There couldn’t have been more of a difference between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday night’s debate, whether it came down to policy, vision for the future and perspective on the past.
“In Kamala Harris, we saw a dangerously liberal candidate who will double down on the failed policies of the last four years,” U.S. Sen. John Barrasso said after the candidates faced off in Philadelphia. “The people of Wyoming deserve better. President Trump tonight shared his strong vision to reverse the high prices and open borders of the Biden-Harris administration. He articulated a plan to unleash American energy and to get our country back on track.”
Trump also made immigration one of his key points of the evening, going back to the topic numerous times no matter what was asked. As he has throughout his campaign, Trump painted a dark picture of the state of America, ravaged by illegal immigration and skyrocketing inflation.
“They’re destroying the fabric of our country by what they’ve done,” he said, referring to President Joe Biden and Harris as a duo.
Harris centered many of her points around getting a fresh start for America, which she said will also be distinct from the current presidency of Joe Biden.
“It is important that we turn the page on this same old tired rhetoric,” Harris said. “Frankly, the American people are exhausted with this same old playbook.”
Trump responded to this point after Harris’ closing statement, asking why she hasn’t accomplished any of her policy plans over the past three-plus years of being vice president. He accused the Biden administration of being crooked and selling America’s future down the drain.
‘Rolled Out The Red Carpet’
Wyoming’s Republican congressional delegation agreed.
“For more than three years, she and Joe Biden have ushered in record-breaking inflation rates, rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants at our southwest border and punished Wyoming’s energy industry by drowning our domestic energy producers in a sea of red tape,” U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said. “Now more than ever, we need a president who puts hardworking Americans first, and tonight’s debate made it crystal clear that Kamala Harris is only interested in appealing to the far left of the Democratic party.”
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman also said she thought this point was critical.
"No matter how hard she tried to reinvent herself tonight to dodge responsibility for the last three and a half years, Harris owns her record of failure,” Hageman said. “She is the most radical left candidate ever to run for the presidency and her policies — to the extent she has any — will only further weaken America. In contrast, Donald Trump reminded us how prosperous and safe we were when he was in charge."
If Harris is elected, Trump predicted it will lead to America becoming the laughing-stock of the world and World War III.
Character
Harris spoke to presidential character throughout the 90-minute debate, saying people are ready to move on from Trump and his tactics.
“We don’t want a leader that’s constantly trying to have Americans point their fingers at each other,” Harris said. “The true measure of the leader, is the strength in beating people down, it’s lifting people up.”
The Wyoming Democratic Party made a few comments on X (formerly Twitter) and reposts during the debate, including: “Is this ‘the weave’ or is this dude not making any sense?” and “One thing's for sure — Trump is a weird, weird man.”
State Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, said for voters who didn’t tune in that they should, as “it’s worth watching.”
Harris also mentioned during the debate how she has the endorsement of former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Trump didn’t respond to this mention.
‘Old News’
The many ongoing lawsuits against Trump got brought up, which Trump called a weaponization of the Department of Justice against him. Trump has said he’ll do the same if elected president again.
“They used it to try and win an election with fake cases,” he said.
Trump also called his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results “old news,” but reiterated that he doesn’t believe he lost this election.
“I built one of the greatest economies in the history of the world and I’m going to build it again,” he said.
When asked if he regretted his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Trump said he had nothing to do with the event and turned the conversation to Harris’ handling of illegal immigration and the 2020 George Floyd riots.
Harris accused Trump of inciting a violent mob and mentioned how 140 officers were injured during the Capitol attack.
“It’s time to turn a page,” Harris said. “To stand for democracy, to stand for the rule of law.”
Trump countered and said Harris would continue with Biden-era policies, including wanting to perform transgender surgeries on illegal immigrants in prison.
Former President Donald Trump during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Photo by Win McNamee, Getty Images) 
Vice President Kamala Harris during a debate with Former President Donald Trump in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Photo by Win McNamee, Getty Images)
3 On 1?
Many Republicans commented immediately after the debate that the moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, showed favoritism toward Harris throughout the 90-minute-plus back and forth.
