The debate accomplished more for Harris than it did for Trump

fukhueson@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 276 points –
The presidential debate accomplished more for Harris than it did for Trump
brookings.edu
36

You are viewing a single comment

Trump was abysmal... and it frustrates me that it probably didn't hurt him all that much. Yes, he looked like an angry incoherent buffoon and a spoiled pouting baby. He probably lost a few votes.

But that same performance from anyone else would have tanked their campaign. If Harris had been even slightly "off" or had a cold or made any significant mistakes, that's all the fucking MSM would be talking about today. Thank the stars she completely kicked his ass and looked good doing it.

But it's batshit that Trump can be so unhinged and still be in the running. He talks like the idiots who vote for him. His freakshow antics are good for ratings. That's it. That's the magic formula. It's dumb, it's dangerous, it's simple, and it works.

It's almost enough to make me think citizens should have to pass a basic civics exam to vote. I am not really there yet, but I can see some good arguments for it.

I talked to some friends after the debate who claim to be independent and they said they still thought they both were terrible. I don't understand how anyone could equate Harris with Trump, especially after Jan 6

I guess with the constant outrage machine and fear mongering that goes on 24x7 now, some people have just grown numb. It just doesn't register with them that democracy itself is on the line right now. If Trump wins, people could get put into camps. The very real possibility of that just doesn't sink in. They have forgotten that our nation has been to these dark places before. Our history is stained with that sort of regressive authoritarian nightmare stuff.

It's not that they have forgotten. It's that they are privileged enough to not need to be aware of it or feel the dark effects as they creep in. Even non rich people can be privileged to a certain degree.

I have a bud who is basically a neet because of health conditions and he's like that, 'both sides are the sameish'. His family isn't rich but his mom has a decent middle class work from home job and they moved to a cheap AF state so they do alright. He's basically shielded from anything that could happen since he's a white, straight, male with health insurance through his mom.

I like to sometimes remind people that being numb doesn't mean you aren't being hurt. If your arm is numb and someone is stabbing it with a knife, that's probably still a problem.

Tests related to voting have tended to break the other way.

If it was done online where they can be truly impartial, I think they could be fine, as long as it's just one page of questions so you can do it in like a minute

She was coached very well and must have come across presidential to undecideds.

She's a former prosecutor, so she likely didn't need much coaching.

She absolutely did, and it showed. Being a prosecutor and debating on live TV are very different, least of all because you are trying to appeal to millions. She reduced her fillers, her laugh, and other bits which could have come across as patronising.

Though I do wish she had laughed at him a little cause you could see her fighting it. Its hard to take Trump seriously when he rambles like that.

Yep, I could tell when her prep kicked in at various times.
Her prep team deserves a pizza party and raises.

She dominated.