Former President Donald Trump traveled to Arizona to declare that he notched a “monumental victory” over “comrade” Vice President Kamala Harris in their first — and likely only — presidential debate.
Meanwhile, during a campaign swing through North Carolina, Ms. Harris called for another debate with Mr. Trump just hours after the Republican presidential nominee shot down the idea.
“Two nights ago, Donald Trump and I had our first debate, and I believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate because this election and what is at stake could not be more important,” Ms. Harris told the crowd.
In Arizona, Mr. Trump shared a different perspective, saying the “low life” debate moderators refused to challenge some of Ms. Harris’ bogus attacks and policy claims but “corrected me on things where I was right.”
“We won big with Republicans, independents, moderates and working people all across this nation putting forward a clear vision to very simply: Make America Great Again,” he said. “Meanwhile, Kamala Harris showed up spewing empty rhetoric, the same old lies, meaningless platitudes, offering no plans, no policies, and no details whatsoever.”
The dueling campaign stops provided a preview of what’s to come in the campaign’s home stretch as Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris focus more of their time and energy on voters in the battleground states.
By most accounts, Ms. Harris bested Mr. Trump in the Philadelphia debate and ABC’s debate moderators helped her. Indeed, the moderators gave Ms. Harris a free pass on her questionable claims and her evolution on fracking, immigration and other issues since the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. The moderators challenged Mr. Trump’s questionable statements.
The jury is out on the overall impact of the debate on the race.
Some political analysts said it spells trouble for Mr. Trump.
Others said it did not move the needle because most voters have already decided, and the small pocket of undecided voters may have yet to tune in.
What is clear is Mr. Trump is not interested in another faceoff.
He told his supporters in Tucson on Thursday that he wiped the floor with Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris.
“So because there have been two debates and they have been successful, there will be no third debate,” Mr. Trump said, backtracking on a previous vow to participate in three debates.
The race now shifts into turning out their respective bases and traveling to key states to woo undecideds.
Ms. Harris holds a slight edge over Mr. Trump in national polling averages. However, they run neck-and-neck in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
In North Carolina, Ms. Harris said Mr. Trump has for years vowed to scrap the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, but still has no plan to replace it.
“He said ’concepts of a plan.’ You all watched the debate?” Ms. Harris said. “No actual plan, concepts — 45 million are insured through the ACA and he’s going to end it based on a concept,” she said.
Mr. Trump said the race is still about the economy, inflation and immigration. He also mocked Ms. Harris’ claim that she is ready to fix the nation’s problems, telling supporters she has been riding shotgun with Mr. Biden since 2021.
“She kept complaining when I am in I am going to do this and do that, and at the end of the debate, I said, ’Why don’t you do it?’” Mr. Trump said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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