The Strategy of Kamala Harris in the Presidential Debate

Kamala Harris wouldn’t be disrespected in the presidential debate against Trump. After months of Trump mispronouncing her name Kamala (pronounced “Comma-la”) as “Kah-Mala”, “Kuh-mala”, or “Kah-Mal-a”, Harris set the record straight. Beginning the debate, Kamala walked directly to Trump, shook his hand, and simply said “Kamala Harris. Let's have a good debate.” 

While this seems like just a handshake and greeting—something debaters have done for decades—the message was clear. She would not be disrespected. 

As a woman, Kamala is in a unique position debating Trump. Trump has been found civilly liable for sexual assault, has reportedly called Kamala Harris a “bitch” in private, and has bragged about groping women in the infamous Access Hollywood tape. He has also demeaned Harris by saying that she recently turned black or by reposting a Truth Social post that claimed Kamala Harris’ career was kickstarted by her former relationship with San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. And recently, he has attacked something as personal as her name—a key piece of a person's identity. 

The handshake was her direct way of addressing that. Trump and Biden didn’t shake hands during their debate, and Trump had no intentions to shake hands in this debate either (he walked directly to his podium.) Kamala, however, went out of her way to reaffirm her identity and name and command respect from a man who has so personally disrespected her in the past. 

Notice Harris's position at Trump's podium. Photo credit: Doug Mills (NY Times)

In her first response to Trump, Kamala made another smart decision—to account for Trump’s attacks before he even got a chance to spew them.“In this debate tonight, you're going to hear from the same old, tired playbook, a bunch of lies, grievances and name-calling”, Harris said. Like an experienced chess player, she was a step ahead. 

Throughout the debate, Kamala used her face as a weapon. When Trump spoke, she often stared at him with a disgusted look. It was as if she was mocking him for being so laughable. And when Trump said something inaccurate, she would often shake her head, smile, or laugh. For example, when Trump claimed that Haitian immigrants were “eating the dogs [and] eating the cats”, Kamala simply laughed and joked, “Talk about extreme.” 

By doing so, she immediately reduced Trump’s comments to that of absurdity. She also controlled the screen and fact-checked Trump without saying a word.

And when Kamala was speaking, she either spoke looking at the camera or, when criticizing Trump, facing him—invoking her experience as a prosecutor. This made Harris appear confident compared to Trump who didn’t return eye contact. 

First three photos are Harris reacting to Trump throughout debate. Last is Harris speaking to the camera. Photo Credit: CNN Debate Youtube video

Trump spoke facing the moderators and often rambled about his common speaking points. To name a few: There are “millions of millions” of migrants illegally immigrating (and they eat pets), Biden is the “worst president in [...] history”, and that once back in office, he will fix everything, ranging from the war in Ukraine to the economy. This was, in typical Trump fashion, accompanied by some self-flattery (he created the “greatest” economy, he did a “phenomenal” job with covid, his rallies are the most “incredible”, he “got the oil business going like nobody has ever done before”, etc.)

Kamala on the other hand seemed focused and dialed in on important issues in a coherent manner. Critics, however, argue she sounded rehearsed and scripted. Here are a few highlights of her talking points: 

The economy. Harris promised tax credits: $6,000 for families and $50,000 for small businesses. She also proposed $25,000 of down payment help for first-time homeowners. She claimed Trump's economic plan would cost middle-class families an extra $4000 per year and that 16 Nobel Laureates agree that Trump's plan would increase inflation and cause a recession by next year. 

Foreign Policy. Harris criticized Trump's leadership saying “world leaders are laughing at [him].” She defended Israel's right to defend itself but noted the war must end and supported a two-state solution. Harris attacked Trump for his “admir[ation]” of dictators and said that if he were president now, “Putin would be sitting in Kyiv.” Kamala also condemned his negotiations with the Taliban and his selling of chips to China. 

Character. Harris noted that many of his former staffers have denounced him, in particular his former secretary of defense who said the US “would never survive another Trump term.” She noted how “rich” Trump’s anti-crime statements are “coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, election interference, [and] has been found liable for sexual assault.” She then moved to condemn his racist past where he “refused to rent property to black families” and “took out a full-page ad in The New York Times calling for the execution of five young Black and Latino boys who were innocent, the Central Park Five.” And she insisted he prioritized politics over America when Trump—by influencing congresspeople— shut down a border bill so that he could “run on a problem.” 

Throughout the debate, Kamala seemed to have a strategy of attacking Trump’s soft spots to provoke him. For example, Trump often brags about his rallies and his crowd sizes, so Kamala noted that “people start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.” Trump is also very proud of his wealth and business acumen, so Kamala joked that she, unlike Trump, wasn’t “handed $400 million on a silver platter and [forced to file] bankruptcy six times.” And Kamala repeatedly attempted to attack his masculinity. She told him that dictators “manipulate you with flattery and favors” and that Putin would “eat you for lunch”, characterizing Trump as weak and submissive. And she even attacked his ego by noting that he was “fired by 81 million people. [...] and [is] having a very difficult time processing that.” When taken together, her comments undermined Trump’s pride, masculinity, and power. She declared him boring, unmasculine, and hated. And she entirely flipped the dynamics of a typical Trump debate—she was the one with the creative attacks and insults, not Trump. She was the one in charge, not Trump.   

These comments angered Trump who, in defense, declared that his rallies are actually “the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics” and that he actually “was given a fraction of [$400 million]” and that when people see what he has built that into “they are [...] surprised.” These rebuttals, however, only made Trump seem defensive and immature as he attempted to brag about his wealth and the size of his rallies to Harris. 

So, in summary: Harris had a great night. She was able to effectively share her stances on policies and criticize her opponent’s. And she was able to control the stage debating someone who has, for years, dominated debates he has been a part of. With the election just a month away, the polling data remains extraordinarily close. But regardless of the election outcome, the debate was, as Gavin Newsom called it, a masterclass by Kamala Harris.

*This piece is nothing more than an analysis of what Harris did right in the debate. It is not a piece endorsing, agreeing, or disagreeing with Harris’ or Trump’s policies or politics. Cover photo credit: Doug Mills