'Only losers do that': Democrats celebrate, GOP regroups after Harris, Trump debate

PHILADELPHIA ― The presidential debate had been over for just a few minutes when an unexpected visitor crashed the spin room to boast about Donald Trump 's performance.

The surprise guest was Trump himself, who was eager to declare victory in his first face-to-face meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris .

“This was my best debate,” Trump insisted as a scrum of reporters, photographers and television crews pushed, shoved and edged closer for a better view.

Trump’s bravado was a face-saving move that failed to mask what even some of his closest supporters reluctantly acknowledged: The night had not gone well for the former president.

“I think a couple of times he got rattled,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said.

Analysis: In debate, Harris showed up as a prosecutor. Trump showed up as himself

Trump knows 'he lost the debate' with Harris

Harris dominated the first − and perhaps only − clash with the former president, who has vexed Democratic foes with his rhetorical bluster and showmanship since descending on his escalator in 2015.

The VP, a well-oiled prosecutor known to deflate opponents’ egos, cracked that code Tuesday with a repeated three-pronged communication jujitsu that emphasized her biography and joyous campaign vibes while goading Trump by prodding his ego and past grievances.

Even GOP surrogates admitted that Harris unnerved their nominee, with some suggesting a rematch has to happen in order to erase Trump's poor performance from memory. The biggest obstacle to a second debate is Trump, who appears uninterested in taking Harris on again.

Democrats were giddy about the contrast displayed before millions of Americans who watched. A day after, the Harris campaign dropped its "newest ad" on X, formerly known as Twitter, by posting the entire 90-minute debate.

“I would love it if Donald Trump debated Kamala Harris once a week,” Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, told USA TODAY.

Lieu watched with aides as the herd of reporters surrounded the former president in the spin room, and fired one question after another his way.

“Trump came here because he knows he lost the debate,” he said. “Only losers do that.”

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Harris, who spent days prepping for the debate, took charge the minute the candidates stepped onto the stage.

Trump headed straight for his podium. Harris, who had never met him in person, walked over, extended her hand and introduced herself.

"Kamala Harris. How are you?" she said.

Trump seemed caught off guard but accepted the handshake. "Nice to see you. I'm fine," he said.

"Let's have a good debate," Harris replied.

For the next hour and a half, Harris needled Trump. She cited his conviction on 34 felony charges in a hush-money case in New York and pointed to other criminal charges pending against him. She said other world leaders laugh at him. She brought up old rivals within his own party, namely the late Sen. John McCain. She even mocked his campaign rallies, saying that his crowds often leave early out of exhaustion or boredom.

Each time, Trump took the bait.

He forcefully defended the crowds at his rallies, then quickly segued into an unverified claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating cats and dogs . Trump's response drew a quick rebuke from the debate moderates, who said they had contacted the Springfield city manager, who said there are no credible reports of pet-eating.

Harris 'good at needling' Trump supporters admit

Trump’s surrogates tried to salvage the night by emphasizing how Harris dodged various questions, such as if the country is better off than when she and Biden took office in 2021.

But even some GOP loyalists admitted the vice president did an effective job getting Trump off message.

Speaking on Fox News, Trump didn’t want to commit to another debate.

But Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Florida, told USA TODAY there should be another face-to-face verbal joust before the election.

“If we learned anything tonight is that Kamala Harris is pretty good at needling people,” he said.

“But what does that matter? You going to needle Vladimir Putin? You're going to needle Xi Jinping? That ain't gonna work.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, speaking to reporters, said Harris showed why she should be president and Trump should not. The Tar Heel State is a critical battleground, and polls show a super-close race there. The southern Democrat predicted Harris’ performance would move more independent voters into her column.

“Kamala Harris showed that she's a consensus builder, that she is a reasonable person,” Cooper said. “I think she's learned in her 3½-plus years as vice president that in order to get generational legislation passed, you have to try and bring people together. She wants to be the president for all Americans. And she doesn't spend all of her time running down our country and talking about how we are a failed nation. She approaches it with optimism, and I believe that most of the American people are like that.”

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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, another Democrat, also predicted Harris’ debate performance would help her win over more independent and undecided voters.

“People were interested, those undecided voters, about who she is and how she would do,” Lujan Grisham said. “These are pressure cooker environments. She showed temperament, the ability to take on those challenges while also laying out a vision.”

Harris has been hounded by questions about her views and policy ideas.

A CBS News/YouGov poll released just ahead of the debate, for instance, found about 4 in 10 voters in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin said say they don't know what she stands for.

Harris now plans to hit the ground with rallies, community events and canvass kick-offs to continue taking her message directly to voters across the country during the final stretch of the race, campaign officials say, starting with a swing that will include events in every media market in every battleground state in just four days.

Lujan Grisham told USA TODAY coming off the debate, the vice president will showcase how relatable and likable she is over the coming weeks.

"She is believable because she's telling the truth. Voters always want that," the New Mexico governor said.

"They want you to meet them where they are. So, she's going to be on the campaign trail. It's going to be a vigorous 50-plus days, and I have every confidence she will continue to persuade voters to her campaign."

Phillip M. Bailey is a chief political correspondent with USA TODAY. Michael Collins covers the White House. You can reach them on X, formerly Twitter, @phillipmbailey and @mcollinsNews.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Only losers do that': Democrats celebrate, GOP regroups after Harris, Trump debate