In one of the most highly anticipated presidential debates in our country’s history, former President Donald Trump stood by his philosophy of emotionally driven rebuttals and personal attacks, whereas Vice President Kamala Harris provided the sophistication and charisma American citizens desired, as she strived to satisfy their appetite for change.

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia was the venue for former President Trump and Vice President Harris’ first in-person meeting. With only 55 days until the presidential election, this event served as many Americans’ first look at how Harris measures up against the former president.

It was a clash of political and personal identities, with Harris coming equipped with substance and forward-looking plans that proved to be too much for the former president, who seemed more focused on sharp, often personal, critiques towards Harris rather than proving he was capable of rising above past grievances and easing voter concerns.

Upon entering, Harris approached the middle of the stage to meet Trump for a handshake, something that did not occur in the previous debate between Trump and President Joe Biden.

However, it didn’t seem like the former president planned on returning the gesture, as he walked straight to his podium, forcing Harris to almost chase him to elicit a proper introduction. This clearly conveyed the kind of approach Trump had taken to the debate.

For Harris, this was a chance for her to not only separate herself from the faults of the Biden administration but to also get Trump on the defensive early.

In her initial statement regarding the economy, the vice president highlighted her middle-class upbringing and explained how her background has given her the obligation to ensure the working class is properly compensated in her proposals, even mentioning a potential $50,000 tax credit for small businesses.

She explained her plans simply and efficiently, leaving herself time to then critique the intentions of the former president. Harris quickly pivoted to Trump having plans to implement a 20% sales tax on basic imported goods and emphasized that a country under Trump is catered to the lifestyles of millionaires rather than the working-class citizens who allow this country to function.

“Donald Trump has no plan for you,” Harris said. “…when you look at his economic plan, it’s all about tax breaks for the richest people.”

Her sure-footed approach forced Trump into a corner. She knew that his ego would not allow him to counter her statements with plans and proposals of his own but instead, he would prioritize defending himself from her attacks.

A key difference between the debate performance of Harris and President Biden was that Harris looked directly into the camera and gave a presentation as if Trump wasn’t even there, refusing to be drawn in by his antics.

When Harris mentioned that economic experts from esteemed institutions such as Goldman Sachs and the Wharton School of Business have publicly shared their insight on how Trump’s economic plan would worsen the economy, Trump quickly downplayed their credibility.

“That’s a soundbite, they gave her that to say,” Trump said.

Trump seemed so determined to prove that Harris was not smart enough to be on the debate stage with him when in reality he played right into her plan.

Harris mentioned the controversial Project 2025 early on in the debate, something that Trump has openly denounced time and time again. What she did by mentioning this proposal was pressure Trump into once again denouncing a project his campaign has urged him to avoid talking about in any context.

Another aspect of this debate that set it apart from previous face-offs between President Biden and Trump was the real-time fact-checking by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. Unfortunately for the former president, this was the perfect solution to his avalanche of misleading claims, one of the most outlandish being made during their conversation on abortion. Trump insisted that Democrats, namely Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz, support the execution of babies after birth, which was quickly shut down by Davis.

Trump’s performance was almost frustrating at times, as he was presented with opportunities by the moderators to share how his administration would differ from the decisions made by the Biden administration and he simply refused to do so.

When asked by Davis how he would negotiate with someone like Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the former president once again answered with absolutely no policy depth.

By leaning on generalities and offering no concrete solutions, Trump set the table for Harris to completely dominate the conversation with specific proposals. At times it seemed like Harris was more familiar with the actions made by the Trump campaign than the former president himself. She used his evasive answers to emphasize gaps in his plan that he was not prepared to defend with sound reasoning.

The Harris campaign has indicated that they would support a second debate between the two candidates, while Trump says he is “less inclined” to participate again.

On the debate stage, Vice President Harris found a fertile ground where she could display her assertiveness and her empathy to the people of this country. She used her personal experiences and accomplishments to not only give herself credibility but prove that she is not far removed from the struggles of ordinary Americans.

This debate showed us one candidate with a clear vision for the future, who is focused on addressing the concerns of minority communities, women, and moderates and another candidate who seemed interested only in defending the prior achievements of his previous administration.

In a presidential race that has been defined by contrast, this event may very well have affirmed Harris as the candidate with the clarity, grace and forward-thinking leadership that America needs so desperately at this moment.