Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been accused of sexual assault and battery, Swedbank’s former CEO Birgitte Bonnesen is facing prison time, and Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off at their first debate. Have a wonderful Wednesday!
– Debate stage. During last night’s U.S. presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris reminded former President Donald Trump that he’s not running against President Joe Biden anymore. “You’re not running against Joe Biden—you’re running against me,” Harris told Trump onstage in Philadelphia.
That fact was certainly visible throughout the ABC News debate, which saw Harris counter Trump forcefully as she pitched her vision for the future of the United States and forced Trump to defend his record. It was a total 180 from Trump’s June debate against Biden—the night that derailed Biden’s candidacy and led to Harris’s ascendance as the Democratic nominee.
Harris greeted Trump at the beginning of the debate and shook his hand—the first debate handshake between GOP and Democratic presidential candidates since 2016.
The debate format allowed Harris to tap into her experience as a prosecutor, going on the attack. She was strongest on the issue of abortion, tying “Trump abortion bans” back to stories of a woman “bleeding out” in the hospital parking lot, unable to receive care from doctors scared of jail time, and a 12-year-old forced to carry to term a pregnancy conceived via incest.
Trump refused to answer a question about whether or not he would veto a national abortion ban. And his false statements about abortion “after birth” led to a sobering fact-check from moderator Linsey Davis: “There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born.”
Trump largely failed to execute his campaign’s strategy of linking Harris to Biden’s unpopular administration until the very end of the face-off: “She’s going to do all these wonderful things,” he said of her policy agenda. “Why hasn’t she done it?”
The Trump and Harris campaigns haven’t yet agreed to another debate, so it’s unclear when the candidates will meet again. For now, this matchup has convinced at least one voter: Taylor Swift. The pop superstar weighed in last night to denounce Trump’s false use of her AI likeness to claim her endorsement and back Harris. “Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice,” she added, signing her post “Taylor Swift, childless cat lady.”
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
The Broadsheet is Fortune’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Today’s edition was curated by Nina Ajemian. Subscribe here.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
- Please hold. The sale process for Selena Gomez’ makeup company Rare Beauty is currently on hold. Bankers have been looking for a buyer for the company, valued at $2 billion, for over six months. Recently, Gomez made headlines for becoming a billionaire. Axios
- Doing time. Birgitte Bonnesen, former CEO of Swedbank, is facing 15 months in prison for spreading misinformation regarding Swedbank’s money-laundering scandal in Estonia. She is the highest-ranked Swedish banker to face jail time for the bank's money-laundering. Bonnesen’s lawyer said she will appeal the verdict. Financial Times
- Foul play. In an interview this week, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was asked about racism and homophobia among fans as rivalries grow in the sport—including between star rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. She responded by mentioning the role of rivalries in growing the sport and didn’t denounce racism or online abuse. Several players have shared a statement from WNBA players’ association executive director Terri Jackson: “This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model. This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked.” Engelbert posted on X last night that “there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA.” The Athletic
- Assault allegations. A woman accused Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery. Watson previously settled 23 lawsuits filed by massage therapists alleging sexual harassment and assault. Watson’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment and the Browns declined to comment. The NFL is reviewing the complaint. Previously, Watson has said he has not committed assault. New York Times
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Business Insider appointed Jamie Heller as editor in chief. Most recently, she served as business editor of the Wall Street Journal.
PwC appointed Hemione Hudson to lead the firm’s China business. Hudson is chief risk and regulatory officer on PwC’s global leadership team and the U.K. business’ chief network officer.
Fashion brand Antonio Marras named Barbara Calò chief executive officer. She was previously CEO at Marni.
All Star Healthcare Solutions, a health care staffing company, named Joanna Bonventre chief financial officer. Previously, she was CFO at AlpineX Group.
Metacon, an energy technology company, hired Nikolett Sipöcz as chief business officer, electrolysis. Most recently, she was head of sales at E.ON Drive.
Jayaram, a legal advising company, appointed Marie Berry as chief marketing officer. Previously, she was CMO and an operating partner at TheVentureCity.
ON MY RADAR
To the world, he is an anti-trafficking hero. Women tell a different story New York Times
‘Parliament was the most overpoweringly male place I had ever worked’: Diane Abbott on becoming an MP, dating Jeremy Corbyn and media intrusion The Guardian
Bobbi Brown is en route to her second billion-dollar company Financial Times
PARTING WORDS
“Men often have the luxury of being perceived as the strategists, the brains behind their ventures…Women, on the other hand, especially those in the limelight, are frequently pigeonholed into being the face of the brand or the marketing tool.”
— Beyoncé on being a Black woman in the business world
