Harris and Trump meet for first time as high-stakes presidential debate begins

Trump, 78, has struggled to adapt to Harris, 59, who is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.

The Republican former president has at times resorted to invoking racial and gender stereotypes, frustrating allies who want Trump to focus instead on policy differences with Harris.

The vice president, for her part, is trying to claim a share of credit for the Biden administration’s accomplishments while also addressing its low moments and explaining her shifts away from more liberal positions she took in the past.

The debate is subjecting Harris, who has sat for only a single formal interview in the past six weeks, to a rare moment of sustained questioning.