In the wake of Tuesday night’s debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on ABC, conservative pundits will (rightly) complain about the openly biased moderators, while liberal pundits will be thrilled that Harris repeated all the scripted talking points handed to her by the Democrat Party elites.
But as the media’s stable of talking heads endlessly speculates on who “won” the debate, the real story should be what the American people took away from the encounter. While Trump delivered haymakers exposing the Biden-Harris record of failure, Harris’s attempts to hit back at Trump often sounded preachy and more like a lecture than an actual argument. Harris repeatedly accused Trump of making “nasty, personal attacks,” but in the end, it was Harris who frequently resorted to this tactic when she found herself without any solid ground to stand on in defending her tenure as vice president.
Ultimately, this debate – as is the case with all presidential debates – was not really a debate at all, but rather an audition for who appears more ready to be president.
Partisans on both sides will undoubtedly wish that their candidate said this or that, piling up talking points from overpaid consultants. Everyday Americans, however, will judge the gestalt of the candidates, or the totality of how each presented himself or herself on camera.
The substance of the debate itself in some respects takes a back seat to how each candidate talks about the issues. Voters in most cases by now know the various claims and talking points of each campaign, and so they are watching to see who comes across as most capable of doing the job of president.
For this reason, while the corporate media will heap praise on Harris, viewers in suburbs and small towns throughout the country likely have a far different impression of her performance.
For example, as Fox News observed, social media users were quick to drag Harris for her exaggerated facial expressions, as she was seen constantly smirking and “was captured on camera dramatically rolling her eyes, furrowing her brow or squinting at her opponent while he spoke.” As several high-profile conservative accounts noted, Harris’s expressions appeared just as rehearsed as her lines – something which will be of no concern to analysts on CNN and MSNBC, but which smacks of inauthenticity to most viewers.
Moreover, Harris’s bizarre facial expressions betrayed a deep anxiety that will not sit well with voters. If this is how Harris reacts when her political opponent says something she doesn’t like, how can Americans trust her to keep her poise when she is staring across the table at Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping? Her entire aura was one of a teenager who believes making an incredulous face is a substitute for a counterargument.
As a result, no matter the substance of what Harris was saying, her physical demeanor throughout the debate came across as childish, immature, and ultimately unbecoming of the most powerful elected office in the world.
Making matters worse for the vice president, the way she responded to Trump and to the moderators’ questions was likely also a big turn-off for voters.
Along with conjuring up obviously manufactured emotion on issues Democrats love to fearmonger on like abortion and healthcare, Harris often became downright blabby, spending minutes lecturing Trump on how supposedly terrible and horrible he is. At several points during the debate, like a bitter ex-girlfriend who never forgets anything, Harris veered far off course from the issues at hand in this election to revive tired (and disproven) left-wing attack lines on Trump’s business record from decades ago. Her scolding at times teetered on the brink of being downright creepy as she obsessed over imagined injustices perpetrated by the former president.
Trump, meanwhile, presented precisely the opposite image. The Trump who came through the camera on Tuesday night was a serious, strong, determined leader ready to finish the work that he started eight years ago.
While Harris attempted to steer the conversation away from the border and the economy – consistently the top two most important issues to voters – Trump hammered inflation and illegal immigration over and over. When Harris claimed she had a “plan” for the various problems facing the country, Trump smartly pointed out that she has been in office for three and a half years and hasn’t done anything. Every time Harris lied about Trump’s record, the former president responded with an assertiveness that gives voters confidence in his ability to guide the country out of the ditch that Biden and Harris have driven it into.
As Trump took control of the debate, the ABC moderators stepped in to put their thumb on the scale for Harris, following up virtually all of Trump’s statements with bogus “fact checks” while allowing Harris to lie with impunity. But even this may have backfired on the Harris campaign. Trump proved himself capable of taking on both Harris and the moderators, while Harris looked weak by comparison.
In the end, Harris may have proven to be precisely what Democrat strategist James Carville warned about back in March – “too many preachy females dominating the culture of the Democratic Party.” Americans want a leader, not a lecturer-in-chief. On that front, Trump came out clearly ahead.
