As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump took the debate stage Tuesday night the vice president took a direct route straight to the former president with an outreached arm and awkward introduction.
‘Kamala Harris,’ the vice president said, as though her opponent had no idea what her name was. ‘Let’s have a good debate.’
‘Nice to see you,’ Trump responded, ‘have fun.’
It was the first handshake at a presidential debate since Hillary Clinton and Trump’s first debate in 2016.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia
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Though the two had not met, surely the three-time presidential candidate knew what the sitting VP and his primary rival's name, one he's said hundreds of times.
Regardless the former president's allies and those of Harris could not believe what they saw.
'Did she really just say 'Kamala Harris?'' Trump's VP nominee J.D. Vance posted on X in reaction to the awkward meeting.
Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly similarly posted: ''I'm Kamala Harris.' Attempt to be the professional one but actually seems foolish.''
One X user posted: 'Gonna go down as the most awkward handshake in history.'
'Trump went straight to his podium whereas Harris crossed the stage to shake his hand and introduce herself,' another wrote. 'Quite the metaphor for the character of these two candidates.'
Some supporters of Harris believed her pursuit of the handshake was a power move.
It was the first handshake at a presidential debate since 2016
The vice president pursued former President Trump across the debate stage to force him to shake her hand before the two began
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'Yeah...did not seem like he had any intention to shake VP Harris' hand...but she forced his hand (sorry had to say it),' another X user said.
'Trump didn’t even want to shake Kamala’s hand before the debate started,' yet another user posted. 'The foolery is starting already.'
'Donald Trump wasn’t going to shake Kamala Harris’s hand. She forced him to. Dominance. Love it,' wrote Harris ally Shannon Watts.
'Showing that Kamala Harris is a decent person and Trump is a rude nepo baby,' another user said.
But despite the seemingly lukewarm greeting, things got testy quickly and the two began attacking each other on policy and political positioning.
‘She’s a Marxist. Everyone knows she’s a Marxist. Her father’s a Marxist professor in economics. He taught her well,’ Trump said.
Her mic didn’t allow a response, but the VP put her hand on her chin with a look of disbelief.
Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a presidential debate hosted by ABC Tuesday
That came after Trump hit her for flip-flopping.
‘Everything that she believed three years ago and four years ago is out the window,’ he said, adding ‘In fact I was going to send her a MAGA hat.’
Harris blasted Trump for his tweet early in the pandemic thanking Chinese President Xi Jinping. ‘He actually thanked President Xi for what he did during covid,’ she said.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris started off their debate by arguing over the economy.
Harris repeated what she has said many times on the stump, talking fast as she got to speak first in the debate.
‘I am actually the only person on this stage who has a plan that is about lifting up the middle class and working people of America. I believe in the ambition, the aspirations, the dreams of the American people. And that is why I imagine and have actually a plan to build what I call an opportunity economy,’ she said.
Trump hammered her for her and Joe Biden's stewardship of the economy, noting the record-high inflation during their administration.
‘She doesn't have a plan,' he said of Harris. 'She copied Biden's plan. And it's like four sentences, like “Run spot run.”’