ABC News could not be happier with how their three vs one presidential debate turned out, Tuesday night. Immediately following the conclusion of the event, the network’s panel of purported journalists were eager to show their excitement talk up Harris, who one host dubbed “the candidate of hope,” even touting a handshake she initiated.

“It's a lively debate from the economy, to abortion, to Afghanistan. That had it all. And it was historic, Jon Karl, fiery,” boasted co-host Martha Raddatz. Chief Washington correspondent Jon Karl struggled to find the word, proclaiming: “Wow. Wow. Wow. That was quite a debate.”

Karl and Raddatz were joined by chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce, as the three of them gushed about Harris walking across the stage to shake Trump’s hand, and how it was all part of some elaborate plan she had:

KARL: But I would like to replay the moment that the very start of this debate because it was quite a moment: The handshake. And if you look –

[Video of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump shaking hands]

KARL: I mean, quite a moment. First of all, because we hadn't seen a handshake. We haven’t seen a handshake in a long time.

BRUCE: And she initiated that one!

RADDATZ: Yeah, she did!

KARL: And not only did she initiate it, she walked over to him and sought him out, put hands out and made it the first words.

RADDATZ: And probably had a plan if he hadn't put his hand out either.

Some might call it 4D chess.

Further, Raddatz opined about “what Kamala Harris wanted to do was be the candidate of hope, the candidate of the future,” while “Donald Trump seemed angry” and was falling for all of Harris’s traps:

Within 4 minutes, I think we saw him going from very serious at the beginning, never seems to look at her, to just angry. I mean, really yelling at some points trying to make his points.

I don't think we heard a lot of policy and plans on either side of that, despite those questions over and over again. But what you had was that optic. You had Kamala Harris looking over, baiting him again and again and again. The microphones were muted when they weren't speaking, but many times, she didn't need a microphone. You watched Donald Trump get mad and scowl through things.

Karl did admit that “Harris didn't really explain some of the big questions that were out there about why she changed her policy views on so many things,” but his biggest focus was Trump.

“Part of the reason is that Donald Trump really was not affected in bringing the debate to her. I agree with you. I think that he looked not just angry, but also rattled,” he said.

The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:

ABC’s Post-Debate Coverage
September 10, 2024
10:45:54 p.m. Eastern

MARTHA RADDATZ: And we are here live on ABC with our post-debate comments. I’m Martha Raddatz. It's a lively debate from the economy, to abortion, to Afghanistan. That had it all. And it was historic, Jon Karl, fiery.

JON KARL: Wow. Wow. Wow. That was quite a debate. And I am Jonathan Karl with, of course, Mary Bruce and Rachel Scott.

Our reporters across the news division have been updating our live blog looking at some of the allegations made back and forth, doing fact checks. You can find all of that on abcnews.com.

But I would like to replay the moment that the very start of this debate because it was quite a moment: The handshake. And if you look –

[Video of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump shaking hands]

KARL: I mean, quite a moment. First of all, because we hadn't seen a handshake. We haven’t seen a handshake in a long time.

MANY BRUCE: And she initiated that one!

RADDATZ: Yeah, she did!

KARL: And not only did she initiate it, she walked over to him and sought him out, put hands out and made it the first words.

RADDATZ: And probably had a plan if he hadn't put his hand out either.

KARL: Yeah, interesting. So Martha, bottom line, what did you think?

RADDATZ: I think, clearly, what Kamala Harris wanted to do was be the candidate of hope, the candidate of the future. Donald Trump seemed angry. Within 4 minutes, I think we saw him going from very serious at the beginning, never seems to look at her, to just angry. I mean, really yelling at some points trying to make his points.

I don't think we heard a lot of policy and plans on either side of that, despite those questions over and over again. But what you had was that optic. You had Kamala Harris looking over, baiting him again and again and again. The microphones were muted when they weren't speaking, but many times, she didn't need a microphone. You watched Donald Trump get mad and scowl through things.

And you know Jon, we were all talking leading up to this about how this would go, what Donald Trump would see. I think he had a plan for talking about what he saw as a next term. But then he was talking about rumors about people eating their neighbors’ pets. So, it really devolved into that.

KARL: I mean, look, Kamala Harris didn't really explain some of the big questions that were out there about why she changed her policy views on so many things. Part of the reason is that Donald Trump really was not affected in bringing the debate to her. I agree with you. I think that he looked not just angry, but also rattled.

(…)