MIAMI (AP) 鈥 Donald Trump on Wednesday was asked to name three virtues of his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris, a week after Harris was asked to do the same for the Republican nominee.
His answer sounded a lot like hers.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a very hard question," Trump said at the end of a town hall-style event hosted by Univision, the nation鈥檚 largest Spanish-language network. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the toughest question. The other ones are easy.鈥
Trump first said Harris had 鈥渉armed our country horribly鈥 before complimenting what he said was her 鈥渁bility to survive.鈥
Then came the jab.
鈥淏ecause she was out of the race,鈥 Trump said, referring to Harris鈥 early departure from the 2020 Democratic presidential nominating campaign and her replacement this summer of President atop the 2024 ticket. 鈥淎nd all of a sudden she鈥檚 running for president.鈥
He also noted that 鈥渟he seems to have some pretty long-time friendships鈥 and that 鈥渟he seems to have a nice way about her.鈥
鈥淚 like the way, you know, some of her statements, some of her 鈥 the way she behaves in a certain way,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut in another way, I think it's very bad for our country.鈥
Asking major-party candidates to say something nice about the other is a presidential tradition, sometimes leading to memorable moments and quips. But Trump and Harris don't know each other personally, only having me publicly at their September debate. And in a tense election in which both sides have called the other a threat to democracy, neither candidate is under much pressure from their supporters to offer a compliment.
Harris Trump鈥檚 approach to politics 鈥減ains me,鈥 singling out what she called his 鈥渦s-versus-them鈥 approach and adding 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 healthy for our nation and I don鈥檛 admire that.鈥
She eventually offered, 鈥淚 think Donald Trump loves his family and I think that鈥檚 very important,鈥 only to continue, 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 really know him. I only met him one time...so I don鈥檛 really have much more to offer you.鈥
Both Trump and Harris were questioned by the same audience member, 48-year-old Teresa Djedjro, who attended both events.
Eight years ago, when a voter asked Trump and his Democratic rival, , to say something each respected about the other, Clinton offered to answer first, saying she respected Trump鈥檚 children, whom she called 鈥渋ncredibly able and devoted.鈥
Trump called it a 鈥渧ery nice compliment,鈥 then said, 鈥淚 will say this about Hillary: she doesn鈥檛 quit, she doesn鈥檛 give up. I respect that.鈥
Both candidates, however, said they disagreed with the other on most everything.
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Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.
