Kamala Harris took center stage in the latest U.S. presidential debate, delivering a strong and assertive performance that many Democrats felt was in sharp contrast to Joe Biden's previous faltering appearance. For supporters who gathered at watch parties across the country, Harris’ approach—marked by her tenacity in confronting former President Donald Trump—was a rallying point.
Harris’s assertiveness, as opposed to Biden’s more subdued showing in June, was particularly noted. Alina Taylor, a 51-year-old high school special education teacher, said Harris "prosecuted Donald Trump" and characterized Trump’s performance as lacking coherence. Gathering in Philadelphia at a watch event hosted by the Salem Baptist Church, Taylor and others cheered as Harris dismantled Trump’s claims and pushed back forcefully against his attacks.
In Seattle, viewers gathered at a queer nightclub to watch Harris spar with Trump. The crowd responded enthusiastically, especially when the debate moderator fact-checked Trump's incorrect assertions, such as his false claim about states legalizing infanticide.
However, not all viewers were swayed by Harris’s assertiveness. In Tennessee, Sarah Frances Morris, a Trump supporter, felt that Trump had the upper hand on topics like border security. She appreciated his ability to outline concrete plans and was less convinced by Harris, despite acknowledging the historic nature of her candidacy as the first Black woman running for president.
Young voters also had their say. UC Berkeley student Dushant Puri, 19, found Harris’s handshake with Trump at the start of the debate significant, seeing it as a symbol of her confidence. Fellow student Angel Aldaco, 21, noted that Harris came prepared, showing greater clarity in her messaging compared to Biden’s previous debate performance.
One of the more unusual moments in the debate was Trump’s promotion of a baseless conspiracy theory about immigrants stealing and eating pets, which left many viewers, including Aldaco, incredulous and amused by Harris’s reaction.
For some Democrats, Harris’s performance didn’t just reassure; it energized them. Ikenna Amilo, an accountant attending a Democratic watch party in Portland, Maine, said Harris’s ability to "poke" Trump revealed the former president’s inability to remain composed under pressure. Others, like Annetta Clark, 50, from California, found the debate a relief from what they saw as Biden's earlier struggles, characterizing Harris’s showing as "fabulous."
Despite concerns about whether Harris swayed independents or moderate Republicans, her supporters were heartened by her determination and poise in confronting Trump. Harris’ calls for a reduction in political divisiveness, while simultaneously criticizing Trump’s policies, struck a chord with Democrats like Natasha Salas, 63, who saw the vice president as someone who could bridge the nation’s deep political divides.
Beyond the U.S., interest in the debate crossed borders. In Tijuana, Mexico, migrants watched the debate closely, with one Palestinian asylum-seeker, Rakan al Muhana, speaking out when the candidates touched on Israel and Palestine. Having fled Gaza with his family, al Muhana lamented Trump’s perceived lack of empathy toward Palestinian refugees.
As the campaign continues, Harris's assertiveness on the debate stage has given Democrats fresh confidence, though the race remains fiercely contested. Both candidates now return to the campaign trail, with the election looming ever closer
