The presidential debate was less chaotic than the last, but that’s hardly a high bar.
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took the debate stage last Tuesday, and one thing was clear: The results of the upcoming election are vital to the future of America.
American citizens have already made up their minds about Trump. Good or bad, there’s little to be done to change that. As for Harris, she’s a relatively new face in the presidential race, which made it vital for her to create a positive impression on viewers.
Harris’s strategy largely revolved around emphasizing Trump’s shortcomings. She proved Trump’s aggressive and erratic behavior, reminding Americans of the man they voted out. In almost all of her answers, she took offense and directly attacked Trump and his beliefs, sometimes missing her chance to solidify her policies and stances.
Still, Harris was well-composed and eloquent — a drastic difference from President Joe Biden during his debate in June. She delivered coherent answers and offered her views on many different topics, ranging from gun control to abortion rights.
The dynamic between a convicted felon and a prosecutor was definitely noticeable. It appeared Harris had learned from the last debate, recognizing that the cameras are always on and that body language plays a crucial role in connecting with the audience.
And as much as she knew her audience, she also knew her opponent.
Easily agitated, Trump took Harris’s bait every single time. In one instance, she brought up his rallies, insisting that people left them early out of boredom. This hit a nerve. His obsession with crowd sizes was apparent, as he weakly defended himself by accusing Harris of paying people to attend her large rallies. His frustration worked to her advantage, leading him to incoherently discuss topics such as “transgender procedures for undocumented immigrants in prison.”
The more Trump spoke, the deeper of a hole he dug, disseminating lies and misinformation with almost every utterance. Last debate, Trump got away with snide, vulgar remarks because of Biden’s declining mental aptitude and speech impediment. This time around, he struggled to match Harris’ coherence, ultimately falling victim to the same tactics he deployed against Biden.
When asked why he would want to kill the bill that would instate thousands of more officers on the borders, Trump made entirely false comments about Haitians, suggesting that they were eating the pets of the residents in Springfield, Ohio.
Both Trump and his vice presidential running mate JD Vance have spread this absurd narrative, even after they were debunked by state and local officials. When asked about these rumors on CNN, Vance claimed that he and Trump have to “create stories” so people pay attention to the “suffering of the American people.”
American citizens are accustomed to Trump fabricating claims, and it was extremely clear during the debate. The ABC News moderators fact-checked him multiple times over clearly disputed claims that could cause harm if spread further.
As the issues over reproductive rights were contested by both candidates, Trump furthered his anti-abortion beliefs, falsely claiming that Democrats supported “after birth abortions” — in other words, execution. This nonsensical statement caused even more backlash and shock in American citizens, as well as Harris herself. But it didn’t stop there.
Trump was vague about his beliefs out of fear of alienating certain voters. Not wanting to give a firm stance on abortion policies, he kept saying it would be “up to the states.” Finally, after rambling on and on, he turned to defense, hence the execution comment.
The debate highlighted the stark contrasts between the two candidates, and ultimately, a winner. With a reported significant lead, Harris won over the American public. Harris emerges as the more compelling choice for voters seeking a steady and articulate leader.