If you watched the presidential debate between Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, and Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, on Tuesday night (10), hoping to hear each one’s proposals for the country, you surely wasted your time.
Harris had a different strategy: to exploit her opponent’s greatest weakness. Not his history, including the various lawsuits he faces in court, or his divisive and prejudiced policies; much less his inflammatory statements, which are mostly based on false data and arguments.
Instead, she aimed at something more significant for the former president: his ego.
Harris decided to ridicule Trump on national television. She attacked him, and he, for the most part, defended himself. She took him out of his comfort zone. He seemed irritated and even nervous at times.
Harris questioned the size and loyalty of the crowds at Trump’s rallies, claiming that people leave in the middle of his speeches bored. She said that world leaders call him a “disgrace.” And she claimed that the Republican candidate’s fortune was built by his father, going against the narrative Trump has defended, which boasts of being ‘a self-made man.’
The former president was forced to remind Americans of his role in episodes that many would prefer to forget: the deadly and devastating Covid pandemic, his refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election, the attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the fall of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that eliminated the abortion ban in the country.
But the highlight of the debate was when Trump defended a false claim that immigrants in Ohio are eating their neighbors’ dogs and cats, in his old attempt to demonize immigrants, especially those coming across the border.
Harris reacted with a smile, seemingly incredulous that her opponent had the audacity to say such absurdity on national television. The ABC moderators quickly emphasized that Trump’s remarks about immigrants had already been declared completely false by the mayor of Ohio.
AND THE COUNTRY REMAINS UNDECIDED
In such a fractured and polarized country, it is still unclear how the unproductive debate might alter the 2024 presidential race.
On one hand, Harris missed the chance to expose her plans for the nation and explain controversial proposals, such as raising taxes on the super-rich. Those who were unaware of her political history went to bed last night the same way they woke up. From the moment she crossed the stage to shake Trump’s hand, the Democratic candidate made it clear that her intention was to turn a night that should have been about her into a referendum on him.
For many political experts, the current vice president won the debate by cornering Trump and forcing him to address issues he would prefer not to mention. Others pointed out that she presented herself as the candidate of a new generation, showed objective and coherent speech, a criticism her opponents make of her, and demonstrated knowledge of the issues she was questioned about.
Even Trump’s allies reluctantly admitted that Harris’s strategy to try to unbalance Trump was effective.
He missed the opportunity to point out the weaknesses of Harris and the current Democratic government. With the exception of immigration, Trump did not attack the high cost of living during Biden’s administration, did not mention the Democrat’s divergences in energy policy, did not describe her as ‘too liberal’ for voters in undecided states, among other issues.
According to the campaigns of both candidates, it seems there will be no further debates between them. With less than two months until the presidential elections, it will be up to each voter to do their own research and draw their own conclusions.
As Taylor Swift did, who last night, after the debate, declared her support for Kamala Harris on her social media. The pop singer, who has over 283 million followers, signed the post calling herself a “childless cat lady,” alluding to a phrase previously used by Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, to criticize the Democratic candidate, who has no children.
Sources: The New York Times and CNN