Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: Who Won the Debate? How US Media Analyzed the Showdown

Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: Who Won the Debate? How US Media Analyzed the Showdown

Last week’s Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump debate has set media on fire, with many pronouncing her the undisputed winner.

The New York Times praised her for keeping Trump on his heels from the very outset and staying in control throughout.

The debate was a defining moment in the contest, which has tightened since President Biden withdrew, as Harris delivered a focused and pointed message while an increasingly angry Trump sputtered.

“Ms. Harris was able to deliver a crisp and clear message. Mr. Trump seemed angry and defensive,” the outlet reported.

But they went on to say that, although replete with heated exchanges, there was no apparent “knockout blow” in this debate to drastically change the dynamics of the race.

The Wall Street Journal also did, pointing out that Harris successfully goaded Trump into animated responses, particularly when speaking about his legal woes.

This is a far cry from Trump’s earlier debates in which the moderators called him out on his untruths. In fact, further to say, the headline itself read, “Harris Baits Trump in Fiery Presidential Debate.”.

USA Today, however, did describe Harris’s performance as forceful and noted how she had taken a defensive Trump to task.

The strongly-worded analysis by the paper read: “Donald Trump knocked Joe Biden out of the 2024 presidential race in the last debate, but he found himself repeatedly on the defensive against Kamala Harris.”

MSNBC went a step further, asserting the debate was an easy win for Harris, praise befitting one who kept a poised, presidential demeanor throughout the debate in great contrast to Trump’s growing frustration. “Harris baited Donald Trump repeatedly, and mostly easily,” they noted.

CNN, in turn, mentioned how Harris, out in the open, confronted Trump, especially when she pointedly told him, “You’re not running against Joe Biden. You’re running against me.” Confidently she sounded, which Trump labored to match.

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Even Fox News, generally friendlier to Trump, acknowledged that Harris had done very well. They said that as the debate wore on, Trump grew “increasingly divisive, while Harris gained confidence-with the assistance of moderators who called out fact-checks against Trump .”.