'Right now, Kamala Harris seems to have an edge, but we still have two months to go, and if she loses, it will be because of illegal immigration.'
The much-anticipated presidential debate between former President Donald J Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris captivated not just people in the US but the world over.
Many waited, raising pressing questions about what does Kamala Harris stand for and what are her plans and policies.
Whether her policies would resonate with America's undecided voters.
With millions still on the fence, this debate offered a chance for many to familiarize themselves with her views, marking a crucial moment in her campaign.
For Trump, this was his second debate in the current election campaign, though his experience with Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in previous elections put him at an advantage.
For Harris, stepping into the debate spotlight was her first time in this election -- and under particularly high stakes.
Harris was thrust into the role following a disastrous first debate that had prompted Democrats to replace Biden with her.
Shortly after the debate, Republican social media was already buzzing with complaints about the ABC News' moderators, accusing them of bias.
Elon Musk, a notable voice in Trump's camp, even tweeted late in the evening, 'While I don't think the debate hosts were fair to Donald Trump, Kamala Harris exceeded most people's expectations tonight.'
Ohio Senator Niraj Antani, however, stood firm in his defense of Trump's performance, dismissing the notion that any bias impacted the former president's ability to deliver his message.
"I think President Trump resoundingly won the debate," Antani stated confidently.
"He held his ground on every question, providing a policy path forward to fix problems faced by Americans. Kamala Harris didn't give one policy solution, instead only attacking President Trump."
Kamala's preparation was evident. She began with a sharp disclaimer, warning viewers: 'He will have a lot of lies, grievances, and name-calling.'
Articulate and confident, she laid out her policies on women's health, immigration, and foreign policy.
Trump, in contrast, avoided even looking directly at Harris throughout the debate, relying instead on a repetitive one-note rebuttal strategy, focusing heavily on the issue of illegal immigration.
His finger-pointing was directed at the moderators or sideways at Harris.
Jeevan Zutshi, a long-time Democrat and founder of the Indo-American Community Federation, reflected on Trump's performance, "Trump was right about the current state of affairs and how the US is suffering on account of illegal immigration, border security, inflation, and crime. But when he was asked how he would get the millions of illegal immigrants out of the US, he had no answer."
One of the most divisive issues of the night was abortion, with the two candidates offering starkly different views.
Priya Samant, CEO and Co-founder Abris Inc, an AI startup, remarked, "Kamala Harris provided thoughtful responses on critical issues -- from the economy and women's health to immigration, foreign policy, and climate change -- demonstrating her capability to lead. I am an immigrant from the world's largest democracy, India, having a population of 1.4 billion people. In my home country, women have more access to abortion services than in the US, one of the oldest democracies."
Harris, through calm articulation and policy depth, managed to exceed the expectations of many who had been unsure of her candidacy.
Trump, stuck to familiar points, though his avoidance of direct engagement with Harris and lack of specific plans for some of the issues he raised left lingering questions.
Dr Sampat Shivangi, a Republican delegate, shared his nuanced take on Kamala Harris's debate performance, reflecting a mix of admiration and reservation.
"We like Kamala, but I don't think she likes India. That is the problem," he remarked, alluding to Harris's perceived distance from her Indian roots.
Regarding her debate demeanor, Dr Shivangi expressed surprise at Harris's assertiveness.
"She was overly aggressive. I was surprised. But of course, she has been a public prosecutor and (California's) attorney general, so she knew how to respond to President Trump."
However, he noted that she sidestepped addressing her identity when it was brought up.
Despite these observations, he admitted, "She has a good chance to win. Most of the women are looking to vote for a woman candidate. However, White Americans are very committed to Trump."
Though loyal to Trump, Dr Shivangi also praised Harris's civility, "She did good in the debate, I'm honest about that. It was nice of her to go up to him and shake his hand."
His remarks displaying the American voter sentiment, where respect for a candidate's skill can coexist with loyalty to another.
With 56 days to go before the election, Kamala Harris made sure to reiterate her key plans multiple times during the debate: A $6,000 child tax credit for young families, a $50,000 financial cushion for small businesses, and $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.
Reflecting on the debate, Priya Samant noted, "Vice President Harris remained composed, articulate, and prepared with a comprehensive plan for America's future. Former President Trump focused on crowd sizes and rally numbers."
While Harris's preparedness and composure were noted by many pundits, Antani remained unconvinced that her performance would shift the electoral needle, especially among undecided voters.
"I would disagree with the premise," he remarked when asked about her influence on fence-sitters, particularly women voters.
"I don't think she did what she needed to do to sway any independent voters."
Ramesh V Kapur, founder and president of the US India Security Council Inc and who has previously organized fundraisers for Harris, used a colorful analogy to describe the debate: "The cat lady was playing with the rat all night. That should explain everything."
He went on to add, "Today will be the first time Joe Biden will be so proud of his decision to pick her as Vice President and to step aside from this race."
Though he acknowledged that Harris is weak on foreign policy, he believes she handled it well, remarking, "All she needs is a good secretary of state."
Kapur was especially impressed by Harris's pointed remark about Russia's President: "Putin will eat you for lunch."
For him, the significance of Harris's potential presidency resonated deeply: "You know how huge that is, my friend? For our kids and grandkids, they will never be bullied. They won't be told their food smells. We can look into their eyes and say, 'You can be President,'" he said.
As Republicans and Democrats each try to claim victory for their candidate during and after the debate, a few voices offer a more balanced perspective, like Prime Minister Narendra Modi's longtime friend, Dr Bharat Barai.
"Both performed well; they stuck to their points," Barai observed.
"People had concerns about how Kamala Harris would perform, as she hadn't participated in many debates before. She did well, put forth her points, and appeared self-confident. Trump was aggressive, stuck to his points, and as usual, there was quite a bit of exaggeration.
"Right now, Kamala Harris seems to have an edge, but we still have two months to go, and if she loses, it will be because of illegal immigration."
The debate between Kamala Harris and Donald J Trump was as much about optics as it was about substance.
The podiums differed in size -- a taller one for Trump and a shorter one for Harris.
However, by the end of the night, there was no denying who came out looking taller.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
