NEW YORK: US Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump shook hands on Wednesday at New York’s 9/11 memorial to commemorate the anniversary of the 2001 attacks, briefly putting politics aside hours after they clashed in a fiery presidential debate the previous evening, where Harris emerged as the clear victor according to post-debate polls.
The memorial service provided a stark contrast to the intense and often hostile debate held in Philadelphia, where the Democratic vice president had aggressively challenged the former Republican president. Despite the fierce exchanges during the debate, both candidates appeared to momentarily set aside their differences as they paid respects to the nearly 3,000 victims of the September 11 attacks.
Trump, who arrived at the memorial with a noticeably defensive posture, continued to criticize the debate format in an interview with Fox News, alleging without evidence that the debate was “rigged” against him. He claimed that the moderators failed to correct Harris’s statements with the same vigor applied to his own.
Trump and Harris exchanged a handshake at the memorial, their second encounter in a matter of hours. The first handshake occurred at the beginning of the debate, an unusual gesture initiated by Harris, which was seen as an attempt to set a cooperative tone.
The memorial event also included President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race in July, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who facilitated the greeting between Harris and Trump.
During the memorial, all attendees wore commemorative blue ribbons as they observed a reading of the names of the 9/11 victims. Harris issued a statement emphasizing solidarity with the victims’ families and honoring the heroism displayed by ordinary Americans on that tragic day.
Following the memorial, Harris and Biden traveled to Pennsylvania to visit the site of the hijacked plane crash on 9/11, while Trump was scheduled to address supporters in Arizona. This visit was part of their ongoing campaign efforts as they approach the critical final stretch of the election.
The debate on Tuesday night was characterized by sharp exchanges and personal attacks. Harris effectively challenged Trump on a range of issues, including abortion, and managed to provoke him into defensive and sometimes erratic responses.
A CNN snap poll indicated that Harris was perceived as the better performer, with 63% of respondents rating her performance as superior compared to 37% for Trump. Additionally, a YouGov poll showed Harris presenting a clearer plan, with 43% of respondents agreeing with this assessment.
