Do debates have winners — or just losers?

Left, Right & Center

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump met for the first time in Pennsylvania at the presidential debate on Tuesday. ABC moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, notably live fact-checked both candidates on topics of immigration, the economy, and foreign policy. Harris was pushed to address her shift on fracking and gun buybacks. Meanwhile, Trump was put on the spot about his plan to end the war in Ukraine. The Left, Right, and Center panel examines where the candidates stand in voter’s minds post-debate. Were either able to sway undecided voters?

Justice is a foundational tenet of America — does anyone believe in it anymore? A judge pushed the date of Trump’s sentencing — for falsifying business records — from mid-September to November 26. Trump’s lawyers had argued that the earlier sentencing could interfere with the presidential election. Was this special treatment because of who Trump is? Does the justice system have different rules for a president versus everyone else?

On Tuesday night, Trump reiterated unsubstantiated claims of migrant Haitian communities abducting pets in Springfield, Ohio. He similarly mentioned Venezuelan gangs taking over apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado. Both stories have been debunked. The underlying concerns of gang violence in Colorado have always existed, but are now being used to spread racist rhetoric in the city. As part of our 50 states series, the panel asks: How can legislators respond to valid concerns without giving into dangerous disinformation?