What Harris and Trump had to say about Each …

In an unprecedented moment in modern American history, the 2024 Republican and Democratic presidential candidates will face off in their first debate after just seven weeks of campaigning against each other.

The New York Times analyzed what the two candidates said about each other on social media from July 21, when President Biden dropped out of the race and Vice President Kamala Harris was the frontrunner to replace him as the Democratic nominee, until September 6. (For the most part, statements on social media represent public comments at public meetings and other events.)

As the two candidates attacked each other, The Times found that former president Donald Trump targeted Ms. Harris is more frequent, on average more than three times a day, and his posts (on Truth Social) almost always include personal smears.

What Harris said about Trump in personal terms

Post Ms. Harris about Mr. Trump (in X) tends not to go for the jugular. Many times, he has drawn attention to the history of legal problems, for example, he knows “the type of Donald Trump” because he “takes on predators, fraudsters and swindlers” as a prosecutor.

He also describes him in the following way:

What Trump had to say about Harris in personal terms

By contrast, Mr. Trump’s attack on Ms. Harris resembles the insulting name-calling of a sexist schoolyard bully. He often dropped political attacks, but he also attacked Ms. Harris spoke several times in personal terms without referring to his policy or political record. Some of the posts even touch on her racial identity or include public insults that refer to her authenticity or abilities.

Here’s how he describes them:

Mr. Trump told rallygoers in North Carolina last month that he had a “name” problem for Ms. Harris, but he decided to “friend”.

“I think that’s the most accurate name,” he said.

What the candidates are saying about each other on the issue

While the two candidates also criticize each other on privacy issues, Mr. Trump almost always sprinkles in a personal jab (or two or three) about Ms. Harris.

Mr. Trump’s posts about Ms. Harris often include spelling errors, falsehoods and a distinctive style of grammar and capitalization. He spent several days in August frequently calling Ms. Harris “Kamabla,” although he has since abandoned that moniker. Ms. Harris’s writing is more typical of a traditional politician.

Borders are the most contentious issue.

While making immigration a central theme of his campaign, Mr. Trump repeatedly and incorrectly referred to Ms. Harris as the “border tsar” of the Biden administration. Ms. Harris noted that Mr. Trump is pushing Republicans to fight a bipartisan immigration deal.

Both accuse each other of being extremists.

Mrs. Harris ties Mr. Trump to Project 2025, a set of conservative policy proposals that Mr. Trump has recently tried to distance himself from. Mr. Trump (falsely) claimed Ms. Harris is a “communist” who will “destroy America.”

Ms Harris attacked Mr Trump over abortion rights.

The vice president regularly reminds voters that Mr. Trump appointed the Supreme Court justice who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Mr. Trump rarely mentions reproductive rights.

Barbs on economics are more classically partisan.

Ms Harris accused Mr Trump of only caring about wealthy Americans. The former president blamed Ms Harris for inflation.