In their first (and potentially last) debate yesterday night, presidential candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and convicted felon Donald Trump had a chance to address America — and each other — while sharing their stances on the most pressing issues in the election.
Well, that was the intention, at least.
Despite the best efforts of moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis, Trump spent nearly the entirety of his allotted airtime rambling, ignoring questions, looking orange, and lying.
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That said, no one-liner was as bizarre, disturbing, or hilariously wrong as his assertion that Harris “wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.”
Yes, that’s an actual thing he said.
While the 78-year-old convicted felon ranted, Harris watched with amusement and a facial expression that said, “This man is so wrong, and we are going to debunk him.”
According to the New York Times, Trump was trying to reference Harris’ responses to a 2019 American Civil Liberties Union survey in which she voiced support for “policies ensuring that federal prisoners and detainees are able to obtain medically necessary care for gender transition.” You know, an expansion for LGBTQ+ rights.
Still, it’s a pretty irrelevant statement to spin, considering the response was written during Harris’ campaign for the 2020 Democratic primary. Furthermore, her communications director said she is not “proposing or running on” the stance.
Most importantly, how are aliens involved in any of this?!
It seems Trump’s entire sentence was concocted by the far-right to spark outrage, fear, and anti-wokeness without any context or importance. Like a GOP nightmare game of Mad Libs.
So naturally, Gay Twitter X™ had a field day riffing on Trump’s blunder… and imagining what these apparent aliens would look like.
Trump’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues
Trump’s statement is so absurd that it would almost be funny if it didn’t come at such a dire time for LGBTQ+ rights and the trans community specifically.
And considering Trump’s record on gay rights during his time in the White House, a GOP win could have disastrous effects on the future of queer Americans.
Minutes after his 2017 inauguration, his administration deleted any mention of LGBTQ+ rights from federal websites.
This set the tone for the rest of the presidency, where he made a concerted effort to erase transgender people by rolling back protections against discrimination, restricting access to gender-affirming care, and withholding funds from schools that allowed trans athletes to compete on teams consistent with their gender identities.
Needless to say, a second Trump administration would be even more hostile and harmful.
Harris’ stance on LGBTQ+ issues
On the other hand, Vice President Harris has a longstanding history of supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
In 2022, she worked with the Biden administration to enact the Respect for Marriage Act, which requires state and federal governments to recognize same-sex marriages. Plus, her support for LGBTQ+ unions goes back to 2004.
Additionally, the Biden-Harris administration proposed changes to Title IX that would prohibit “outright bans on transgender athletes,” and she’s publically advocated for transgender people’s rights to use their preferred bathrooms.
Harris also opposes Don’t Say Gay laws and has continually championed the Equality Act.
And on a trivial note, she is well-versed in the ways of “Padam Padam” by Kylie Minogue.
Whether the debate makes an impact on the election is to be seen, but it’s encouraging to see a politician like Harris calling Trump out on his BS, one easily debunked and overblown statement at a time.
Check out some of the funniest reactions to Trump’s outrageous debate moment below.
Related*
5 times Kamala Harris absolutely ATE Donald Trump on last night’s debate stage
Kamala sure knows how to put the “ATE” in debate!
abfab
“I went to the Wharton School of Finance, and many of those professors — the top professors — think my plan is a brilliant plan. It’s a great plan.”
Katy Milkman, a Wharton professor, tweeted on X after the back-and-forth between the opponents, “Hi! @wharton Prof here. Show me the many colleagues who say Trump’s plan is any good? I count 0!”
abfab
Mr. Trump is virtually incomprehensible on the topic of climate change. On Tuesday night, he said he was a “big fan” of solar power but then complained that solar farms take up too much space. He has railed against electric vehicles but then also said he was a “big fan” after receiving an endorsement from Elon Musk, the head of Tesla. Asked about global warming, the former president typically says the greater threat is “nuclear warming,” by which he seems to mean nuclear war.
War On Free Speech
Where is the lie?
From CNN September 9, 2024:
“As Kamala Harris pivots to the political center in her campaign for president, a 2019 questionnaire from a leading civil rights organization spotlights her past support for left-wing causes such as taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries for detained immigrants and federal prisoners.”
War On Free Speech
Just so you know….
Our former president signed the PACT ACT (Preventing Animal Cruelty & Torture Act) into law a few years ago. It makes animal abuse and cruelty a federal felony.
This is especially poignant since our pets and ducks are being eaten by illegal migrants that Kammie has invited into our country.
abfab
Waron, keep on trying. Harder.
dmarcus
Girl are you on smack? Harris wants to allow trans immigrants the OPTION to continue their transition. Trump is implying that Harris is forcing illegal immigrants to transition. Also it’s so weird that Trump is trying to get immigrants votes when Republicans have continuously spread lies and false narratives about immigration/ immigrants. It’s also weird that Republicans have to lie about immigrants to scare idiots to vote. And there is NO proof that Haitian immigrants are stealing pets and eating them. Also many states have strict laws (including federal) about animal abuse years before Trump took office.
