Less than an hour before the vice presidential debate, Kamala Harris’ staff warned her about a false and racist social media post by Donald Trump regarding Haitian migrants. During the debate, Trump mentioned the rumor that the migrants were eating pets, to which Harris responded with disbelief and moved on. The bizarre moment led to viral memes and videos and has been turned into a source of momentum by Harris’s team.
While it’s uncertain if the debate will impact the upcoming election, Harris is leveraging her performance by using key points in TV ads and online clips. Trump, who has stated he won’t participate in another debate, faced Harris in the only scheduled debate. Harris prepared for the debate by spending five days in a Pittsburgh hotel, where she rehearsed with aides portraying debate moderators and Trump.
Harris aimed to create opportunities for Trump to have outbursts during the debate by keeping the microphones on at all times. She used her expressiveness and body language to provide silent commentary during the split-screen format of the debate. Despite staff suggestions, Harris declined to practice specific mannerisms for the debate.
Harris rarely left the hotel during preparations except for a few outings, including a visit to a spice store and a walk at a military airbase due to security restrictions. As the debate started, Harris confidently shook Trump’s hand, which helped ease some nervousness among her staff who had witnessed Biden’s previous debate struggles.
Throughout the debate, Harris engaged in mocking and needling Trump, while he missed opportunities to present his case against her. Following the debate, Trump criticized Harris, calling her “the worst vice president in the history of our country.” In her closing statement, Harris emphasized differing visions for the country.
Without a live audience during the debate, Harris sought feedback from her team on her performance as she exited the stage, displaying her focus on continuous improvement and readiness for future challenges.
