Why Harris Won the Debate - Not Why You Think - 9/11/2024

It was a given, Trump had to agree to a debate. In actuality, there was almost no upside for him. On the other hand, as a candidate about whom many Americans were saying they needed to learn more, Harris had some, albeit limited, upside. Why Trump had no upside and Harris' was limited is because a very large majority of the electorate is already locked in. Neither of them changed anyone's mind last night.

The moderators for ABC were decidedly, emphatically, and unabashedly biased, to the point I would characterize their performance as unfair. But Trump agreed to this format and network.

Trump and Harris debating last night. Harris's teammates from ABC are outside the frame.

Both were targeting a small portion of the electorate who are undecided. Some of the undecideds don't like one candidate, the other, or both, and are working through their own political and philosophical objections. I don't think either candidate moved the needle much for these folks.

Some of the undecideds are just uninformed, apolitical people who don't pay a whole lot of attention to the issues. For them, the election is one of style and image. For them, I think Harris came off better in how she presented herself. For these same voters, people who do not follow politics on a daily basis, the fact that ABC fact checked Trump repeatedly, let Harris lie with impunity, and steered the issues in ways favorable to Harris, it will probably sway some. Since this election will hinge on a small number of voters in a small number of states, all of them in this undecided group, in the all in all, the debate helped Harris and did little for Trump.

I am not giving Trump a complete pass. He missed layup after layup. They got under his skin, not to the point where he was bombastic, but to the point he was less than fully effective.

Nothing that transpired last night made Harris a better choice for President. She did not say anything about issues that wowed people. She is a leftist and I disagree with most of her positions on most of the issues. I believe she will be a disaster for our country. A disaster on immigration. A disaster on the economy. A disaster on world affairs. A disaster for race relations in our country. Sadly, last night got her a tiny bit closer to the White House.