Eternal.Cowboy
I wouldn’t call it a lie but certainly misleading. People are U.S. custody are provided healthcare. For people with Gender Dysphoria there is a medical standard of care that can includes gender affirming surgery. Harris said that she supported providing the standard of care recommended by medical professionals including gender affirming surgery. Saying you are going to provide the medical care recommended by medical professionals is very different than Harris wants to operate on people. The way it was phrased made it sound like the patience of their doctors had no say in the matter and that she was going to be performing the surgery herself.
To be fair to Trump, misrepresenting an opponent isn’t unique to him. Harris misrepresented his bloodbath comment in the debate. That said, if you are going to do it then it should be a subject that people are at least familiar with in passing. No one is aware of a questionnaire that Harris filled out for the ACLU in 2019. Further, if you are going to pick something people are not familiar with then you have to set it up for them. So he should have mentioned the questionnaire. Lastly, the phrasing was beyond hyperbole and just sounded ridiculous. So the entire point he was trying to make was lost and people are focusing on how silly it sounded. This is why candidates should prepare for debates. Having a crafted statement is going to be way more effective than just blurting something out had hoping the people follow along.
As for the pets and ducks, there is literally no evidence of that claim. JD Vance pushed it and then admitted wasn’t true but suggested people push it none the less. That approach totally backfired since Trump blindly repeated what he had seen.
These were both unforced errors on the part of the Trump campaign.
Bosch
“This is especially poignant since our pets and ducks are being eaten by illegal migrants”
Wow. Just wow.
SoPluckyWhat
I had duck for dinner yesterday…..oh no! Could it have been Daffy Duck I ate!?
Jon Davidson
I think it’s important for people to understand that the Supreme Court ruled back in 1976 in case entitled Estelle v. Gamble that when the government is deliberately indifferent to a detained person’s serious medical condition (which gender dysphoria is) by knowingly denying the detained person medically necessary care (which surgery may be if other treatments are not effective to relieve someone of gender dysphoria), that is a violation of the 8th Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. That’s because people who are being held by the government cannot obtain medical care except from the government. They can’t leave where they are being held to obtain treatment and they can’t arrange to have a medical provider come to where they are detained to treat them. Knowingly denying them medically necessary care is therefor punishing them by cruelly requiring them to suffer rather than providing treatment and it is unusual for any civilized society to deny someone being held by the government medical care they need and cannot obtain except for the government providing it (even at “taxpayer expense”). This is established law. So, Trump was attacking Harris (and CNN and the New York Times fed this through their sensationalist reporting) for saying she would comply with the law. He offensively uses “illegal aliens” and tries to whip up outrage by coupling anti-immigrant and anti-trans sentiments. But people should not be running away from how such care is constitutionally required. This is not a “left-wing cause” and it is not an “expansion of LGBTQ+ rights.” It is established law.
WillParkinson
Free speech shouldn’t include ignorant comments.
Brian
Some of his stranger claims are getting even less coverage. He has also said that thousands of children have been kidnapped, they go missing for days, and then they return a different gender. For that to be true, lots of weird stuff would need to be true — where are the 911 recordings?, where are the amber alerts?, where are the police reports?, where is any proof of a crying parent?, who pays for the surgery?, whose insurance card is shown?, are doctors doing it for free?, etc. Nobody is really kidnapping them. It’s just a lie.
barryaksarben
he also said the other day in a speech that kids are going to school where they operate on them and chang their gender before sending them home. I would hope thy sent a note with them. he is insane
abfab
Donald Drumpf (Trump)
and
Melania Knavs (Knauss)
Aliens who were ashamed of thier names.
Kangol2
So much of what DJT says is so out there the “liberal” media have just given up trying to fact check it. In a 24-hour period before the debate he talked again about Hannibal Lecter, wished the Virgin Mary Happy Birthday (?), slurred a number of words (Briar for Brian, Tampom for Tampon, etc.), forgot supporter Gov. Doug Burgum’s name, claimed schools were performing transgender surgeries on kids, called Elon musk “Leon,” and more. He’s clearly not all there. If people called for Biden to step down (not just from the race), it’s long past time for DJT to clear out. Voters, take first dibs and then someone needs to get him the help he needs. Badly.
War On Free Speech
Another one of my comments deleted. It must be great not being censored and deleted.
Being a former Democrat, I would have fit right in here in my youth. I find it disturbing that only one poster objected to the lack of free speech on this site. Not very liberal of you.
abfab
Our liberal hearts bleed for you.
Bosch
“I find it disturbing”
No you don’t. You find it annoying that you don’t get the attention you want. There’s a difference.
War On Free Speech
You apparently believe in two classes. Those that have free speech and those that are denied it. Be honest.
Liberals (which are becoming more and more rare) have always believed in free speech. You fit right in with our current president who pressured and colluded with social media companies to silence the voices of millions of Americans.
War On Free Speech
@Kangol2
Considering your president has exhibited these qualities for a number of years and not once did you voice any concerns gives you zero moral authority to render judgment on anyone else.