A one-on-one debate can be unforgiving, exposing the weaker speaker's vulnerabilities. Therefore, thorough preparation is crucial for participants in binary debates. The TrumpHarris debate, moderated by ABC on September 10th, demanded meticulous preparation from both candidates. Unfortunately, by the time the debate ended it was clear that the preparations made by Trumps campaign team had fallen short of necessary standards.
In high-stakes debates, false narratives and statements are common tactics used to unsettle opponents and provoke mistakes. Seasoned debaters skilfully recover, counterattack, and dodge incoming blows. Given Kamala Harris's background as a prosecutor, it was always clear that she was a more experienced debater than Donald Trump. That begs the question whether the Trump team during their preparations had adequately factored this advantage enjoyed by Harris.
On the other hand rumours suggest that Harris used the services of a Trump lookalike in her practice sessions.� Regardless of this being true or not, the debate's outcome highlighted the meticulous preparation of the Democrats. The contrast between the two candidates' readiness was striking, leaving one to wonder if the Trump campaign underestimated the importance of a thorough preparation for the show.
Throughout the debate, Trump missed several opportunities to gain the upper hand over Harris. One notable misstep was his failure to capitalize on the Abraham Accords, a crowning achievement of his presidency. These historic agreements normalized relations between Israel and Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the UAE, rivalling the significance of the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. Trump's foreign policy record surpassed that of the current Biden-Harris administration, yet he failed to effectively leverage this advantage during the debate.
Meanwhile, Harris skilfully turned the tables on Trump's diplomatic efforts with Russian President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. She astutely portrayed Trump's attempts at building bridges as a desire for flattery from these authoritarian leaders, rather than a genuine pursuit of diplomacy. This clever manoeuvre underscored Trump's missed opportunities and highlighted Harris's adeptness in debate. Instead of Trump being more assertive about his achievements by emphasizing his courage in pursuing peace talks with long time rival nations, he chose to shift to other issues. Alternatively, it's possible that his team had neglected to provide adequate support and clear guidance on foreign policy issues, leaving him without a strong foundation to defend his actions.
When Trump asserted that he would have prevented the Ukraine-Russia conflict if he were President, Harris retorted that he been President, Putin would have been emboldened to occupy Kiev instead. Trump missed a crucial opportunity to counter by pointing out that Putin's aggression towards Ukraine was emboldened by the chaotic NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, which occurred under the current administration. He could have further emphasized that the withdrawal was widely perceived as a weak American retreat, eroding the confidence of NATO soldiers and allies, which actually encouraged Putin to attack Ukraine.
Similarly when Harris criticized Trump for inviting the Taliban to Camp David for talks, he missed another chance to strike back. Trump could have forcefully countered by confronting Harris with a stark reality: if his engagement with the Taliban was indeed wrong, then why did the Biden administration follow through with a similar policy by withdrawing from Afghanistan? This sharp retort would have put Harris on the defensive, exposing the inconsistency in her argument.
Ironically, the Biden administration has not only adopted Trump's Afghanistan policy but also continued another key economic policy initiated by Trump. In 2018 and 2019, Trump imposed tariffs on approximately $380 billion worth of products, resulting in nearly $80 billion in new taxes on Americans - one of the largest tax increases in decades. Despite this, the Biden administration has maintained most of Trump's tariffs and even announced additional hikes in May 2024, targeting $18 billion worth of Chinese goods, including semiconductors and electric vehicles, which will increase taxes by another $3.6 billion.
During the debate, Harris attempted to criticize Trump's economic plan, labelling it a "Trump sales tax" that would impose a 20% tax on everyday goods. However, Trump failed to seize the opportunity to point out the hypocrisy, neglecting to remind Harris that the Biden administration has continued his policy of imposing high tariffs on Chinese goods. A swift counterattack would have highlighted the inconsistency in Harris's argument and turned the tables on her.
Trump's immigration policy was another area where he could have effectively countered Harris's arguments with facts. However, he opted to perpetuate a baseless narrative about immigrants eating cats and dogs, which even he seemed unconvincing about.
In contrast, Harris exuded confidence and poise throughout the debate, skilfully dodging Trump's attacks and redirecting the conversation to false narratives that left Trump floundering. These included claims that Trump would sign a federal law banning abortion upon taking office; that he left behind the worst unemployment figures after his presidency; and the misleading "Project 2025" narrative. By failing to stand his ground on immigration policy, and many other areas on which he was supposed to be on a sound footing Trump allowed Harris to gain the upper hand and control the debate's trajectory.
The verdict on Trump's previous presidency remains divided, but like his predecessors, his tenure was marked by both triumphs and setbacks. Presidential debates offer a platform to showcase past achievements while sidestepping failures. Trump, however, failed to capitalize on his successes, whereas Harris, who had previously flown under the radar due to limited media exposure, surprisingly held her own in the debate.
Although the outcome of the presidency remains uncertain, the debate has undoubtedly boosted Harris's standing, earning her additional points in upcoming Trump Harris debate poll trackers.
�
