We speak to pundits and voters in the battleground state of Georgia to get the latest reaction to the clash. Opinion polls suggest the two candidates’ support is evenly matched, but one in 10 voters are yet to make up their minds. Also on the programme: Mexico is set for a massive change to its judicial system as the country’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, pushes through reforms that will see judges elected by popular vote; and as Kamala Harris wins the coveted backing of Taylor Swift, we hear from one of the founders of ‘Swifties for Trump’. (Picture: A screen displays the debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 10, 2024 Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)
Hello, and welcome back to NewsHour.
Last night's us presidential debate was actually the second between the candidates for November's election.
That the lineup was different this time underlines a potential risk and reward for the candidates.
It was the Republican Donald Trump's televised thrashing of Joe Biden which crystallised the unease many members of the Democratic Party and voters already felt at the prospect of the octogenarian president running for re election.
So last night, it was his successor, Kamala Harris, debating Mister Trump.
It was less dramatic and likely will have a less dramatic, immediate outcome.
But it still delivered moments of clarity about the two candidates, even if there weren't many direct answers to direct questions.
Our Washington correspondent Tom Bateman, was watching face to face historic the ABC News presidential debate in a city that was at the heart of the American Revolution, a debate described by its hosts as this election's most consequential moment.
Good evening.
I'm David Muir, and thank you for joining us for today.
And as it began, it wasn't just the first debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, but the first time they'd met.
Kamala Harris, what's up?
Good debate.
Thank you.
Kicking off on the economy, a key area of vulnerability for the vice president.
I've never seen a worse period of time.
People can't go out and buy cereal or bacon or eggs or anything else.
The people of our country are absolutely dying with what they've done.
They've destroyed the economy.
Vice President Harris, I do want to ask for your response, and you heard what the president said there, because the Biden administration did keep a number of the Trump tariffs in place.