US Elections 2024: Donald Trump-Kamala Harris face off each other in high-stakes presidential debate

US Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took the stage on Tuesday night for their first and only scheduled presidential debate before the November 5 election.

Heading into the debate, there was a question as to how Harris and Trump, who have never met, would greet each other.

Harris settled the issue, definitively. She walked over to Trump at his podium, extended her hand and introduced herself as “Kamala Harris.”

It was a disarming way for Harris to greet a man who has spent weeks insulting her race and gender.

After that, the debate quickly settled into an expected groove. Harris swiftly painted herself as a forward-looking candidate. She predicted Trump at the debate would pull from the “same tired playbook.”

“A bunch of lies, grievances and name calling,” Harris said.

Speaking on economy, Harris said, "I believe in the ambition, the aspirations, the dreams of the American people, and that is why I imagine and have actually a plan to build what I call an opportunity economy."

Responding to Harris, Trump said, "Look, we've had a terrible economy, because inflation, which is really known as a country buster."

(With inputs from Reuters)