Kamala Harris hailed for 'power move' that caught Donald Trump off-guard ahead of presidential debate

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump came face-to-face for the first time on the debate stage in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 10.

As the ABC News moderators introduced the candidates, Harris didn't think twice before approaching Trump for a handshake. The "power" move immediately caught the attention of her fans.

A surprising gesture

Kamala Harris made a beeline for Trump’s podium as the candidates took the stage. She extended her hand and introduced herself by name, adding, "Let's have a good debate." Trump—seemingly caught off guard—responded with a simple, "Good to see you, have fun."

While it was a brief exchange, it spoke volumes. Several prominent Democrats were quick to react, with many praising Harris for her assertiveness.

Democrat attorney and commentator Aaron Parnas was among the first to weigh in. "Kamala Harris going for the handshake is a power move," he posted on X.

This was echoed by Jemele Hill, a contributing writer for The Atlantic: "Trump either wasn't expecting the handshake or he didn't want to do it."

Progressive podcaster Kyle Kulinski added his take, "It looked like Trump didn't want the handshake but Kamala went for it."

The handshake set the tone for the rest of the night, with Harris seemingly holding the upper hand throughout much of the debate. She challenged Trump on critical issues such as abortion rights and the Jan 6 Capitol riots. While Harris frequently turned to address Trump directly, he mostly stared straight ahead and occasionally made eye contact with the camera.

Media figures also began to weigh in on Harris' performance.

"Aggressive pursuit of handshake=good," said MSNBC host Jen Psaki.

CNN’s Abby Phillip remarked, "So far, this debate has been characterized by Kamala Harris dropping a lot of bait and Trump eagerly picking it up and rhetorically wandering around the room."

"She's looking at him with a combination of amusement and pity," wrote Atlantic staff writer Tom Nichols.

Democrat activist Brian Krassenstein added, "Kamala Harris is destroying Trump so far in this presidential debate."

Kamala Harris praised on social media as well

Other supporters on social media also gushed over Harris' handshake with Trump.

"Yes with that handshake Kamala was very mindful, very smart, very cutesy, very very presidential, and very demure… that’s what we want out of a president," one posted on X.

"Kamala's aura is on a MILLION. boy, that opening handshake and tone could've cracked a crock pot in a trap kitchen," a second user gushed.

"When you walk with confidence & offer a hand, vs. when you are so unstable and sway, with your head down, lost & confused," another wrote.

"Women with a lot of senior level experience will recognize the manner in which she walked over to him and introduced herself, as they are used to some men not meeting them halfway, for reasons that pertain to themselves. We are used to doing this and it’s a win," someone else offered.

"I was hoping she won’t offer to shake his hand! Instead let him come to shake hers or not at all! But she’s a classy woman and acted with class! The recipient Trump- well we all know he has no class at all!" read a comment.

"She OWNED him... From the moment she had the bravery to walk up to him, without in any way being intimidated by his stature, and shaking his hand! He was in fact the one who looked intimidated by VP Harris!" another chimed in.

Trump frequently shifted gears during his responses throughout the presidential debate, while both candidates traded sharp insults. Each described the other as a threat to the country’s future. Trump, in particular, focused on tying Harris to President Joe Biden’s administration and slamming the White House's policies on foreign affairs and immigration as "weak," Newsweek reported.

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