The debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris was more of a defining moment for voters like myself rather than a political battle. For some time, I had not decided on my stance on this election, and thus, I listened to the two of them with the hope of gaining some insight on several issues. I watched what would turn out to be a revealing glimpse into strikingly different candidates.
https://www.youtube.com/live/VgsC_aBquUE?si=_QgqxhHN-bOCrEK6
The very first distinction was in the style:
Harris sounded polished and prepared from the outset, coolly sticking, for the most part, to her talking points on so-called wedge issues like abortion and immigration. Trump, however, was more freewheeling, often combative, and quick to go off on tangents to assail his opponent.
I have to say, Harris did far better than I'd expected. She held her own despite the attacks from Trump and his aggressive style of debating; at many moments, it seemed she got under his skin with well-placed jabs. She demonstrated her command of policy details, even while some of her responses sounded a bit rehearsed.
Trump's performance just left me with mixed emotions. I could relate to his concerns over immigration to an extent. However, I felt much of his rhetoric about immigrants "killing dogs" and repeated warnings of an impending World War III was a bit too much hard-sell fear-mongering. At times, he came off as unfocused and even quite rattled.
One of the salient features of the debate was that the whole exercise exposed deep ideological polarization in our country.
From abortion rights to policy concerning foreign affairs, Trump and Harris painted dramatically different pictures of the future of America. As a voter, it made many things quite clear to me as to what choice we face come November.
That said, I still wasn't completely satisfied with the outcome of this event. It would have been nice to have heard more substantial policy debates and less mudslinging. Both candidates wasted a good amount of time just criticizing each other, rather than articulating detailed plans. As someone searching for solutions, that was frustrating.
So what does that leave me, as an undecided voter?
Honestly, I'm pondering that. Harris exceeded my expectations and allayed some of my concerns about her readiness for the presidency. But I'm not quite sold on the Biden-Harris administration's record.
Then, this debate performance by Trump reinforced some of the qualities that his supporters seem to admire - his bluntness and "outsider" persona. The traits that give me pause, though, were also brought into sharp relief: notably his willingness to exaggerate and inflame tensions.
With election day fast approaching, I know I must make up my mind soon. While this debate was enlightening, I am eager to see how both candidates will perform in the coming weeks. I am going to pay close attention to their policy proposals and also how they handle tough questions from voters.