B.C. Brutus is the pen name of a writer with previous experience in the legislative and executive branches.
Who or WHAT are you voting for? For those with Trump Derangement Syndrome and ask me how can I vote for Trump, here is my response:
I’m NOT voting for Trump.
I’m voting FOR the First Amendment and freedom of speech.
I’m voting for the Second Amendment and my right to defend my life and my family.
I’m voting for the next Supreme Court Justice(s) to protect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
I’m voting for a return of our troops from foreign countries and the end of America’s involvement in foreign conflicts.
I’m voting for the electoral College and for the Republic in which we live.
I’m voting for the Police to be respected again and to ensure Law & Order.
I’m voting for the continued appointment of Federal Judges who respect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
I’m voting for our jobs to remain in America and not be outsourced to China, Mexico and other foreign countries.
I’m voting for secure borders and legal immigration.
I’m voting for the Military and the Veterans who fought for this Country to give American people their freedoms.
I’m voting for unborn babies who have a right to live (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness).
I’m voting for peace in the Middle East.
I’m voting to fight against human/child trafficking.
I’m voting for Freedom of Religion.
I’m voting for the right to voice my opinions and not be censored.
I’m not just voting for one person, I’m voting for the future of my country.
I’m voting for my children and grandchildren to ensure their freedoms and their future.
I for one could not believe that Harris even though being propped up by ABC never really answered any questions. Yes she thinks she won because she talked mostly calmly but 3 against 1 not only showed the Main Street media bias but also allowed us as Amerto see that Harris is an empty suit. This debate in my opinion was won by Trump because he brought up the issues Americans care about while Harris said absolutely nothing but her talking points which made no sense. Voting for Donald Trump to save the republic.
That a Democrat would lecture voters should be no surprise. It is the liberals who constantly seek to control what we think and do. That is the agenda of Democrats and leftists.
When the Moderator had to add that the statement that President Trump made was not true about the people who complained that their pets were being eaten by illegal imigrants, I had to laugh. I know of people that had a problem with this. They lost several animals to foreign immigrants. They had to purchase a guard dog that was not people friendly to even protect their cattle. Even their cattle were killed and cut up in the field during the night. Also, I live in the country and several small towns in the area have had their pets taken. So it was not a bogus remark. Plus I have to say, that the strategy of Kamala was Attack Attack Attack. She was well trained and I would say not to her benefit. Anyone that has to practice for several weeks to prepare for a debate is not Presidential Material.
Trump delivered unadorned, undecorated real substance, while Harris delivered perfumed BS rhetoric.For those who enjoyed being lied to, Harris would have won. Whereas those of us who insist on real nutrition will have given the victory to Donald Trump. He did go into enemy territory. He was in a viper’s nest as an anti-Nazi debating Hitler with Joseph Goebbels and company at the moderator’s desk.
VP Harris had no substance to her message. She offered nothing but her arrogance and condescension toward Trump. She is an empty pants suit in need of Salvation.
I beleive Donald J. Trump is a Patriot!
Kamala Harris is another communist Liberal!
I’m voting for Trump/Vance!
My mind was made up in 2020!
Trump will revive our Country!
The Harris/Walz Administraition will Destroy the USA!
This is what I Beleive and this is what influenced my decision!
She won on optics. Trump should have not been allowed to be on this hostile network. Dana Walden is personal friend of Harris, and this 3:1 tag team should have been expected 100%. Republicans never ever learn. No Democrat would ever go into this type of hostile territory.
A terrible debate! . . . The moderators NEVER challenged Kamala to provide proof of her “factual” LIES! She’s a habitual LIAR! She LIES EVERYTIME she opens her mouth to speak. I knew from the first question when she NEVER ANSWERED “ARE Americans better off today than they were 4 years ago under Trump?” and the moderators NEVER challenged her to answer the question! But then again, Trump NEVER challenged her or the moderators to answer either.
