Trump and Harris go head-to-head in the second presidential debate

Harris and Trump face off on ABC on the issues most pressing to Americans

Anthony Vasek, Nadia Hill, and Callum Standish // September 12, 2024 // 51 Views

An illustration of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump from the debate, in the colors of their political parties. Created by Nadia Hill, Sept. 11.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris took to the stage Tuesday night to debate publicly for the first time. The debate was held by ABC and moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis. It featured muted microphones, and neither candidate was informed of the questions beforehand.

Historically presidential debates have not carried too much weight. However, given President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance and subsequent dropping out, this debate was more highly anticipated.

In the weeks prior to the debate, Trump contested the rules about microphones and the network on which the debate would stream. This was due to concerns over fairness, resulting in Trump threatening not to attend.

Media analysis company Nielsen reported over 67 million users watched last night’s debate, which surpasses the estimated 51.3 million that Nielsen said viewed the CNN Biden Trump debate back in June — although this does not account for those who watched through social media.

Debates serve as a platform for voters to see how candidates act in an unscripted environment, how they think on their feet and how they react under scrutinizing questions. For example, Trump was pressed for his involvement in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Building, and Harris was questioned about her changing views on fracking and private healthcare.

Throughout the debate, Trump maintained focus on the camera during Harris’s allotted time, while Harris emoted through Trump’s statements.

According to a CNN poll, most viewers believed that Harris won 63%-37%. Before the debate, polls were split on who would win.

NBC news reporter Nigel Chiwaya tracked the amount of time each topic was discussed during the debate. Of the total 90-minute run-time, these were the most discussed topics:

Character and fitness — 20:24 minutes
Economy — 10:33 minutes
Abortion — 6:32 minutes
Foreign policy — 5:17 minutes
Healthcare — 4:57 minutes
Russia and Ukraine — 4:44 minutes
Immigration — 4:16 minutes

Anthony Vasek , Callum Standish , Nadia Hill can be reached at [email protected].

To read the article in Spanish, go here.

About the Contributors

Anthony Vasek, News Reporter

Anthony Vasek is a first-year journalism major at Chico State. He is originally from Arcata, which is a smaller town four hours away. He has been working in journalism since 2022, where he first wrote for his high school’s newspaper, The Pepperbox, and later co-ran it as editor-in-chief. Three of his articles have won Jackie Media Awards for his reporting around sensitive topics, such as mental health and LGBTQ+ issues. This is Vasek's first time working at the Orion, and he is looking forward to an invigorating semester!

Nadia Hill, Multimedia Editor

Nadia Hill is originally from Carson City, Nevada, and is in her junior year. Currently, she is double-majoring in journalism, public relations, and studio arts. She is the entertainment and food editor. Both writing and art have captivated her with the field of journalism and is excited to showcase the events in Chico. In her personal time, she enjoys painting, performing and skating.

Callum Standish, Opinion Editor

Callum Standish is a fourth-year journalism and news major from Castro Valley. Standish is in his third semester on The Orion and now serves as the opinion and features editors. He is interested in cars, music, culture and the environment. Standish enjoys exploring the nooks and crannies of Chico on his bicycle and spending time with friends. He loves to meet new people and hear their stories, and has great reverence for our lovely small town. Standish believes there is light and joy in everyone.