That includes some Wyoming Republicans like Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Laramie County GOP Committeeman Dallas Tyrrell, who commented that the moderators were unfair to Trump.
“The moderators were a joke, just another extension of the radical left-wing media,” Gray said. “But as he always does, President Trump overcame it and won a huge victory tonight.”
Davis grilled Harris about some of her flip-flopping on issues, including fracking.
Harris said she will not ban fracking and mentioned how she supported the Inflation Reduction Act, which increased fracking leases.
“My values have not changed,” she said.
Trump urged people not to believe that and said Harris will destroy oil and other forms of energy if elected president. He also criticized Biden for shutting down the Keystone XL Pipeline but supporting the Nord Stream AG pipeline in Europe.
Economy
Harris painted a picture of Trump’s tax plan, that it would only give breaks to the wealthy and invite a recession. She also said multiple times that he’s only looking out for himself.
Trump has leaned on tariffs to achieve some of his economic goals, suggesting charging as much as 200% in some instances on foreign countries. Harris said policies like these led to a trade deficit under Trump’s administration.
“We are going to take in billions of dollars, hundreds of billions of dollars,” he said.
Trump said his track record on the economy is great and that he’s never seen inflation like the United States has today.
“They destroyed the economy,” he said.
He also accused Harris of following his own economic policies — and that she’s a Marxist.
“Everything that she believed three years ago and four years ago is out the window,” Trump said. “She’s going to my philosophy now. In fact, I was going to send her a MAGA hat.”
He also said America has no hope under a Harris administration, and if she wins predicted the United States will become “Venezuela on steroids.”
On the topic of border security, Harris accused Trump of torpedoing a bipartisan bill earlier this year that would have implemented some stricter immigration measures.
The former president doubled down on immigration in response, claiming that “millions” of illegal immigrants are committing crimes and moral violations across the U.S., including eating people’s pets.
Abortion
The moderators also quizzed Trump about his changing stance on abortion.
In over 20 states, there are now full abortion bans.
“Donald Trump should not be telling a woman what to do with their body,” Harris said.
Harris specifically called out states that prohibit abortions without exceptions and also accused Trump of supporting a national abortion ban, which he vehemently denied.
“And as far as the abortion ban, no, I'm not in favor of abortion ban,” he said. “But it doesn't matter because this issue has now been taken over by the states.”
Trump wouldn’t answer if he would veto a ban if it came to his desk, but repeated that he thinks abortion is an issue for states to decide, not the federal government.
Foreign Affairs
They also sparred over Biden’s pull-out of American troops from Afghanistan.
Trump said the Biden administration “blew it” when it came to forcing the Taliban to uphold the agreements of the withdrawal they made with the United
States. Harris would not answer whether she regrets how the pull out that led to 13 American military deaths went, including Jackson Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum.
On the Israel-Gaza war, Harris said she supports a two-state solution and said there must be an equal amount of security provided to both sides.
Trump said this war never would have started if he was president, nor the Ukraine War with Russia, which Trump said he could stop within 24 hours of becoming president by speaking with both sides. He wouldn’t say whether it’s in the best interest of the U.S. for Ukraine to win the war.
“That is a war that is dying to be settled,” he said.
Harris said the war would be over quickly if Trump won the presidency because he would allow Russia to win. She said this would set off a domino effect of Russia expanding further and claimed Russia President Vladimir Putin would eat Trump for lunch.
Trump countered that because of Harris’ poor negotiating skills, the war was allowed to begin.
He also said Harris hates both Israel and the Arab population of Gaza.
Trump bristled when Harris criticized his rallies, pointing out how some of his attendees often leave before their over from “exhaustion and boredom.” He countered that “no one” goes to Harris’ rallies in the first place.
“We have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics,” he said.
Harris made a point of shaking Trump’s hand to start the debate, which Trump appeared to try and avoid doing.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