The whole debate was no debate. Kameltoe acted as a scorned lover. Personal attacks that were lies. On abortion he was right in some states abortions are allowed up to birth. Colorado is one of those states. I wish he had mentioned that. She just kept shaking her head. She didn’t debate she just used all the lines they have used since 2016 against Trump. All the blame for the past 4 years is on Trump. She won’t admit any mistake. And has no projects only plans. Well plans fall away as soon as she is in the White House and communist projects will become the plan. The moderators were in her camp. The questions were given to her or the answers she practiced were generating the questions. The fact checking on Trump was even a lie. Pets are being killed in Springfield. All this was proof kameltoe knew the questions being asked in advance. She was not genuine but dictating to the American people to hate Trump and his supporters. She was VP for.the past 4 years and has not given a darn about the border. But spouting hatred for Trump. Lie after lie. There is no substance in Kameltoe. It was a performance with well rehearsed lines on the cues of the moderators. ABC news was not for America they were for the dems to stay in power, The debate was setting forth the dems plan for this country with an empty brain at the helm. VOTE TRUMP/VANCE IN 2024 to keep our America and stop the disaster of the past 4 years.
The assessment of Harris is pretty accurate but your assessment of Trump is pure partisan BS. Trump had the chance to send Harris out to pasture with Biden but his ego got in the way. True he had to defend himself against 3 but all he had to do was stay calm and present facts. He failed as he constantly went off topic, several times failing to address the question posed, ranting about whatever.
No Trump lost last night, Harris did not win and if the viewers have any sense of legitimacy the big loser will be ABC or should they now be called ABK for All Backing Kamala as they failed to fact check her falsehoods while skewering Trump.
I was getting so angry and frustrated that I turned the debate off after about twenty minutes. I know for who I am voting and nothing this lying b**** says will change that.
President Trump has already proven himself from 2016-2020.
Harris has no good track record to run on. NEVER!
THE FCC NEEDS TO BAN ABC NEWS FOR AWHILE.
NO A WORTHY NEW OUTLET ANYMORE
Both sides think that their candidate won the “debate”. Surprise, surprise, surprise.
What I think is this debate didn’t change any minds and we certainly don’t need another one (or for that matter, a first Vance vs. Walz debate which no one will bother to watch anyway).
After listening to the “debate” for less than an hour, and screaming at the TV after the VP told lie after lie, I had to turn it off and go to bed. After reviewing the dialogue today. I guess I was right all along.
The key question for anyone who watched the debate should be: ‘Why did the moderators fact check Trump and not Dome?’ That should tell them everything they need to know about whether the moderators and network were unbiased or not.
the debate was so skewed toward Harris it wasn’t funny. The moderators were terrible – asking Donald Trump all the hard questions and throwing soft balls at Harris. I still don’t know anything about her other than the stances she took with Biden. She should do her homework next time.
Harris has no major accomplishments, just like Uncle Joe. They both dropped the ball a long time ago. She does not deserve to lecture anyone. President Trump has major accomplishments that has helped America, just look at his record. Our old military superiors told many of us don’t tell me what you are going to do tell me what you did. Many of us know that. So, who do you want to lead our great country? Finally, are you kidding me, the moderators leading the discussion were obviously biased. What do you expect on a Fake news channel.
One Harris talking point was she “did not want to go back.” Unfortunately for her, the overwhelming majority of Americans want to do just that – go back to the Trump years of low inflation, low gas prices, low mortgage interest rates, and no wars.
Harris was no better than a programmed droid.
The Debate is not an Debate because Donald Trump did a supper job and Kamala Harris is not a leader period.
Trump had to debate the Moderators and Camel face. I could not take her lies, so I muted her.
I have never seen so many facial expressions on a person in that short amount of time.I think she try out as a blind persons interpreter
After watching the debate last night, I did not change my mind about who will be America’s best President, Donald Trump. Thinking minds can sift the rhetoric and see that the former President will be the best for our country–to keep us safe, improve the economy, and protect the unborn. I pray that God protects him and his family in what has become a hostile, negative political environment. God bless America.
Short answer is that Trump blew a terrific opportunity. Instead of staying on point and emphasizing the many failures of Harris/Biden and the specific changes in Harris stated positions, he allowed Harris to divert him into defensive claims about his record and non important things like the size of his rallies. Disappointing. That said, I still believe he will be the better president for our country
Kamel, I noticed, acted jealous. She acted like two of my ex girlfriends that I walked away from. Nasty and controling!
