California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to DP on Israel-Palestine conflict

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a key surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris, defended her record on the Israel-Hamas war and her stance on how to resolve the conflict in an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian.

“I thought her answer was sound,” Newsom said. “She wants the hostages home. She wants this war to come to an end. She wants a two-state solution.”

He added that the choice seemed “pretty clear” between Harris and former President Donald Trump, who he said has “apparently got some secret plan” on how to end the violence.

The Israel-Hamas war has been a strong point of contention on college campuses — including at Penn — throughout the last academic year, sparking months of protests and controversy. Both Harris’ and Trump’s rhetoric on the conflict were closely watched at the debate, with Harris’ response watched for how it compares to Biden’s staunch defense of Israel.

Harris, Emhoff make appearance at campaign watch party

After the debate, Harris made a surprise appearance at her campaign’s official watch party in Old City, Philadelphia. Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were welcomed with cheers and applause from an energized crowd.

Emhoff kicked off the event by praising Harris’s debate performance, stating “I told you she was ready” and asserting that she showed Donald Trump “what a real leader is” — a statement met with loud cheers. He added that he “can call [his] wife the next leader of the U.S.,” sparking more excitement from the crowd.

Throughout her speech, Harris emphasized that her campaign is “people-driven,” thanking the audience members for their dedication and support by texting, emailing, and knocking on doors. She urged the crowd to continue their efforts, stating that “we gotta work tomorrow,” as she claimed that her campaign is still the “underdog.” Harris also said her campaign motto, “we are not going back,” a phrase that was repeated by the audience in unison.

Harris told the watch party attendees that with 56 days left until the election, her campaign must win the state of Pennsylvania. The event concluded with Harris declaring “we will win!” which was echoed by the crowd as she exited the stage.

Photo by Derek Wong

Trump arrives in spin room

Former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump has arrived in the spin room.

Photo by Jean Park

Rodin watch party wraps up

The watch party at Rodin wrapped up as the debate ended. The residential advisors who planned the event said that they were very happy with the turnout. They said that over 60 students attended.

Wharton sophomore Allison Mianni, who attended the event, told the DP that "it was really nice to watch the debate in a space with people who care about politics, especially since this election is very worrying for a lot of us right now."

Viewers at Smokey Joe's disappointed with debate's lack of excitement

Engineering senior Spencer Ware and Wharton senior Grant Mao watched the debate together at Smokey Joe’s, a popular bar near Penn’s campus.

“I’m missing the old Joe and Trump debates, which were a lot more fun. I think the interruptions are definitely something I’m missing,” Mao said.

In tonight’s debate, the candidates’ microphones were muted when they were not speaking.

“I think Trump has definitely toned back from what his original stances are. A lot of trying to be more moderate right now, which is not what I expected from both of them,” Mao added.

Ware echoed Mao’s thoughts, saying that “it has been less fiery than the Trump-Biden debates, which honestly is probably better for Kamala, because I think Trump just wants people to laugh,” and adding that he was very surprised "with how pro-Israel Kamala came out.”

“It’s been fun to just make a drinking game out of it,” he said

DNC Chair hints at 'special guest' appearance at Harris-Walz watch party

During the second commercial break, Democratic National Convention Chair Jaime Harrison, speaking at the Harris-Walz watch party, addressed the audience, hinting at a special guest — possibly Harris. His teasing prompted excitement among attendees who began to gather in anticipation.

Photo by Nathaniel Babitts

Annenberg watch party viewers call debate 'productive'

During the first commercial break, two students watching in Annenberg told the DP that they were pleased with how the debate had gone so far.

“It’s very exciting to see the candidates actually debate,” College junior Skye Paulus told the DP. “I think it’s nice to hear some of their policy positions, although I think Kamala has done a better job at explaining actual positions than Trump has … it’s been more personal attacks [from him].”

College junior Olivia Silvestri agreed, telling the DP that what she had seen from both Harris and Trump so far had demonstrated the key differences in their campaigns.

“I think it’s good to just be able to see … kind of a stark contrast between the candidates and seeing them interact directly,” she said.

Both students also applauded the two moderators, ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis. Silvestri said that the questions have “targeted some of the strengths and weaknesses of each of the candidates, which is kind of what you want to hear.”

“Compared to the last debate, it’s a lot more productive thus far,” she said.

