Jim Hartman
There was a clear winner of the presidential debate – Kamala Harris. There was also a clear loser – Donald Trump. It wasn’t close.
Harris presented herself as a plausible president – tough and smart enough.
She won through her four days of debate preparation, taking the time to memorize and hone two-minute responses with set pieces from her stump speech. She won superficially with no attempt to be substantive or revealing.
Harris had a strategy to taunt and goad Trump into diving down rabbit holes of grievance and vanity. It worked.
Trump repeatedly took the bait and talked about the past or Joe Biden or immigrants eating pets, but not showing Americans how he would improve things for them in the next four years.
He fell into the trap of saying the last election was stolen, that the rioters on Jan.6 were mistreated, and the courts had ruled against him in 2020 on a “technicality.” Does any undecided voter worried about grocery prices care?
Harris owes much of her success to Trump’s lack of preparation and discipline. Trump has always believed he could just wing it and win.
In the debate, he did a terrible job at his most important task – tying Harris to President Biden’s failed policies. Trump was even worse at making the argument that Harris is a far-left politician out of touch with America’s values.
Trump let Harris off the hook on her policy views. One of his weaknesses is he’s unable to learn policy details that explain an issue beyond a slogan. He resorts instead to over-the-top claims like she’s a Marxist, or the “worst vice president in history.”
Vice President Harris had help from the ABC News moderators, who were clearly on her side. They fact-checked Trump five times but never Harris. She enlisted every charge made against Trump, regardless of truth.
She told numerous whoppers, including that Trump supports the “Project 2025” plan, that he favors a national abortion ban, that he called neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., “very fine people” and that he threatened a “bloodbath” if he loses the election.
Each is untrue but neither ABC moderator turned to Harris and said, “That has been debunked.”
ABC didn’t provide the two candidates with a level playing field.
The debate will have some effect but probably not as much as Harris partisans hope or Trump fans may fear.
This is an unprecedented political year.
Trump has named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard as honorary co-chairs of his transition team after their endorsements of his candidacy.
Kennedy, scion of the Democratic Party’s royal family , is a multiple-conspiracy theorist and vaccine skeptic.
Former Congresswoman Gabbard, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (2013-16), was a Bernie Sanders supporter for president in 2016.
Meanwhile, of all the living Republicans who have run on a presidential ticket, only two are backing Trump: Sarah Palin, the 2008 vice presidential candidate, and J.D. Vance, Trump’s current running mate.
Everyone else is going a different way.
Trump’s two-time running mate and vice president, Mike Pence, is declining to support him.
George W. Bush, the twice elected Republican president, says he won’t endorse anyone. Former Vice President Dan Quayle is staying intentionally mum.
Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, and his running mate, former House Speaker Paul Ryan, have said they won’t vote for Trump.
And Dick Cheney, the former two-term vice president, announced he will vote for Harris.
Many voters this year will be choosing a direction, rather than a candidate. They will endure the candidate, but it’s a new direction they want on inflation, crime and chaos on the border. These voters are not sure they want to go any further in the Blue Direction.
With 6 ½ weeks until election day, this race still looks close to a 50/50 toss-up.
Email Jim Hartman at lawdocman1@aol.com.