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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Temple chapter.

One of the best things about attending Temple University is that its main campus is in Philadelphia, one of the most eventful cities in the United States. On the second Tuesday in September, Temple students and other Philadelphians were lucky enough to be in the proximity of the 2024 Presidential debate. 

While some treated this like a late-night comedy show, it was still a major, historical event that won’t happen for another 4 years. The second debate for the 2024 presidential debate took place on September 10th at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center. This debate was significant because we now have a female presidential candidate representing the democratic party. For almost a decade, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have been the primary candidates. However, due to recent health issues, Biden dropped out, giving Kamala Harris (the former Vice President) a chance to make history as the first female president of the United States. 

Although this isn’t the first instance where a female has run in a presidential election, it is somewhat intriguing to see a new face enter the race. It feels as if we’ve been fighting the same battle the past two elections due to the recurring candidates. While familiarity isn’t inherently bad, many find that fresh perspectives bring more excitement to the campaign and debates. A significant portion of viewers, for example, felt Kamala Harris “won” the recent debate, even though debates don’t have official winners. This is because of a poll that was taken of debate watchers and registered voters. The poll shows that Harris performed better than Trump by twenty-six percent. I believe this mainly has to do with how well Kamala probably prepared for the debate as well as how unprepared Trump seemingly was. Although he may have gained popular opinion by repeating snippets from his rallies, he seemed to have used the same format for the debate- which inevitably might have been his downfall. 

Trump used “sound bites” which looked to not hold over well in an official, presidential debate. When he was asked a question about immigration he replied “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs… they’re eating the pets of the people that live there”. This quote from Trump is interesting to think about because many believe that he should have done well with the topic of immigration. Instead, he threw a curve ball and went with an outdated, and what I view as racist, conspiracy. This was not the only instance when this happened. When Harris stated that she was in support of taxpayer-funded medical care for transgender individuals, he replied with “Now she wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.” His reasoning for this comment was because of a questionnaire Kamala filled out in 2019 that said she was in support of all U.S. citizens, including inmates, getting treatment for transgender operations if they wish to do so. Although Trump might not have answered the questions perfectly, his confidence in his “concepts” keeps his supporters and fandom faithful.  

Meanwhile, I feel that Harris answered almost every question with thought and reason. This is not to say that she had a correct answer for every single question or that she didn’t stretch the truth like her opponent, but it seemed like she did show a certain care and sincerity in her answers. No matter what was thrown at her, I noticed that she remained calm and delivered her answer with ease. Though some have previously speculated that she was receiving the answers through a speaker in her earring, I believe she was just well-prepared. The opponents only get around a minute to answer each question, so I reason that Kamala would not have enough time to answer the questions fully if someone was telling her the answer. I think Kamala just has real thoughts and opinions on the matters discussed at the debate- as well as the future of the United States. Just because someone is well prepared and exceeds expectations does not mean they are cheating.  

The 2024 presidential debate in Philadelphia marked a historic moment, with Kamala Harris emerging as a strong contender against Donald Trump in my eyes- largely due to her preparation and composure. While I feel that Trump leaned on familiar tactics, Harris’s thoughtful responses resonated with many, signaling a shift in the political landscape. 

Lily Konnovitch is a staff writer for the Her Campus at Temple University. Lily writes for the “Campus Life and News section”. She writes pitches and content to educate and entertain the audience and readers. Not only is Lily a part of Her Campus, but she also is a passionate journalism major with a future in environmental science at Temple University. Lily brings a unique perspective to her role, aiming to blend her love for storytelling with her commitment to sustainability. Lily’s passion for environmental science and journalism has led her to look at careers such as environmental writer, grant writer for environment science, and journalist who specializes in environmental studies. Lily has a love for skiing in the winter and beach outings in the summer. These hobbies not only provide a balance to her academic and journalistic pursuits but also align with her passion for environmental issues. In her free time, you can find Lily exploring new places, watching a good documentary, or curled up with a good book. With her positive attitude and writing skills, Lily is set to make a meaningful impact on the campus community.