In what has otherwise been a close and contentious race, all eyes were on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris at the ABC presidential debate, as many wondered whether they might shake hands before it started. And after the candidates were introduced, Harris approached Trump for a handshake, which Trump reluctantly accepted.
Referring to the importance of the Trump-Harris debate handshake, body language expert and author Frank Navarro wrote for Politico, ” … When Harris initiated the handshake, she embodied her message of unity over divisiveness, and demonstrated that she wasn’t afraid to take Trump on. It took him off guard. As she walked back to her side of the stage, she had a big grin on her face. She got what she wanted, and she knew it.”
After the debate — which Harris won, according to CNN viewers — both candidates stood among other officials the next day at a 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero in New York. Trump and Harris had the chance to show the country they could overcome their political differences and be decent with each other. Trump, after all, promised “unity” after the July assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. (That didn’t last long, as Bloomberg points out.)
On 9/11 Harris didn’t even seem to know Trump was there
At the New York 9/11 memorial ceremony, Trump and Harris stood among President Biden, New York Senator Chuck Schumer, and Trump’s vice presidential pick, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg separated the two candidates. At one point, Trump seems to ask Bloomberg to get Harris’ attention as she talks to Schumer. Bloomberg does so, and Harris responds.
The two politicians then exchange words as they shake hands; Trump patted the top of Harris’ hand and offered a weak smile. Oh, what we’d pay to overhear what was said, but based on appearances, as the footage was shared on X, we agree with what one comment said, ” … What an awkward morning for Trump.”
Trump “glitched” at the debate
The cringe 9/11 interaction after the debate was not lost on other commenters. One comment said, “Did ANYBODY see Trump’s jaw drop when she approached him for a handshake at the debate?????? Looked like he momentarily glitched.”
What Trump said to Harris at Ground Zero may never be known. But, as one comment said, “Like the guy who’s full of great comebacks after the fact you can see Don was in coulda/shoulda land all night about the handshake, and wanted a do over. But she wasn’t having it.”
After New York, the Harris and Trump camps headed to Shanksville, PA, near where Flight 53, another plane involved in 9/11 crashed, killing all onboard. There’s no word on whether the two candidates interacted at that ceremony. Later that day, Harris and Biden were expected at the Pentagon, where another hijacked plane crashed on 9/11.
As for the debate, it may have started with a handshake, but it didn’t end with one. Both politicians left the stage without speaking to each other. Referring to Harris shaking Trump’s hand on ABC News, one X comment said, “She did that! Walked right up to him! He was like a scared big weirdo.” Another added, “He tried to tip toe behind the podium to dodge her 😂” From the looks of things, Harris remembered the slight the next day.
Published: Sep 11, 2024 03:10 pm