Photo by Emmi Wu

Pro-Palestinian protest disperses after police encounters

Around 100 remaining protesters dispersed suddenly after a period of heightened tensions with the police. The pro-Palestinian protesters ran one block away from the intersection of Arch and 4th streets, where hundreds of police officers in riot gear were gathered.

According to organizers, a few individuals were arrested, including the individual who set fire to an unknown object and triggered the heightened police action.

Multiple people fell and cited minor injuries after the clashes between police officers and protesters, including one Penn student who said they were “a little scratched up.”

Photo by Chenyao Liu

Penn Democrats leadership reflects on debate thus far

During the debate's commercial break, students at the Penn Democrats watch party in Irvine Auditorium — including leadership of the group — broke into conversation and reflection.

“I think my expectations … for the debate [were] to see Kamala Harris really put Trump in his place and call him out for his lies, and not let him get away with anything,” Penn Dems Vice President and College junior Veronica Smith told the DP. “I think that she is definitely executing on that … she is providing facts, and unlike him, she is answering the questions and she’s not dancing around things, and she’s being very intentional on her answers.”

Mayor Cherelle Parker's watch party attendees call Trump's performance 'horrible'

At Cherelle Parker’s watch party, a group of North Philadelphia community members told the DP that they found Trump’s performance in the debate so far “terrible.” They described him as unprepared, evasive, and offensive.

“If he’s trying to put on a show, he’s not. He’s failing,” one attendee said.

Police increase presence at demonstration, clash with protestors

Hundreds of police officers, including two rows of officers in riot gear, have pushed pro-Palestinian protesters out of the intersection of 4th and Market streets where they had previously staged a sit-in. Demonstrators clashed with police officers who were shoving protesters with their bikes after an unknown item was lit on fire and placed in the middle of the square.

Following the escalation, organizers called for everyone on the protest side to disperse. At least five Penn students are still present at the demonstration.

Photo by Chenyao Liu

Presidential debate enters first commercial break

As the presidential debate passes the one-hour mark, the debate has touched upon issues such as the economy, abortion, immigration, and the Israel-Hamas war — all common topics of discussion this election cycle.

Moderators have done live fact-checking between questions — primarily for former President Donald Trump’s responses. Interruptions between the two have been minimal, largely due to debate rules that stipulated muted microphones when each candidate was not speaking.

The debate has gone into its first commercial break.

Photo by Jean Park

Lauder watch party viewers energized by debate

Students in Lauder College House are reacting enthusiastically to the debate, frequently meeting rebuttals from both candidates with "oohs" and cheers.

Harris' point that Trump has been prosecuted was met with the night's loudest applause.

Despite the high energy, expectations among some students were low.

College first year Hendrix Lee expected the debate to focus not on "substance and policy, but more conversation about things [that] honestly just don't matter."

College first year Adrian Chen agreed, stating he's "not expecting much."

Photo by Emmi Wu

Crowd reacts to moderator, Trump, Harris's remarks at Harris-Walz watch party

At the official Harris-Walz watch party in Philadelphia, crowd applauds debate moderator David Muir's response to Trump's claim that Harris' running mate Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) supports "after birth executions," saying that there is no U.S. state where abortion after birth is legal.

The crowd also applauded when Harris said that Trump should not be telling women what to do with their bodies, and again when she expressed support for reinstating Roe v. Wade protections. The crowd laughed in response to Trump’s assertion that he is a leader in IVF treatment.

The watch party attendees booed in response to Trump's claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating dogs, cats, and rats. They cheered when Muir responded that there were no credible reports of animals being abused in Springfield.

Photo by Derek Wong

Rodin watch party laughs at Trump

After Trump prevented Harris from interrupting him — mocking her performance at the 2020 vice presidential debate where she consistently told former Vice President Mike Pence “I’m speaking” — the crowd began laughing.

Shortly afterwards, laughs again erupted when Trump said that he loves “solar.”

Police presence increases outside as demonstrators prepare for potential arrests

Police vehicles with their siren lights on and three rows of bike cops have blockaded Market Street at the corner where it intersects with 4th Street.

The protesters have continued to chant and beat drums. An organizer from the pro-Palestinian protest announced on the mic that anyone who did not intend to be arrested should disperse. Protesters have sat down in the road intersection while police communication indicates they are preparing for a sit-in.

