The Democratic vice president Kamala Harris began the first — and possibly last — TV debate before the US presidential election with a power move, walking across the stage to shake Donald Trump's hand. The two candidates had never met before the September 10 debate in Philadelphia, aired by ABC News. "Let's have a good debate," Harris said. "Nice to see you. Have fun," the former Republican president responded. The exchange set the tone for the 90-minute debate to come: Harris controlled the conversation at times, tackling Trump on economic policy, crime, abortion rights, his refusal to concede his 2020 election loss and even his performance at his rallies. Trump was measured at the start but grew more annoyed as the night went on. Harris took the fight to Trump in a way that Joe Biden could not. "You did in fact lose that election," Harris said of the 2020 race that Trump lost to Biden but still insists he won. "Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people," she said, referring to Biden's winning vote total. A smiling Harris frequently shifted her message from Trump back to the American people. "You will not hear him talk about your needs, your dreams and your needs and your desires," Harris said. "And I'll tell you, I believe you deserve a president who actually puts you first." Trump was often on the defense, but he did push the main message of his campaign: inflation and immigration are causing Americans to suffer. As he often does in his rallies and on social media, he made several false or unproven claims about migrants — including a debunked rumor that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are hunting and eating pets. Officials in Springfield say they have no evidence of this happening. "Talk about extreme," Harris said after Trump talked about dogs and cats being eaten. Trump also tied Harris to Biden, falsely claiming the Biden-Harris administration caused the "worst inflation" the country has had.