Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris took to the debate stage Tuesday night to participate in the first, and perhaps only, debate ahead of the election.

Donald Trump had his first go-around with debates for this election season in June when he debated President Joe Biden, an event that prompted Biden’s departure from the race. Harris then became the Democratic nominee.

Tuesday’s 90-minute debate, hosted by ABC News and moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis, garnered 67.1 million viewers and generated several meme-worthy moments.

The debate also saw unprecedented rules. Candidates’ microphones were muted after their allotted time to speak, they were not allowed to bring notes nor ask each other questions and there was no live audience present at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Some moments stood out to viewers at home, especially those who may have tuned into the debate for entertainment purposes. 

“They’re eating the cats,” Trump said, while speaking about the perceived threat he sees of immigration. This comment particularly saw waves on social media. 

Zach Frye, a DePaul senior and community organizer in Aurora, Illinois, felt disappointed overall by many moments of the debate, but “a few entertaining soundbites came out of it, which is always appreciated.”

But presidential debates aren’t just a moment for live-tweeting and professional commentary. They also pose a vital opportunity for undecided voters to make their decisions, especially in crucial swing states, such as Pennsylvania, where the debate took place. 

Benjamin Epstein, a DePaul political science professor, said there are still a significant number of undecided voters. 

This can include those who are considering a third party candidate and land more moderate on the political spectrum, according to Epstein.

“Much of the country is much more moderate than the voices we hear the most,” Epstein said.

He said this debate was unique because it gave Harris an opportunity to introduce herself to the American public.

Epstein called Harris “relatively unknown to a lot of people,” which may also impact undecided voters. 

Senior political science student Delaney Kaufman was originally planning to monitor the debate via social media, but tuned in to get a glimpse of Harris’ performance.

“I ended up watching it because I was really interested in seeing how Harris would perform,” Kaufman said of Harris’ first appearance on the debate stage as a presidential candidate and Democratic nominee. 

Others also changed their original debate plans to hear the new candidate’s policies. 

“Initially, I wasn’t planning on watching this debate,” said DePaul sophomore Ben Baker, who was with friends who were watching the debate. When Baker noticed moderators would be live fact-checking the debate, Baker recalled “listening more actively” with his friends.

“Beyond the absurdity of the things Trump was saying, I feel that the debate was actually productive in the sense that I was able to get definitive policies from Kamala Harris that I did not know about previously,” Baker said.

The economy is one of the main areas of concerns for bipartisan voters, but 67% of Democratic voters identify abortion as one of their top issues. 

“I think that Kamala’s abortion answer was perfect,” Kaufman said. “It was emotional and strong, and I think that this is really important to a lot of women on both sides of the aisle.” 

Epstein also complimented Harris’ approach on abortion, saying she was confident about the issue and this is something she has always done well. 

The conversation on abortion resulted in a fact check, when Trump claimed that Democrats allow “‘execution’ of babies after birth.” Linsey Davis noted that post-birth abortions are illegal in all states, even without Roe v. Wade in place. 

Frye, the community organizer, expressed discontent with both candidates’ performances in the debate and said he continues to be disappointed in a two-party system that leaves him without adequate choices.

“The debate did nothing but reinforce my plan on voting third party this election season,” Frye said. “Because at the end of the day, we keep us safe, nobody else does.”

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• President Biden addresses the nation following his withdrawal from the 2024 election
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