On Tuesday, after the 90-minute showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump, discussions ensued among their supporters about who won the presidential debate, which candidate appealed most to swing voters, and whether the moderator from ABC News conducted the debate fairly.
Following the debate, Trump made a surprise visit to the crowded press room in Hall B of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where he was surrounded by dozens of reporters. He proclaimed, “This is the best debate I’ve ever had.”
Trump explained his visit to the press room by stating that he had promised to do interviews with some media personnel. After the media frenzy subsided, Trump spoke with Fox News host Sean Hannity and claimed victory in the debate.
When asked about Harris’ campaign team’s thoughts on a potential second debate, Trump told Hannity that he would consider it.
Harris addressed her supporters after the debate. In a video posted by her campaign team on social media, she expressed optimism, saying, “I think today is a good day, and we will win Pennsylvania.”
Pennsylvania is one of several crucial swing states that are likely to determine the election results for both Harris and Trump on November 5.
Tim Murtaugh, a spokesperson for Trump in Pennsylvania, told The Epoch Times that he believes Harris cannot win the state due to her history as a “life-long opponent of hydraulic fracturing.” This technology, which aids in extracting oil and natural gas from underground, has provided job opportunities for thousands of Pennsylvanians.
Murtaugh pointed out that during her tenure as California Attorney General in 2016, Harris sued then-President Obama over environmental issues, seeking to halt fracking operations in the state.
Harris countered during the debate, emphasizing that she had not taken any actions to ban hydraulic fracturing while serving as Vice President. She stated, “I will not ban fracking.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro commended Harris for her efforts to secure the state’s voters and ensure victory there. He mentioned that Harris was engaging with communities in Pennsylvania, like the remote Beaver County in eastern Pennsylvania, which are often overlooked by national candidates.
Shapiro emphasized the importance of Harris continuing her outreach to swing voters, stating that she can count on him to support her campaign. He spoke highly of Harris, saying she has the incredible qualifications needed to be President.
According to the RealClearPolitics average polling data of Pennsylvania voters, Harris and Trump are neck and neck.
Immediate post-debate polling results revealed a divided sentiment among viewers. 63% of CNN viewers believed Harris won the debate, while a poll on the X platform by Political Polls indicated that 62% of respondents thought Trump emerged victorious.
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, now a supporter of Harris, told The Epoch Times that Harris’ campaign messaging is winning over swing voters.
Representatives from Trump’s campaign expressed concerns that Harris did not provide concrete details on how she would implement her policy proposals. They also felt that the moderator had favored Harris.
Former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who now supports Harris, criticized the biased moderation, stating that the hosts continuously fact-checked Trump but failed to do so for the “obvious falsehoods” from Harris.
Kennedy argued that the moderators did not hold Harris accountable for her “very, very critical first question.”
David Muir, the ABC News moderator, had initiated the debate with a question about the economy, asking whether Americans were better off now than they were four years ago.
Harris responded by promising to create an “opportunity economy.”
Kennedy argued that the moderators should have demanded a more specific response from Harris.
He criticized the moderators for allowing Harris’ answers to go unchecked.
When asked about Trump’s supporters complaining about the moderators, Governor Shapiro rebuked by saying, “Any time one side is complaining about the ‘referee’, they’re losing.”
Democratic Representative Jason Crow from Colorado praised Harris for having “fact-based policies” and for being the only candidate to talk about national unity, which he believed is what America desires.
Republican Representative Byron Donalds from Florida criticized the moderators for not fact-checking Harris on several inaccurate statements, such as her accusing Trump of wanting to sign a national abortion ban, despite Trump’s repeated statements against such actions. He accused the moderators of letting Harris “dodge every major policy question in this debate.”
Donalds remarked, “So, I think the American people can see that he [Trump] is serious about solving the country’s problems, and she wants to continue with a ‘fluffy’ campaign, lacking substance.”
The translation was contributed by Arjun Singh, Jan Jekielek, Emel Akan, and T.J. Muscaro.