Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump engaged in their first debate on Tuesday, a significant encounter with only eight weeks remaining until Election Day.

The debate was hosted by
at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The 90-minute showdown was filled with animated zingers and tense exchanges on key policy issues facing the American people.

Harris aimed to present herself as a fresh face of leadership with a history of success, while Trump attempted to label her as a far-left Democrat and continued to criticize the Biden administration.

Here are some key takeaways from the debate.

Harris put Trump on defensive early on

The vice president immediately went on the offensive against Trump.

"Our goal is to build on the hopes and dreams of the American people," Harris stated at the start of the debate. "But let me be clear, you're going to hear a lot of the same old tactics tonight: lies, grievances, and insults."

Harris later subtly mocked Trump's rallies, suggesting that attendees often leave early due to "exhaustion" from his lengthy speeches. These speeches often include unconventional claims, such as windmills causing cancer or references to fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter. Trump quickly defended his events and crowd sizes, boasting that his rallies are the "largest" and "most impressive" in political history.

Following Trump's criticism of crime rates in the country, Harris responded by pointing out the irony of his comments, given his own history of facing criminal charges. Trump has denied all wrongdoing in these cases.

Trump continues attacks on -- Biden

Trump, who struggled to adapt his campaign strategy when Harris became the Democratic nominee, continued to criticize Biden and frequently sought to connect Harris with Biden's performance in office. This focus was particularly evident on issues like the economy, immigration, and foreign policy.

"She is Biden," he declared. "We have the worst inflation ever, a terrible economy because inflation has made it so bad, and she can't escape that."

Harris, who has backed many of Biden's positions while also putting forward her own economic plans, swiftly responded, "It's clear that I'm not Joe Biden, and I'm certainly not Donald Trump. And what I offer is a new style of leadership for our nation."

In the "spin room" with reporters after the debate, Trump continued his attacks on the Biden-Harris administration's record.

"She's trying to distance herself from Biden, and she couldn't manage that tonight," he stated.

Did Harris succeed in introducing herself to viewers?

A crucial question leading into the debate was whether Harris could effectively introduce herself to voters who say they don't feel they know her or her positions well enough.

A recent New York Times/Siena College poll revealed that a significant portion of likely voters (28%) and registered voters (31%) expressed a need for more information about Harris as a candidate. These numbers were even higher among independent voters, with 41% of registered independents and 38% of likely independent voters indicating they wanted to learn more about her.

Harris began her initial response to a question about the economy by sharing that she was raised in a middle-class family by her mother. She also drew on her experience as a prosecutor, highlighting her work against transnational criminal organizations. Furthermore, she mentioned her presence at the U.S. Capitol during the pro-Trump mob attack on January 6th.

Harris also highlighted some of her key policy proposals, including her commitment to reproductive rights and economic plans like expanding the Child Tax Credit and assisting first-time homebuyers. She also emphasized that both she and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, are gun owners and would not advocate for gun confiscation.

While neither candidate delved deeply into policy details, Harris sought to draw a clear distinction between her vision and what she believes Trump's proposals would mean for the country.

"I offer a new approach to leadership, one rooted in a belief in possibilities, a sense of optimism about what we can achieve, instead of constantly criticizing our nation," she stated.

Meanwhile, Trump contended that Harris is a "radical left-wing liberal" and challenged her on some of her policy changes regarding police funding, fracking, and other issues since her 2019 Democratic primary campaign.

Trump still refuses to concede he lost the 2020 election

Trump attempted to clarify his recent statements in which he seemed to acknowledge his 2020 election loss, including his remark last week that he "lost by a narrow margin."

"Did I say that?" Trump questioned on the debate stage when his statement was repeated back to him.

"Are you now acknowledging that you lost in 2020?"
moderator David Muir asked.

"Absolutely not," he stated. "That was said in a sarcastic manner."

When questioned about the peaceful transfer of power, Trump did not express regret for his actions on January 6, 2021. He claimed he had "nothing" to do with what occurred that day, which culminated in an attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Race comes up, but not gender

This is the second time Trump is campaigning against a woman for president. Harris' gender was not discussed during the debate, although her race was.

When asked by moderators about his previous false claims about her racial identity -- including that Harris, who is Black and South Asian, "happened to turn Black" -- Trump said he "couldn't care less."

"I'm not concerned about her race. It doesn't matter to me," he said. "Whatever she identifies as is fine with me."

When pressed, Trump insisted on his statement, saying he had read that she wasn't Black, and then that she was.

"It's fine. I was happy with either option. That's her decision. It's entirely up to her," he stated.

When asked for her opinion, Harris launched into an attack, but didn't focus on herself. Instead, she highlighted Trump's false claims about former President Barack Obama's birthplace and pointed out that "he was investigated for refusing to rent property to Black families" to paint him as divisive and unfit for the presidency.

"Frankly, I find it tragic that someone who has consistently tried to exploit racial divisions throughout their career wants to be president," she stated. "I believe Americans deserve better than this."

"This presidency is the most divisive in our country's history," Trump countered.