Exclusive
IN THE DOGHOUSE
Donald Trump’s shock debate claim that illegal immigrants are eating people’s PETS leaves election experts divided
Watch the full Never Mind The Ballots debate special above
DONALD Trump’s incendiary claim that illegal immigrants are eating people’s PETS have left our experts divided.
In a special, our panel of experts watched the fiery Presidential debate live - giving their own instant reaction as the contenders traded blows.
5
5
5
5
The panel was gobsmacked as the Republican nominee went on the attack in last night's election debate clash with Kamala Harris.
In one shock moment, Trump alleged that America’s illegal migration crisis is so bad that some are even eating people’s beloved animals.
He said: “A lot of towns don't want to talk about it because they're so embarrassed by it.
“In The people that came in, they're eating the cats.”
READ MORE ON US DEBATE
It led his Democrat rival Harris to accuse him of being “extreme”, while the debate moderators insisted there were “no credible reports of pets being harmed”.
But despite the dubiousness, ex-British Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng thought the shock and awe statement could play in his favour.
As host Harry Cole said the claim will “be a talker”, the former Tory Cabinet Minister said: “He’s winning. If we’re talking about people eating pets, he’s winning.”
Labour peer and broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika fumed at Trump’s “nonsense” and “misinformation off the scale”.
Most read in Politics
But Mr Kwarteng said “the fact people are talking about it” means it will gain traction.
Immigration has become a central issue of the election, with Trump accusing Harris of failing in her capacity as Joe Biden’s “border tsar”.
Illegal crossings have soared in the past four years when the vice-president was tasked with tackling the root causes of migration from Central America.
HARRY COLE: Both landed blows - but race is still too close to call
By HARRY COLE, Political Editor
AFTER a slow start from both candidates, it was only once Harris began prodding and poking at the size of Trump's rallies, that he went on the attack. Jibes about issues that hit close to home, such as his wealth, his inheritance from his father, and his businesses that the old Don of 2016 came out of his shell.
Trumpy was clearly angry. He got more orange. He got more aggressive. He hit out over taxes, illegal migrants, and eating cats and dogs.
This debate was about two camps talking mainly to their bases. As elections are largely decided on who can get their supporters out to vote, this decision to address mostly those who have already made their minds up made sense.
Harris had some particularly strong moments on abortion and healthcare - issues she already has a lead on over Trump. But she was much weaker on the economy - an area her opponent will look to bash her on.
For someone who's been in power for four years as Vice President to not be able to defend the record is a major weakness for Harris.
She dodged questions on inflation and cost of living before Trump really went on the attack.
He tried to link everything back to immigration and fracking - two of the biggest issues for the former President.
In key swing states that Trump needs to win, such as Pennsylvania. Fracking is a big issue.
Kamala Harris' record on that is dubious at best.
She's saying the right things now but there wasn't a real knockout blow on either side, the bar was lower for Harris.
She needed to prove that she could do the no notes, the no scripts, the no sound bite moments without a sort of prompt or without a soft soap interviewer to help her.
She was being very restricted and kept on a very tight leash during this campaign.
And you know, frankly, she she hit that, she cleared that, that low bar.
The money markets were moving tonight, Trump started out as favourite at the Betfair exchange and Kamala Harris ended up just nudging it.
It’s still too close to call, but really gaining on Donald Trump in the betting markets.
At the end, Trump had a very strong closing statement where he hit all of his key points on immigration, Biden, the economy, national security and defence. The race is still too close to call.
Donald Trump’s five most outrageous moments from the Presidential debate
But our panel thought former president Trump - - missed some chances to land the killer blows on Harris.
During one immigration segment on the stage in Pennsylvania, Harris goaded him by suggesting people do not attend his campaign rallies.
Trump - who prides himself on pulling big crowds at his stump speeches - lashed back: “People don't leave my rallies.
"People don't go to her rallies. There's no reason to go.
";We have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics.”
Baroness Hazarika - a former Labour adviser - said: “Her team would have told her to go for the rallies, the red mist will descend.”