Following the announcement, around 100 individuals remain at the demonstration.

Police scanners indicate that officers intended the lighted vehicles to be a warning to the crowd to “wrap things up.”

Photo by Chenyao Liu

Barricades overturned as pro-Palestinian protesters move toward debate venue

Approximately 300 pro-Palestinian protesters flipped plastic traffic barricades blocking the street leading up to the National Constitution Center after nearly an hour and a half of speeches and chanting. The crowd is now one block away from the venue where tonight’s debate is taking place, nearing the area that has been locked down and surrounded by metal gates.

Two students, a member of Swarthmore Students for Justice in Palestine and a Temple student who was an active participant in Penn's Gaza Solidarity Encampment spoke during the programming that took place at the corner of Arch and 3rd Streets.

Chants and drumming took place for the majority of that time, including calls for “student intifada” and chants of “the people, united, will never be defeated.” Numerous call and repeat chants listing off locations in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the names of Palestinians killed during the Israel-Hamas War, took place. One chant praising Hamas and Al Qassam — the military wing of Hamas — occurred during a student's speech, in which the crowd chanted “say it clear, say it loud, Hamas you make us proud.”

Officers holding riot gear have been present on the perimeters of the crowd for around half an hour. Police scanners indicate that anyone who crosses the metal barriers will be arrested.

Trump gets Wharton's name wrong — and it's not the first time

When Trump mentioned attending Wharton earlier, the 1968 graduate referred to his alma mater as the “Wharton School of Finance,” even though the school is actually known as the Wharton School of Business.

This isn’t the first time that Trump has incorrectly referred to the business school at Penn. He has repeatedly used the same title to refer to Wharton at rallies throughout the 2024 campaign, boasting of his and his family's ties to the school.

Photo by Abhiram Juvvadi

Related:

• How many times has Trump mentioned his Wharton education? We crunched the numbers.

Crowd applauds, boos at official Harris-Walz watch party

At the official Harris-Walz watch party, the crowd booed Trump’s allegation that migrants were taking jobs that are occupied by “African Americans and Hispanics.”

They applauded when Harris discussed Trump's economic policies during his first term, and characterized him as the "greatest attack on democracy."

The crowd erupted in more applause when Harris discussed Trump's support for Project 2025, and booed when Trump denied having knowledge of or support for the plan.

Small group gathers in Smokey Joe’s to watch the debate

Around 15 people are sitting inside Smokey Joe’s, the most popular bar on Penn’s campus, watching the debate. Every TV in the bar has CNN’s broadcast of the presidential debate on.

The people, around five of whom appear to be Penn students, are sitting alone or in small groups. Laughter broke out after Trump said that Harris had "no policies" in his response to the question about tariffs.

Photo by Sydney Curran

Over 50 students gather in Lauder College House to watch debate

Dozens of students have gathered in Lauder College House to watch tonight's debate.

Rachel Baker, a Lauder College House Fellow, said that the turnout at the watch party had exceeded her expectations. Chairs have been brought in from throughout the building, and there is now only standing room left.

Harris's mention of Wharton and Goldman Sachs electrified the audience. Trump's mention of Wharton, too, was meet with cheers.

The mention of abortion as a topic afterwards was met with audible gasps among the audience.

Laughter abounds at Rodin watch party

At the Rodin watch party, the crowd began laughing, clapping, and cheering after one of the moderators pushed back on Trump’s claim that abortion after birth was legal in some states.

Cheers erupt in Rodin after Wharton mentions

After Harris cited a Wharton School of Business report, the crowd at the Rodin College House watch party erupted in cheers and applause. When Trump later mentioned his degree in finance from Wharton, most attendees began cheering and clapping again.

The crowd began laughing when Trump told the audience that he will give Harris "a MAGA hat."

Photo by Sydney Curran

Annenberg crowd reacts to mentions of Wharton

One Annenberg classroom, in which about 50 people are gathered, erupted in laughter and cheers when Harris mentioned Wharton. Students laughed again when Trump mentioned the business school a few moments later.

Penn Democrats gathers for watch party in Irving Auditorium

Penn Democrats is hosting a watch party in Irvine Auditorium. About 120 students have gathered to watch as the debate begins.

Energy is high, with cheers erupting as Harris walked out on stage. Penn Dems distributed Harris-Walz and Bob Casey Jr. signs among the audience.

