Kamala Harris introduced herself to Donald Trump as they awkwardly shook hands during their first meet aheadof the debate Tuesday evening.
The Vice President walked over to Trump and extended her hand. Trump accepted the handshake.
"Kamala Harris," the vice president said, as though her opponent had no idea what her name was. '"Let's have a good debate."
"Nice to see you," Trump responded, "Have fun."
Several took to X applauding Harris' "power move," with one saying "she shook his hand!!! She went the distance!" and another adding "She went RIGHT for it!!! INTIMIDATE THE HELL OUT OF HIM."- Hillary Clinton polling comparison that could spell disaster for Kamala Harris
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Harris' move set the tone for the contentious evening, where the two presidential candidates went head-to-head for the first and likely only time before the November election, which is projected to have razor thin margins.
Though the vice presidential candidates are slated to debate on Oct. 1 in New York just a month ahead of the race.
The Trump campaign initially was weary of debating Harris and seemingly was divided over the mic issue, though ultimately the two camps agreed to mute them like Trump and President Biden did during the blowout debate earlier in this summer.
The president's rocky performance led to several Democrats privately and eventually publicly calling on him to withdraw.
By the end of the summer, on July 21, he did exactly that.
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Harris was able to galvanise the Democratic base, who reported feeling "more enthusiastic" about the election after she became the nominee, and benefited from a "honeymoon" phase that saw her pull ahead of the president in polls.
Now, the two are polling within a 1-3 margin of each other in battleground states, though Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will remain on several ballots, including potentially two key swing states, despite suspending his campaign and endorsing Trump.
Ahead of the debate, Harris was polling "slightly closer" to Hillary Clinton's popular vote win but electoral college loss in 2016 than Biden's 4-point marginal win in 2020.
Harris has warned voters to "ignore the polls" as it still sees itself as an underdog and anticipates a tight race.
The sentiment was echoed by prominent Democratic politicians including the Obamas, who urged voters to engage in grassroots voting registration organizing.
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