Who won the debate?

First up: Harris makes a strong start in the presidential debate.

Kamala Harris kept Donald Trump on the defensive as he veered into bizarre and false claims about crowd sizes, abortion, and immigration. Plus: tips for a better night’s sleep.

Good morning.

In a presidential debate held in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump squared off, with Harris delivering several effective counterattacks as Trump veered into odd and false claims about abortion and immigration.

"World leaders are laughing at Donald Trump," Harris remarked. "I've spoken with military leaders who have worked with you, and they describe you as a disgrace."

A CNN snap poll showed that 63% of voters felt Harris won the debate, compared to 37% for Trump. Even a Fox News analyst declared Harris the victor, noting her successful jabs at Trump, including taunting him about attendees leaving his rallies early due to "boredom and exhaustion." Trump repeatedly fell for the bait, visibly rattled throughout the debate.

What were the standout moments? After Harris delivered a pointed remark about Trump’s crowd sizes, Trump went off on a bizarre tangent, claiming that immigrants were eating people's pets. "In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs... they’re eating the cats," he said, referring to the immigrant community. ABC moderators quickly intervened, noting that the city manager of Springfield, Ohio, had confirmed there were no credible reports of such incidents.

How did the moderators handle it? ABC's David Muir and Linsey Davis were widely commended for fact-checking Trump’s falsehoods and steering the conversation back to relevant topics. When Trump falsely accused Harris and her running mate Tim Walz of supporting abortion in the ninth month and "execution after birth," Davis firmly corrected him, stating, "There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born."

A bonus for Harris: Following the debate, Taylor Swift endorsed her on Instagram, playfully signing the post as “childless cat lady” in response to misogynistic remarks made by Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance.