The Trump – Harris debate, how much does it really mean?
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The two US presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, have finished their first and perhaps last debate before the presidential election. The debate between them was perhaps the only one before the election. The question is how important these debates really are and what will decide the election campaign.
The debate
Kamala Harris won the debate. At least if we are to believe analysts. Even the Trump-believing Fox News channel had Kamala Harris as the winner. Donald Trump was caught time and time again telling untruths and conspiracy theories. Kamala Harris was well prepared and set out the bait that Donald Trump took.
The big question before the debate was how Kamala Harris would handle such a debate. It was new to her and Donald Trump is known to handle them well. It was obvious that Kamala Harris had mastered the debate. She literally owned it. The body language of the two debaters was also completely different as time went on. Donald Trump felt uncomfortable, while Kamala Harris oozed charisma.
Campaigning in the US is a show
For Europeans, it’s a little difficult to understand what an election campaign in the US actually is. In Europe, we have several parties that, after an election, often have to work together in various constellations to form a government. In the US, it’s really about two parties. Either the Republicans win or the Democrats win.
The two parties are fighting a battle to reach out with their messages to the people. Or, most importantly, to the small number of Americans who are not loyal to their party. Most Americans are loyal to their parties and vote the same way throughout their lives. This also means that most states are, in reality, irrelevant. The battle for the few voters who are not loyal to one party is actually limited to a battle for these few voters in a few states. These states are often very evenly matched, and where they end up after an election depends on these few voters.
The difference between European and American election campaigns is huge. Europeans find all the show surrounding American elections very strange. Whether it’s big rallies or debates, there’s a big element of show in the US. We have to remember that this is actually part of American culture. Shows are also found in the US in other contexts. We find it in sports, for example.
Sources:
What the world thought of Harris-Trump debate (bbc.com)
CNN Flash Poll: Majority of debate watchers say Harris outperformed Trump onstage | CNN Politics
Takeaways from the ABC presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris | CNN Politics