At Cutters Bar and Grill, the energy from the debate lingered well after Kamala Harris finished. The people of Detroit came out to witness a battle of words and visions. Harris stood her ground. Every response, every jab, showed that she wasn’t there for politics as usual. This was a moment to call out injustice and speak directly to the people.
From the first handshake, Kamala Harris made it clear she was ready. She walked across the stage and introduced herself to Donald Trump. “Kamala Harris,” she said as she extended her hand. He replied, “Have fun,” but the energy between them showed this was not fun for him. Harris moved swiftly into the debate, immediately laying traps that Trump kept falling into.
Her first move was simple but sharp. Harris noted that people had been leaving Trump’s rallies early. She followed that up by pointing out how Trump inherited his wealth. Each moment of the debate was carefully orchestrated, showing that she wasn’t just prepared—she was there to expose the weaknesses in his arguments.
Trump struggled to find solid ground. At one point, he tried to talk about his crowd numbers. “People don’t leave my rallies,” Trump said defensively. The statement fell flat. Harris was quick to smile and pivot the conversation back to the issues that matter. When Trump brought up factually incorrect claims about immigrants, Harris responded with humor and truth. “Talk about extreme,” she said, laughing him off.
Harris focused on pressing Trump to defend his past and his record. Her words were aimed directly at the audience, both in the room and across the nation. She reminded voters of Trump’s ties to dictators like Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin, asking why he would ever associate with leaders who don’t have America’s best interests at heart. “A dictator who would eat you for lunch,” she said, calling out Trump’s past praise for Putin.
Harris didn’t stop there. She drilled down on Trump’s failure to address the needs of Americans. In a pointed statement, she said, “Donald Trump has no plan for you because he is looking out for himself and not for you.” Her words landed hard in Detroit, where the community has seen the impact of failed leadership up close.
The debate covered key topics. One of the most intense exchanges came when the subject turned to abortion rights. Harris seized the moment. She called Trump’s position “insulting to the women of America,” and the room at Cutters felt the weight of her words. In over twenty states, Trump-style abortion bans have gone into effect. Harris was clear: “The government and Trump should not tell people what they should do with their body.” She brought up stories of women forced to carry pregnancies from incest to term, saying firmly, “They don’t want that.”
Harris’s stance on abortion resonated deeply in a city like Detroit, where Black women have faced systemic challenges in healthcare for years. She wasn’t just talking policy—she was advocating for their fundamental rights. “The American people, particularly when it comes to the freedom of their body, do not want the government to have a say-so over it,” she declared.
The debate also covered immigration and border security. Harris addressed the issue head-on, acknowledging the rise in illegal border crossings under the Biden administration. But she didn’t shy away from the complexities, noting that the root causes of immigration need long-term solutions, not rhetoric. Trump, on the other hand, stuck to talking points without offering real answers.
Harris highlighted how she has the endorsements of over 200 Republicans, many of whom worked under Trump. “If you want to know who the former president is, just ask the people who worked for him,” she said. Detroiters, ever practical and pragmatic, understood the significance of that statement. It wasn’t just about party lines. It was about leadership.
As the debate turned to the economy, Harris drove home the point that Trump’s administration had left the country in a trade deficit. “Let’s be clear that the Trump administration was in a trade deficit, one of the highest in the world,” she said. Harris then pointed out Trump’s decision to sell American-made chips to foreign countries, including those that used them to modernize their military. “He sold us out,” she said, cutting through the noise with a simple truth.
The debate also brought up homeownership, an issue that strikes at the heart of Detroit’s community. Harris talked about the need to invest in small businesses and create more opportunities for homeownership. “My values have not changed,” Harris said. “It is important to have a president who has values that are about lifting people up and not beating people down.” Her words spoke directly to the people in the room, many of whom have faced housing instability and the struggle to maintain homeownership in the face of rising costs.
Toward the end of the debate, Harris turned her attention to January 6th and Trump’s role in inciting violence. She called the events of that day a tragedy and reminded the audience that over 140 officers were injured, with some even losing their lives. Trump, in response, tried to brush it off. But Harris wasn’t letting him off the hook. “Let’s not go back,” she said. “It’s time to turn the page.” The people in Detroit understood exactly what she meant. The city has always been about progress, about rebuilding, and about moving forward.
“Donald Trump again made it clear on the debate stage tonight that he intends to implement a dangerous, far-right agenda that would tear apart our democracy and pave the way for fascism,” said Steve James, Political Director at Michigan United Action. “Now, more than ever, progressive voices must rise, mobilize, and bring our communities to the ballot box to stop Trump’s regressive vision.”
Trump’s attempts to rattle Harris during the debate were ineffective. He even tried to question her racial identity, referencing old claims that Harris hadn’t always identified as Black. Harris didn’t flinch. She called it a “tragedy” that Trump uses race to divide the American people. Harris, the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, is no stranger to these types of attacks. “This is the same individual who spread birther lies about the first Black president of the United States,” she said, drawing a clear line between Trump’s past actions and his current rhetoric. Detroit, a city that has faced racial division and economic challenges, knows all too well the impact of leaders who try to divide.
“Tonight, the nation saw a clear choice before them: a Vice President with a clear plan to invest in the hopes, aspirations, and ambitions of the American people or a twice-impeached convicted felon intent on dragging our country backward,” said DNC Chair Jaime Harrison. “While Vice President Kamala Harris spoke of progress and building a brighter future, Trump’s extreme Project 2025 agenda will put his billionaire buddies first and leave working families behind. Vice President Harris’ agenda is people-powered: her plans will lower costs, defend reproductive freedoms, and invest in an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to get ahead. Meanwhile, Trump may claim he only has ‘concepts of a plan,’ but his Project 2025 agenda will continue to divide us, impose extreme and unpopular policies like banning abortion nationwide, and send our country backward. But folks, we’re not going back. This November, we will elect Vice President Harris and Governor Walz and propel our nation forward.”
The debate wrapped up with Harris making a final plea to voters. “Opportunity economy, investing in the economy and small businesses, protecting seniors, bringing down the cost of living, respecting our military—I will be a president to protect our fundamental rights and freedoms,” she said. Harris’s message was clear: she was fighting for the people, for their future, and for their fundamental rights.
As the night ended and the crowd at Cutters began to leave, there was a sense of hope. Kamala Harris didn’t just show up for a debate; she showed up for Detroit. The city that has long been a symbol of resilience and strength saw in Harris a leader who understood the stakes. The road to Election Day is far from over, but Detroit knows one thing for sure: Harris is ready for the fight. And so is Detroit.