Photo by Roger Ge

Rodin College House hosts debate watch party

Approximately 40 students are attending the watch party at the Rodin College House Rooftop Lounge. Students are chatting with their friends as they wait for the debate to start.

Penn Leads the Votes has a stationed a table for voter registration, and is giving out free T-shirts, pens, and stickers in the lounge. The organization is also checking the voter registration of students, ensuring that everyone is "up to date with registration deadlines and election deadlines," College senior and PLTV Research and Analytics Coordinator Julia Levine said.

PLTV is also allowing students to update their registration address at the table.

Debate begins

As the debate begins at the National Constitution Center, the spin room has quieted down as journalists take their seats to watch the debate.

Harris shook Trump’s hand upon taking the stage at the debate and is now speaking about the economy.

The craziness will resume here after the debate as more surrogates for both campaigns speak to journalists and try to positively spin in their candidate’s favor.

Photo by Abhiram Juvvadi

Students gather at Annenberg School for Communication to watch debate

Penn students have gathered at the Annenberg School for Communication building for a debate watch party on the lower floor.

The four classrooms on the floor are streaming pre-debate commentary, the debate itself, and post-debate analysis from ABC, FOX, NBC, and CNN. Annenberg provided food and drinks — including a chocolate fountain — for attendees in the forum. Security also checked students' Penn IDs before allowing them to enter the building.

College junior Lucie Bouvier, an exchange student from France, told The Daily Pennsylvanian that she is excited for tonight's event.

"I've never actually watched a debate here, so I'm very excited to see how the people will react and what's going to be said," she said.

Bouvier added that she is looking forward to comparing tonight's debate to those that take place in France during their election season, and that she's hoping to "see a little drama."

"I feel like it's going to be very interesting to see the differences between how [Harris and Trump] talk to each other [and] the subjects they mention for the country," she said.

Photo by Emily Scolnick

Hundreds attend Mayor Cherelle Parker's rally ahead of debate

Over 500 community members are gathered at the Dell Music Center for a rally hosted by 2016 Fels Institute of Government graduate and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, Pennsylvania State Sen. Sharif Street (D-3), and Philadelphia Democratic Party Chair Bob Brady.

Street addressed the crowd urging them to “show up” and vote for Harris.

“While [Donald Trump] is a very unserious person, as Vice President Harris says, the consequences of him in office [are] very serious,” he said, naming issues important to voters such as gun violence, women’s rights, and racism while slamming the Trump administration’s position on the issues.

Photo by Vidya Pandiaraju

In DP interviews, Noem and Duckworth discuss young voter appeal

In the spin room, politicians on both sides of the aisle told The Daily Pennsylvanian how their parties' respective presidential candidates will appeal to young voters — a demographic that historically has voted for Democrats at a high rate.

Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told the DP that former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump will appeal to Gen Z voters by “talking about the future.”

“Everybody knows what they’re struggling with today, and we tend to now — in campaigns and politics — get into a personality contest or get into a discussion on what’s happening 24 hours from now,” Noem said. “They really need to look into their future that they’re planning and see which one of these candidates will give me the best opportunity to make my decisions for myself.”

In contrast, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) told the DP that Vice President Kamala Harris has made her message “very clear” to voters about her stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

“She made her point across that we must … fight as hard as we can to bring the hostages home, but that we will also hold Israel accountable for the human rights violations that have happened in Gaza,” Duckworth said. “And we’re going to going to work towards ending the conflict there.”

A pro-Palestinian protest — which has heard chants against both Trump and Harris — has just arrived outside the National Constitution Center. Encampments across the country, including Penn's Gaza Solidarity Encampment, have expressed strong disapproval of President Joe Biden’s policy on Israel and Palestine.

Photo by Ethan Young

Politicians gather in spin room

As the time approaches 9 p.m., the number of politicians appearing on the spin room floor continues to increase.

Governors including Roy Cooper (D-N.C.) Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), Kristi Noem (R-N.D.) and Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have made appearances.

According to an ABC staffer, more than 800 journalists have been credentialed for the spin room and adjacent media filing center. Multiple news broadcasts are being recorded from the periphery of the room, while long tables are set up for journalists to watch the debate.

