Harris scored points, but it’s still too early to tell
It is too early to draw final conclusions and overall estimates about the prospects of victory in the November US elections, but an objective assessment of the first televised debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump easily leads to the conclusion that it benefited the former.
The two rivals offered two starkly different visions of America, but Harris managed to convey a sense of hope for tomorrow, unlike her Republican opponent, who seemed more like a man of the past and once again focused on an attempt at intimidation and questioning of his opponent’s character and abilities.
The Democratic nominee said what she wanted to say and had planned to say, although she did not give entirely convincing answers to some critical issues as she tries to balance her current statements with past positions that alienate moderate voters she needs to win over.
For his part, Trump, despite the warnings of his advisers, did not manage to tame his explosive temperament. Harris succeeded in challenging him, irritating him, and forcing him on repeated occasions to appear defensive, instead of focusing on highlighting his positions.
Hence the disappointment registered among moderate Republicans, in contrast of course to the satisfaction of the former president’s ardent supporters, who, however, are taken for granted and do not affect the electoral equation.
With American society experiencing a phase of unprecedented division in recent years, which is also reflected in the political system, no major movements of voters from one camp to the other are detected or expected.
Thus, the entire effort of the two candidates and their staffs is focused on the small percentage of undecided voters, and in particular on those that could tilt the balance in the so-called swing states where the difference is minimal and, by extension, a small differentiation following a debate could be decisive in winning not only the states in question, but also the general election.
By that measure, Harris came out victorious. However, the road to the elections is long, especially in the US, where it has been repeatedly proven how fickle the electoral landscape is.
The vice president’s performance ranged from reassuring to extraordinary, depending on one’s ideological stance, but, as she herself acknowledged, elections are not won by a debate.
