In a unique turn of events in recent American history, the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates of 2024 will engage in their first debate after only seven weeks of campaigning against each other.

The New York Times conducted an analysis of the social media statements made by the two candidates regarding each other from July 21, when President Biden exited the race, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, up until September 6. Their online statements closely mirror their public speeches and rally comments.

While both candidates don’t hold back in criticizing each other, the analysis discovered that former President Donald Trump directs much more attention towards attacking Ms. Harris, with an average of over three posts daily on Truth Social, often containing personal attacks.

Personal Attacks: Harris on Trump

In contrast, Ms. Harris’s social media posts about Mr. Trump do not go for the jugular. She occasionally highlights his legal issues and mentions her experience dealing with predators and fraudsters in her legal career.

Personal Attacks: Trump on Harris

On the other hand, Mr. Trump’s attacks on Ms. Harris often resort to name-calling and schoolyard insults. His posts include personal jabs at her racial background and make generic insults about her authenticity and capabilities.

Example: Mr. Trump once called Ms. Harris a “HORRIBLE INCOMPETENT BORDER CZAR.”

What They Say About Each Other on Policy Matters

While both candidates engage in policy criticism, Mr. Trump’s statements almost always involve personal attacks against Ms. Harris.

Ms. Harris’s posts maintain a traditional political tone, focusing on policy issues without the personal jabs Trump frequently includes in his posts.

Controversy Over the Border

Immigration stands out as a contentious topic with Mr. Trump dubbing Ms. Harris as the “border czar” and Ms. Harris pointing out Mr. Trump’s influence on Republican opposition to a bipartisan immigration proposal.

Extremism and Communist Accusations

The candidates hurl accusations of extremism, with Ms. Harris linking Trump to conservative proposals while Trump falsely calling Harris a “communist.”

Abortion Rights and Economic Policies

Ms. Harris criticizes Mr. Trump for Supreme Court appointments that threaten abortion rights, while Mr. Trump accuses Harris of economic mismanagement.

Just a glimpse into the verbal sparring between these two candidates gives insight into the intensity of the upcoming debates and the stark differences in their communication styles.