The woman has no clue,what is there to debate .The signs of the level of her ability and competency are all around us. Every day we see it in the stores, gas pumps and all over the place. No one needs a blind guide .And she promises bigger and better and more.
News/TV journalist should not conduct these “debates”. I college profession who teaches how to debate with an unbiased opinion should be assigned this task. This is nonsense. After about 5 minutes I just couldn’t take anymore facial expressions from our “fake” VP. I’m just waiting for Democrats to fire her and pop out another candidate so Trump will get to debate again. Is this really America?
Harris wants to give money to new families, first time home buyers and abortions. Mr. Trump made valid points about our country going down hill, her inability to control the border and allowing millions in unvetted. The Biden Harris ADMINISTRATION WAS A FAILURE.
This very well-expressed article on what was presented in the debate contrary to the pretentious one-sided viewpoint of the progressive pearl-clutching viewers. Yeah, Kamala, played her part, on stage, as they think people should behave, which would not work well when facing individuals, they claim are too one-sided in presentation, like Putin. they would be lucky to walk out alive in a face-to-face after responding with “eye-rolls and facial expressions”. I still haven’t heard a word of her statement to complete the “I have a plan” comment. I know for sure, that she didn’t like the use of the “I am speaking now” comment thrown back at her because it broke up her “lecture speech”. Let the fun begin now.
Debate 2 ideas
Have FNC host
Fact check Both speakers
Trump stand against Games Harris plays
Every subject they talk about is exactly what Donld Trump did in his term in the office.
More hope Harris. She bullshi=ed everyone and RUN SPOT RUN was the best .
I watched this excuse for a debate, and it was exactly what I expected: they would allow Harris to lie, and would call out Trump on anything and everything. I a, so sick of this administration accusing Trump and other conservatives of lying while telling some of the biggest lies out there. I was especially insulted when she talked about the government should not be able to tell a woman what she can do with her body, while they fired people and forced people out the military for not taking the Covid vaccine. They talk out of both sides of their mouths!!! Harris presented no concrete plans. She will be Biden 2.0 on steroids if elected, mark my words.
Jubali06 – Why are liberals obsessed with child sacrifice and hopelessly lost on Bible truth and prophecy? Pretending to convey God’s word… I ask that you try to understand the 3 Angel messages. Come out of Babylon “confusion.”
K came out as a whiny, entitled bi–h that she is. Trump kept to the issues and ABC should be ashamed of itself, especially that Botox lipped moderator.
Harris verbally outmaneuvered Trump for almost the entire debate, and made well-rehearsed attacks that surely resonated with some undecided voters.
Although Harris was much better prepared than Trump, her messaging was much less credible, as her accusations were most-often made out of context… to put him off balance.
The most notable instance of this that I noticed was when she attacked him on the issue of abortion rights alone, and, deceptively, framed him as someone who forced women to submit to more restrictive legal barriers to having an abortion. This was nonsense, as Trump only supported allowing individual states to decide on their own legislation regarding abortion (which the Roe v. Wade ruling by the Supreme Court accomplished).
To summarize, it was hard not to notice that her debate performance, though competent, was also dishonest to the point of being downright sleazy.
Harris demonstrated that, if elected, she will make Billy Cinton look like a choirboy.
Harris saying she has “a plan” doesn’t inspire confidence in her ability to handle it. Having a plan is not the same as implementing the plan, and that’s also different from solving the issue effectively and at low cost.
Harris never mentioned any details, nor was she pressed by the moderators to follow up on exactly how she planned to lower prices or secure the border. Oh, but she was so happy to mention how our tax dollars were going to be spent on an opportunity economy, on new business startups ($50K), on new home buyers ($25K), and on young families (I assume) having babies ($6K). She looked smug, haughty, and arrogant, gesturing and presenting her up-turned chin, knowing the moderators were on her side and wouldn’t challenge her.
President Trump was cornered by his 3 “friends” on the floor, and was fact-checked all along the way while Harris never was. Totally unfair.
