Kamala Harris taunts Trump: A role reversal of gender roles

When Vice President Kamala Harris told former President Donald Trump that he had been fired, his expression slipped into a mocking grin. When she added that world leaders had called him a disgrace, anger flashed in his eyes. The doubts she expressed about his 'temperament' turned him into a stage show. "I just want to tell you something about the world leaders," Trump replied, raising his voice. He insisted that the "strong man" of Hungary, Viktor Orban, admired him and criticized President Biden before pointing a finger at Harris. "He hates you, he can't stand you," Trump declared, while Harris maintained a cool half-smile. These verbal skirmishes were just a small part of the lengthy 105-minute debate on Tuesday night. Harris needled Trump on topics ranging from his election loss to the size and devotion of his campaign rallies, which visibly made the former president uneasy and prompted him to offer defensive arguments. By putting Trump on the spot like this, Harris seemed to pose a new question to the viewers about Trump: Could he be too emotional to be president? "Donald Trump, through his tone, the volume of his voice, and the words he chose, showed too much of his emotions," said Mollie West Duffy, co-author of the book "No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work." "I think we would recommend, among many other things, staying on topic," added Liz Fosslien, the co-author of the book. "And perhaps also, focusing a bit more on Harris." ### Reversed Gender Roles Trump has long insisted on projecting strength and dominance, especially on television and in public, particularly when facing female opponents. Harris had every reason to try to make him look weak on stage.