Trump appears to exhibit apprehension towards another televised face-off.
Majority of viewers consider Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris to have held her ground during the TV debate against Republican nominee Donald Trump. However, Trump himself has proclaimed victory and isn't too keen on participating in another public dispute.
The elderly Republican presidential hopeful, Trump, is remaining flexible about a second debate. He argued, "If you win a TV duel, you don't necessarily have to repeat it." He hinted, "Let's see what transpires." Following the debate, Trump launched criticisms against the hosting broadcaster, ABC, accusing it of unfair treatment and advocating for the revocation of its broadcasting license.
In their first-ever TV debate on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia, both Trump and Harris, his Democratic opponent, participated in a heated exchange. Trump displayed signs of agitation at certain points, looking frustrated and taking a defensive stance. On the other hand, Harris directly confronted Trump and maintained her composure throughout. This encounter served as a significant milestone for Harris, as she was relatively new to the White House race.
The contest signaled the beginning of the high-stakes phase of the presidential election, slated for November 5th. A CNN survey found that 63% of registered voters deemed Harris the victor, while already 37% supported Trump. A YouGov poll yielded identical results, with 54% acknowledging Harris' victory and 31% recognizing Trump's. The overall impact of the debate on the election remains to be observed. Currently, Harris and Trump are closing in on each other in public opinion polls.
Trump published triumphant poll results on his digital platform, Truth Social, claiming victory. However, these surveys were exclusively online polls or viewer votes from certain media outlets, not truly representative.
Trump's Moderator Preference
No definite date for a second debate has been set as of yet. Immediately following the initial contest, Harris proposed a sequel. Earlier, Trump made his stance on additional debates clear, expressing a preference for Fox News. Post the debate, Trump rang in to Fox News' morning show, stating that Fox News-suggested moderators, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, should not oversee any forthcoming debates. Trump suggested alternative hosts from Fox News, such as Jesse Watters, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity, all ardent supporters of Trump who regularly lambast Democrats.
Trump, on the other hand, accused ABC, the Philadelphia debate's hosts, of being the "most deceitful" broadcasting station. He vented that the debate was practically a three-versus-one scenario due to the two moderators, who fact-checked some of Trump's statements in real-time and tagged them as false.
Meanwhile, Harris' camp, including her running mate, Tim Walz, is thrilled about Taylor Swift's endorsement and has started selling Harris-Walz friendship bracelets. TSwifties, Swift's enthusiastic fanbase, tend to wear friendship bracelets to promote positivity. Swift disclosed shortly afterward the debate that she would vote for Harris in November. This is a significant advantage for the Democrat, as Swift enjoys substantial sway among her fanbase, particularly young women, an integral voting demographic.
Trump appeared unpleased by Swift's endorsement. He said, "She has a history of supporting Democrats. And for that, she might face consequences in her career." He is not a fan of Swift, he added. A few weeks ago, Trump shared AI-generated portraits on his online platform, claiming they depicted Swift and her fans backing him. These images prompted Swift to voice her political opinions. Trump's vice-presidential nominee, J.D. Vance, disparaged Swift, asserting she's a billionaire with no connection to the concerns and problems of the average American.
The Democrats, led by Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, are reportedly eager for a second debate following their initial encounter with Trump. Despite Trump's displeasure with Swift's endorsement of The Democrats, many polls suggest that both candidates are closing in on each other in public opinion polls, with a majority of viewers considering Harris to have held her ground during their first debate.
