Presidential Debate Highlights: Harris vs. Trump

Presidential Debate Recap: Performance Over Policy

Last night’s presidential debate was filled with memorable moments yet fell short in delivering detailed explanations regarding the candidates’ policy positions. This 90-minute showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump marked a significant moment not just for the candidates but for business leaders and the corporate world at large. The key questions were: How would the Democratic candidate handle the pressure onstage, and would both candidates provide clearer insights into their economic and business strategies?

“This was a debate of social media memes more than in-depth policy analysis,” remarked Paul Donovan, the chief global economist at UBS Global Wealth Management, in a note to clients on Wednesday. The discourse largely revolved around Harris successfully maneuvering Trump into various traps, including playful jabs about the size of his rally crowds and his relationships with world leaders.

Despite the focus on performance, several moments did touch on economic and business policies, such as:

• Harris criticized Trump for his support of increased tariffs on Chinese goods, labeling it a “Trump sales tax” that would ultimately burden middle-class families, despite his claims that it would generate trillions of dollars.
• Trump, in turn, blamed Harris for the significant rise in inflation during the Biden administration, calling it a “disaster for people across all economic classes.”
• Harris denied she would impose a ban on fracking, a crucial issue for voters in Pennsylvania, the state where the debate took place, attempting to distance herself from earlier statements made during her 2019 presidential campaign.

Interestingly, many observers, including some Trump supporters, felt that Harris emerged victorious in the debate. On the Harris side, Aaron Levie, the CEO of Box, shared on X: “Kamala is doing a great job at reinforcing the pro-business message and policies right now. She’s a centrist.”

Even Elon Musk, one of Trump’s most vocal supporters, commented, “While I don’t think the debate hosts were fair to @realDonaldTrump, @KamalaHarris exceeded most people’s expectations tonight.” He later added that he believes Trump would be better suited to support businesses and streamline government operations.

Harris also secured a notable endorsement that highlighted policy themes. Following the debate, Taylor Swift expressed her support for Harris, referencing AI-generated images that falsely claimed she was endorsing Trump. “It really conjured up my fears around AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” Swift wrote on Instagram, where she boasts a massive following of 283 million fans.