Photo by Ethan Young

Pro-Palestinian protest arrives at debate venue after march

The protest organized by the Philly Palestine Coalition arrived at the National Constitution Center around 8 p.m. following an hourlong march. The group stopped along Market Street as organizers spoke to the crowd.

Numerous Penn students and faculty members, as well as non-University affiliated participants from last semester’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment, are present at the demonstration.

A speaker criticized both Harris and Trump in reference to their positions on the Israel-Hamas War, inciting chants of “come November, we’ll remember” from the crowd.

The speaker also called out Harris, Biden, and Trump for their treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters, specifically mentioning students who were “arrested and suspended” for their participation in protests. Hand signs reading “Abandon Harris ‘24,” mimicking the vice president’s campaign design, were distributed throughout the crowd.

Chants targeting the two presidential candidates included “Trump, Trump you’re a liar. The students set the world on fire,” and “Kamala, Kamala your hands are red. A hundred thousand people dead.”

Philadelphia Police Department officers with bikes lined the entirety of Market Street, blocking off traffic at auto intersections. Organizers noted that medics, police liaisons, legal observers, and safety marshals were present.

Photo by Chenyao Liu

Division of Public Safety issues traffic advisory ahead of debate

Penn’s Division of Public Safety issued a traffic advisory on Monday afternoon ahead of the presidential debate.

The advisory, which was emailed to the Penn community, warned about road closures, parking restrictions, and impacts on transit schedules in Center City and further downtown. DPS advised students to “be aware of potential effects” on commutes and “plan accordingly” on Tuesday and Wednesday

“Although this event is not being held near our campus, it is a high-profile event with national focus,” DPS wrote in the email. “There will be traffic, transit, and other impacts on our greater Philadelphia community.

The email detailed road closures immediately surrounding the National Constitution Center — where the debate is taking place — and highways in the area. The closures will remain in effect until the event area is cleared sometime on Wednesday.

DPS advised students to remain aware of road closures, referring to resources from the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department’s social media pages.

The email added that additional road closures and shutdowns “may be necessary … due to public safety necessity and anticipated First Amendment demonstrations.”

Hundreds gather outside Independence Hall ahead of debate

Hundreds of demonstrators representing various causes are gathered at Independence Mall ahead of the presidential debate, which will be hosted one block away at the National Constitution Center. Signs reading “Ban Homo Marriage,” “Trump is a scab,” and “Kamala loves Hamas” can be seen, along with several protesters waving Israeli, American, and Palestinian flags.

Dozens of Philadelphia Police Department officers are lining the perimeter of Independence Mall, some carrying batons and riot helmets. The demonstration appears to be peaceful.

Joe Ferraro, a demonstrator carrying a “Jill Stein for President” sign, expressed his discontent with both candidates participating in the debate.

“The rest of the world, they think we’re all nuts,” he said.

Photo by Jackson Ford

Presidential debate kicks off tonight

Tuesday night’s presidential debate is one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2024 presidential election cycle.

The first debate in this presidential election cycle, in late June, caused significant criticism of former Penn professor and President Joe Biden — and eventually led to his stepping aside as the presumptive Democratic nominee. His replacement atop the ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris, is now set to debate former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump for the first time.

All eyes will be on the two candidates’ dynamic on the debate stage; Trump has been interruptive in some debate settings, while Harris has been relatively untested on the national debate stage. The two were in disagreement over whether microphones should remain on for the duration of the debate, but ABC News, the host of the debate, released guidelines that stipulated muted microphones when the candidate was not speaking.

The debate is set to start at 9 p.m. at the National Constitution Center. At the same time, watch parties all over the city — and on Penn’s campus — will be keeping a close eye on the two candidates’ performance.

Photo by Ethan Young

Hundreds gather outside of City Hall for pro-Palestinian rally

Protesters have assembled on the eastern side of Philadelphia’s City Hall for a demonstration organized by the Philly Palestine Coalition. City officers are estimating the number of individuals at several hundred, and have deployed police vehicles, bike cops, and additional personnel in the area to flank the crowd.

A City police officer noted that police would line Market Street in anticipation of the protest moving towards the National Constituion Center, where a presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump is scheduled to take place at 9 p.m. this evening.

Protestors are wearing keffiyehs and carrying Palestinian flags while chanting and drumming for around half an hour.

Photo by Chenyao Liu