Has Kamala Harris Entered Her Policy Era?

When former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris walked onto the debate stage at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center on September 10, it took mere seconds for the night’s first viral moment. Harris, instead of walking to her lectern, first approached her rival, shaking his hand. “Let’s have a good debate,” said the VP. “Nice to see you. Have fun,” responded Trump. 

Soon, the internet was calling Harris’s decision to shake Trump’s hand a “power move” that threw Trump off. But the night was full of memorable moments: Trump claiming that undocumented immigrants were “eating the pets” in Ohio or that he had “concepts of a plan” on healthcare. Or the VP responding, “Clearly, I am not Joe Biden,” after Trump claimed that she, in fact, was the President. Taylor Swift, signing off as “childless cat lady,” soon after the debate, endorsed Harris.

The internet chatter on Trump’s remarks is fun, but won’t necessarily win her the election. And Harris knows that. On a question about Trump saying she was “always Indian” and “turned” Black, Harris didn’t take the bait. “Let’s talk about our plans,” Harris said. “That’s the kind of conversation…that people really want tonight.” The VP is right, but Tuesday’s debate didn’t always deliver those conversations.