Taylor Swift expresses her support for Kamala Harris on Instagram

With the American elections in sight, the two presidential candidates finally faced each other this week. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debated for the first time. For those who didn't stay awake, we've put together some facts.

Taylor Swift is team Harris

It might be even bigger news than the content of the debate. Singer Taylor Swift has spoken out for the first time about her choice in this election. And, she is team Harris! “I find her stable, a talented leader and believe we can achieve so much more if we are led by calmness instead of chaos,” Swift says on Instagram. For weeks, a message circulated on social media that she would support Trump. The photo was made by AI and was one of the reasons for the singer to speak out for Harris. With her 283 million followers, Swift's support could lead to a significant number of votes. She ends her message with the words a ‘childless cat lady’, a term used by Trump's team for young women in the US. A little jab at his party.

Practicing with a Trump look-a-like

For such an important debate, you obviously want to prepare well. Harris takes this very seriously; she practices with a Trump impersonator. Philippe Reines, one of her advisors, dresses in detail as her opponent. A tailored suit with a tie, knee pads to keep his legs straight, and shoes with a 7.5 cm heel to match the same height. On a recreated stage, with exactly the same lighting as in real life, Harris then ‘debates’ with the look-a-like. This practice took place at the Omni William Penn hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, in the state of Pennsylvania. A luxury hotel that is also home to the American football team the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Confidence is key

Appearing confidently at the debate feels good. Harris also made sure to wear a powerful outfit last night. She was styled by Leslie Fremar, who also works with stars like Charlize Theron or Nicola Peltz and started her career at Vogue. Fremar has been styling Harris since the beginning of the campaign. This time, she chose a black suit with a so-called pussy bow blouse, a blouse with a large bow at the top. She also wore pearl earrings, several gold bracelets and rings, and a gold pin of the American flag. Her signature All-Stars stayed home; for this debate, she opted for black heels. A simple but powerful look.

A good coach

In her preparation for the debate, Harris could rely on an experienced coach. Karen L. Dunn is a lawyer from Washington who has trained all vice-presidential and presidential candidates for the Democrats since 2008. She is known for her tough love. Pointing out what is going well, but also daring to say what isn't and where it needs to improve. Dunn also trained Hillary Clinton for her debates against Trump and knows what to expect from him. A perfect person to have on your team.

The first meeting

Since Trump and Harris had already said a lot about each other before the debate, we might almost forget that the two have never really met. Last night was the first time they saw each other face-to-face. Harris used this moment for a special action. She shook Trump's hand and introduced herself politely, wishing him a good debate, and he did the same. A peaceful start to the evening, but that pleasant atmosphere quickly disappeared.

Directly to the point

From both sides, the debate was fierce and personal. Both candidates tried to bring each other's weak points to light. Harris managed to get under Trump's skin. While Trump kept returning to what Biden has done and how Harris was involved, she simply put him in his place with one statement. “You’re not running against Joe Biden, you’re running against me.” When Trump later in the debate also starts talking about immigrants eating pets, she can only laugh. Trump is called out, and she scores points.

A successful evening

That Harris had a good evening is evident from more than just her strong statements. After the debate, news channel CNN conducted a poll among their viewers. Who do they think won the debate? Harris scored a convincing 63% of the votes, while Trump had to settle for 37%. Also in credibility, Harris comes out on top. After the debate, all statements were checked for truth. She only told a lie once, when it came to the economy under Trump. Her opponent, on the other hand, was caught in falsehoods 30 times. That does something to your reputation.

Makes you want more

For now, this was the only scheduled debate between the two. But if it were up to Harris, that would change quickly. She would like to have another conversation. While the Republicans were initially hesitant, Trump now says he is willing. He claims that Harris wants another round because she lost this debate. Only losers want an immediate rematch. While Trump insists he won, the polls and reactions suggest otherwise. This debate could turn out very well for Harris.