughout the debate, Trump repeatedly called out Harris and the Biden administration for misleading the public on key issues, including inflation and immigration. He highlighted her role in the Biden administration’s failure to control illegal immigration and the price increase leaving Americans unable to afford everyday necessities. Harris’ avoidance of direct questions on these matters further weakened her position.

 

5. Harris’s credibility suffered as she was repeatedly fact-checked by Trump. For example, she falsely claimed that Trump wanted to terminate the Constitution, which Trump quickly debunked. This pattern of misstatements and exaggerations, coupled with her inability to provide clear answers, gave Trump ample opportunities to point out her inconsistencies. His simple retorts like, “There she goes again, it’s a lie,” resonated with viewers, solidifying his image as the more credible candidate. 

 

6. Furthermore, Trump’s discussion of foreign policy and national security issues was another strong point. He criticized Harris and the Biden administration for mishandling the Ukraine-Russia conflict, stating that she has failed in her peace negotiations. Trump went a step further by declaring that under his leadership, he would end the war quickly and avoid World War III, a statement that contrasted sharply with Harris’ vague rhetoric about American values.

 

7. Finally, Harris relied too much on personal attacks which detracted from her message and failed to offer a compelling vision for the future, leaving voters with little to grasp. Pertaining to her vision for the future, she mentioned ideas, one of them being funding small start up businesses which would continue to raise taxes and inflation. This left people wondering just how alike her campaign is to Biden’s current administration. 

The Winner: Trump

Donald Trump emerged as the clear winner of the debate, maintaining constant knowledge and presenting himself as the more confident and composed leader. His performance outshined Kamala Harris, solidifying his victory.

Junior Emma Vidal: Moderate (Left-Leaning)

Top 7 Takeaways:

1. Even with questions regarding the economy, Trump manages to default back to talking about the immigrant situation. He seems to emphasize how he had a stellar economy while negating other faults that were apparent throughout his term (for instance healthcare, education, etc.) Harris also dodges the question regarding the economy initially in favor of making her plans for policy clear to the audience and establishes herself by making commentaries about being extremely pro small-business. 

 

2. Trump appears to want to distance himself from Project 2025 in spite of the fact that his own Vice President wrote the introduction to it. It’s only natural considering the extremely far-right views expressed in the pamphlet, but it’s dubious how ignorant he actually is. Harris repeatedly uses this as a point to make Trump into a figure that can’t be trusted, which may have some merit.

 

3. Abortion was definitely a heated topic during the debate. Harris made her stance extremely clear that she’s very pro-choice and will sign protections into law, however Trump (despite insisting he’d make exceptions for rape and incest) has not expressed outrage over total abortion bans. Not only this, he outright accused certain states of allowing babies already born to be executed (something that is pointed out as blatantly false by the moderator).

 

4. While abortion is being discussed, Harris doesn’t respond regarding whether she’ll support abortions at seven, eight and nine months, instead calling out Trump on his inaction. 

 

5. Harris brings up Trump’s prosecutions and the sexual assaults that trail him as well, pointing out the irony of him talking about statistics on migrant crime being obstructed when he himself has been prosecuted. Not only that, she highlights Trump’s potential power grabs in persecuting his rivals if he were to come into office again. 

 

6. Trump repeatedly attacks Harris on the border, even in questions that are entirely unrelated. He emphasizes that illegal immigrants are killing U.S. citizens thanks to Harris and are even eating dogs (the latter of which is something that is also later proven false). 

 

7. The conflict between Israel and Palestine comes up during the debate and Harris dances on the line between the two. She emphasizes that Israel should be able to defend itself and expresses clear support for the two-state solution as well as a ceasefire, something that will appeal to younger voters. Trump meanwhile proclaims the conflict would’ve never even happened and insists he himself would be able to resolve the conflicts in the Middle East.

The Winner: Close, but Harris

Overall, the debate was somewhat of a mess. Neither of the candidates strongly asserted themselves and to an undecided voter, there are still many unanswered questions regarding their actual positions. Harris has slightly distanced herself from Biden by pointing out her plans to aid small businesses, be tougher on the border, propose the two-state solution and a vague support for abortion but still much is unclear. Trump has thrown out blatant lies and has leached onto his same old rhetorics regarding the rigged election, January 6 and immigration. Harris appears infinitely more perky compared to Trump; who almost looks grey even down to his hair. The debate was filled with disorder and ambiguity; however, Harris consistently stayed truthful. I think above all, from a politician, candor should be the bare minimum, something Trump flouts throughout the debate. From my perspective, Harris wins based on upholding that basic principle and being somewhat less equivocal than Trump.

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About the Contributors
Jax Jackson
Jax Jackson, Editor-in-Chief
Jax has been involved with the Harbinger since his freshman year as a graphic designer, but taking Journalism as a junior got him truly excited about journalism. He has discovered a passion for storytelling, advocating through his work and sharing news, recently becoming an Editor-in-Chief. In his free time, Jax enjoys playing tennis, ceramics and performing music.
Mia Nicosia
Mia Nicosia, Assistant Opinion Editor and Politics Coordinator
Mia took journalism in her freshman year and has since become the Politics Coordinator and an Assistant Opinion Editor. One of her favorite things about working on the Harbinger is getting to help people share aspects of their lives through her writing. In her free time, Mia enjoys reading, presenting for World of Difference, participating in steering, CAP, competitive riflery and archery.
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