I did hear that animals have been slaughtered, not only “bigly” in Texas but also in the Midwest, and that ducks have completely disappeared from some towns. I also heard a radio reporter claiming that between 10,000 and 30,000 abortions have occurred in late term pregnancies. (I’m still checking, but searches filter out any conservative results.)
Next debate? Terms must be established that favor both candidates equally, say, one liberal moderator and one conservative one. And–hate to say it–but Trump needs to polish his delivery and not repeat himself so often. He did become distracted by the barrage of lies coming from Harris and did not address each one of them. She did get under his skin. He still has my vote, of course, because I look at policies and records, not personalities.
So….MAGA and vote for Trump/Vance.
Did Kackler look and sound “joyful?” don’t think so. LIED repeatedly with help from ABC “journalists.” Really, no patriot should spend one dime on ANYTHING made or marketed by Disney! Poor Walt’s name is being dragged through the cesspool!
The only winner of a debate is the person with both facts and truth on their side and that is Trump. That said, he could have not taken Kamala’s bait and hammered her on the facts. Big surprise ABC moderators are biased! But if you’re going to acquiesce to having a debate held in hostile territory, expect it, defend against it, then fight it! Next debate should be with a Megyn Kelly or Dana Loesch.. let a Democrat get fact checked for once!
Didn’t watch debate as I never turn ABC on at home. Muir is an arrogant jerk. Harris is a commie as far as I can see.
I wonder if Kamala Harris understands herself, which makes it harder for us to know who she is. For the past 3 1/2 years she adopted President Biden’s Vice President persona “Good Ol’ Joe”. Remember all those cartoons and memes with Obama face palming over something Joe did or proposed? They were quite funny. And so during the Biden Presidency, we got “Kackles” Harris; the ever smiling, ever obsessing over Venn diagrams or orange school buses. Not nearly as funny. Now we have Harris the candidate. She is part “Everyman” of the middleclass (and don’t pounce on me because “Everyman” is more of a type than a gender); a fighter like Trump even to using his same issues; and hiding in the basement like president Biden. She has been a façade ever since she stepped into the Presidential race in 2019.
I just want to know:
1) where is all this money she plans to use for the middle class, the young families and first time home owners going to come from?
2) where are all the jobs when other countries undercut our factories and businesses?
3) who will be left to buy homes when her subsidies only raise the prices further?
4) who will be able to start a small business with $50,000 when inflation prices them out of even trying?
The real fear in the Democratic party is if they lose this election, they will NEVER win again because the American people will have their eyes opened like Jesus curing the blind man. 12 of the last 16 years have been dominated by Democrat Policies. The result is our country is sinking into a quagmire of Socialism!
And the dumb asses will still vote for her
That girl can only fool a few. As for the moderators, shame on you. Trump 2024.
Donald Trump is a proven Capitalist and she is an aspiring Marxist. That’s all you need to know.
Tweedle Dum swhowed he a_ _ last nite. She couldn’t lead a horse to a drinkijg trough. She needs to go back to Calif. and pick peaches. Kyle L.
Harris’s attempts to hit back at Trump often sounded preachy and more like a lecture than an actual argument. Harris repeatedly accused Trump of making “nasty, personal attacks,” but in the end, it was Harris who frequently resorted to this tactic when she found herself without any solid ground to stand on in defending her tenure as vice president.
Exactly. Over 90% of VP’s Harris Staff Left in Last Three Years. Throughout her career as a senator and then vice president, Kamala Harris developed a reputation as a difficult boss who struggles to retain staff due to the atmosphere of suspicion and disorder that tends to develop among her subordinates. In 2021 Business Insider reported that Harris aides have to endure “a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism”. Who’s going to follow someone like that?
I’m not voting for Trump, but voting for America, precisely the reason I would never vote for a Democrat.
I’ve always considered myself to be pro life, but when life forces me to contemplate sharing the planet with an odious creatures such as Kamala Harris I find myself fantasizing about going back in time sixty plus years ago to the time when Kamalas mother first noticed that she missed her period and then just oft handle mentioning to the newly pregnant sow that was soon to “gift” the world with Kamala “Knees” Harris, that abortion was an alternative and one that would greatly benefit the entire country.
Ahh, if only AI would rapidly develop time travel, very rapidly.