The - which saw the candidates trade blows on fracking, climate change, Ukraine and Afghanistan - seemed to fall in Harris' favour as the betting markets swung to her.
More than £1million was wagered on the Betfair Exchange in the space of the debate and saw the Democrat leapfrog Trump slightly.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Heading into the bust-up, the Republican was the 20/21 favourite on - giving him a 52 per cent chance of winning.
But midway through the debate his odds drifted to 11/10, falling to a 48 per cent chance according to punters.
Key moments: Our experts choose their debate highlights
By ELLIE DOUGHTY, Foreign News Reporter
TONIGHT’S debate saw our panel of experts left shocked by comments made by Donald Trump as he claimed immigrants are eating pets, refused to side with Ukraine in talks on Putin’s war and said some states allow babies to be “executed” after birth.
As the turbulent debate came to a close our guests on Never Mind The Ballots gave their takes on the key moments of the evening.
Kwasi Kwarteng, former Chancellor, said: “She’s just edged it. Nobody knew who she was and she’s done well enough for people to remember who she is.”
He said Harris’ more personal attacks on Trump’s political rallies caused him to freeze up.
The Sun’s political editor Harry Cole described Harris’ opening minutes - which saw her drop over 1 per cent in Betfair polling - as “low energy”.
He said she failed to give straight answers on the economy and immigration, but “just nudged it” by the time of closing statements.
Harry said had a “very strong closing speech” where he touched on key topics including immigration, the economy, healthcare, Biden and more.
Trump “threw Kamala to the wolves” in the powerful round-up.
Labour peer and broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika said of Kamala: “She was well prepared, she rehearsed, and it shows,” dubbing her strong response on Trump’s abortion comments “powerful and compelling”.
“She was focused, calm, articulate and powerful,” Hazarika added.
Meanwhile she dubbed Trump “unhinged, negative and angry”.
When discussing the Ukraine war Trump refused to be drawn on supporting Ukraine, instead insisting all measures must be taken to “stop the war” and limit the loss of human life in both Russia and Ukraine.
He warned Harris would push the world towards World War 3 with a weak take on Putin’s illegal invasion, fast approaching its third year.
Hazarika said the debate could be a “game-changing moment” and could be the first and last debate he does with Harris.
She added: “He won’t want to do another debate. Can she take him on? She’s absolutely answered the question.”
5
Harris and Trump clash on abortion
By ELLIE DOUGHTY, Foreign News Reporter
KAMALA Harris gave Donald Trump a "duffing up" over abortion in the opening clash of the debate.
Our panel of experts on Never Mind The Ballots gave the Democrat the edge on the thorny issue.
They said Vice President Harris “struck the first blow on abortion” and solidified her support with female voters on the contentious issue.
After what The Sun’s political editor Harry Cole dubbed a “low energy” start to the long-awaited debate Trump and Harris came to explosive blows over the reproductive rights debate.
Trump claimed certain states allow abortions at nine months and said babies have been “executed” under some state laws.
Broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika slammed the comments as “outrageous” and said Harris’ response was the “money shot” for her to secure women’s votes in key swing states.
Moderator Linsey Davis stepped in after Trump’s comments and said: “There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it is born.”
Harris quickly hit back dubbing his comments “a bunch of lies” and slammed his policy plans as “insulting to women in America”.
She said: "The government and Donald Trump certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body."
Ayesha dubbed Trump’s comments “very inflammatory” and said his “nasty charges against him in terms of women”, referring to his recent criminal conviction, further damage his credibility with female voters on the topic.
She added: “He will not look at her, which is really interesting body language”.
Betfair polling expert Sam Rosbottom told Never Mind The Ballots how Harris’ popularity in the polls had her drop from around 47% to 46% in the first 15 minutes of the debate as the pair discussed the economy and immigration.
After their clash over abortion the Vice President had soared back up to 47% and by the end was 8% up at 51%.
Trump sat at 52% at the beginning and finished on 48%.
Topics