Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off in their first presidential debate in Philadelphia on Sept. 10. One moment from the political showdown inside the National Constitution Center caught a lot of people’s attention.
During the ABC News broadcast, debate moderator David Muir asked Kamala Harris about the United States military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan following the 20-year war in the South Asian country.
Harris blasted Trump for his decision to hold negotiations with the Islamic fundamentalist political organization known as the Taliban. The group ruled Afghanistan at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and returned to power in August 2021 following the departure of coalition forces.
Harris agreed with President Joe Biden’s decision to leave Afghanistan. The Howard University graduate also accused Trump of making a “terrible deal” with a “terrorist organization,” referring to the Taliban, while he was in the Oval Office.
“And get this. No, get this. And the president at the time invited the Taliban to Camp David, a place of storied significance for us as Americans, a place where we honor the importance of American diplomacy, where we invite and receive respected world leaders,” Harris said on the debate stage.
“And this…,” she started before pausing to seemingly find an appropriate word to use. She then continued, “This former president as president invited them to Camp David because he does not again appreciate the role and responsibility of the President of the United States to be commander in chief with a level of respect.”
Social media users picked up on Harris hesitating for a second during her answer. Viewers started speculating that the former U.S. senator from California may have stopped herself from using a curse word to describe Trump.
“We almost had the greatest moment in debate history lmao,” an X user tweeted in reaction to Kamala Harris’ viral moment. Another person suggested, “She wanted to call him everything but a child of God, lol.”
Someone on the social networking platform also gave their opinion on what they believed Harris wanted to say. The X poster wrote, “I know that was a b—h. I just know she was finna say, ‘This b—h.'”
In addition, one reaction read, “I was fully prepared for her to drop the MF on live TV.” An advocate for Kamala Harris tweeted, “I loved this moment. Most heard her say that what she didn’t say… Damn, she had to keep her cool. And she did!”
Another observer added, “Ight Trump just got me tight with that “i’m talking now…remember that?” comment. Kamala definitely wanted to curse his a— out.”
Reminder that Kamala Harris’ favorite curse word is a “Motherf***er” and she damn well wanted to use it on Trump for inviting the Taliban to Camp David 💀 #debate2024 pic.twitter.com/vnoFhD4Yvw
— Lynx 💛 (@LustrousLynx) September 11, 2024
Several other clips from the Sept. 10 debate between Harris and Trump took over the internet. For example, Trump saying he had “concepts of a plan” when asked by moderator Linsey Davis if he had a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, led to widespread ridicule online.
At one point, Trump pushed a debunked rumor about Haitian migrants stealing and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. The MAGA leader falsely claimed, “They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
ABC News anchor David Muir fact-checked Trump in real time by telling the 78-year-old politician that the Springfield city manager confirmed there have been no credible reports of pets being stolen and eaten by members of the Haitian community.
According to a CNN flash poll, television watchers chose Kamala Harris as the winner of the presidential debate by a 63% to 37% margin. The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist national poll has Harris (49%) leading Trump (48%) in a very tight race.
Democrat Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as well as Republican Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, are vying to be the next U.S. administration. The 2024 general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
