(Georgia Recorder) — Georgia political partisans cheered the barbs landed by their favored presidential candidate at a TV debate during watch parties Tuesday night that could prove crucial in a swing state like Georgia in 2024.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off in a debate in Philadelphia Tuesday in a highly anticipated event that could mark their first and only debate prior to the Nov. 5 presidential election.
Anticipation was high as the Harris-Walz campaign hosted a debate watch party at Atlanta’s Tara Theater, an intown Atlanta venue known for screening independent films. It was a mixed response from the Democratic audience, with cheers supporting Harris during several of her remarks and expressions of disdain targeting Trump.
There was considerable attention by some of the audience paid to both candidates’ varying facial expressions throughout the debate, including Harris’s reaction of disbelief to Trump’s falsely claiming infants in America were being killed under lax abortion laws supported by Biden and Harris. ABC moderator Linsey Davis countered Trump’s claim by pointing out that no state law in America permits the killing of newborns, which moderators fact checked is the crime of murder in every state across the country.
Atlanta’s Cedric Hollman said he was proud to see Harris stand up to Trump’s lies and attacks against her credibility.
“She stood up to the bully and didn’t back down,” he said. “I think she continued the momentum she’s had since becoming the (presidential) candidate.”
A June 27 debate in Atlanta became a tipping point in national politics that would disrupt the anticipated rematch 2024 between Trump and Biden.
The spectacle drew attention across the nation and led to Biden stepping down from the race weeks later after a lackluster performance triggered concerns about his age and mental health.
Harris’ nomination revitalized hopes that the Democratic Party would have a shot to win another term in the White House in 2024.
Meanwhile, Republicans from across the metro Atlanta area gathered in an event space at Adventure Outdoors, the Smyrna gun store and shooting range that bills itself as the largest gun store in the world, where the Trump campaign and local GOP loyalists hosted their own watch party.
Downstairs at the Cobb County gun range, shoppers browsed everything from antique handguns to modern rifles as well as all kinds of hunting and shooting accessories, while upstairs, in a room adorned with mounted deer and moose heads, Republican die-hards cheered every time Trump spoke and emitted boos, groans and shouts when Harris talked.
Some of the biggest applause lines came when Trump said he was thinking about sending Harris a MAGA hat and when he told her it was his turn to speak. The crowd also booed the panelists for fact-checking Trump on his false claims, such as that there are places in the U.S. where a baby can be aborted after it is born.
“The biggest thing I’m seeing is he’s presidential, she’s not,” said Doug Carlin, who spoke with the Recorder in a hallway outside the event space underneath a chandelier made from antlers. “You know, how many times do you got to hear that story about her middle (class) blue collar situation? That’s BS. She’s looking at a ticket, some supporters that’s giving her information to talk, and she’s not there. It doesn’t go through. If you’re gonna work your plan, you got to plan your work. She’s not planning her work.”
James Walker, Cobb County, a member of the Buckhead Young Republicans, said Trump was winning on substance.
“Trump has definitely given a lot of good points, but Kamala is doing what she’s always doing, she’s not really answering any questions,” he said. “All vibes, no policy, and I think that’s what her supporters wanted to hear, so it doesn’t look like she’ll be winning this election.”
