“Trump lost, but it wasn’t close.”
(Donald) Trump lost, but it wasn’t close. (Kamala) Harris gave a strong performance, but I still have concerns about her stance on Israel and Gaza. Frankly, I think she held back. It was a missed opportunity for Trump. She could have appealed to Americans on both sides of the political spectrum, but he chose to do things the way he always does.
I thought there was a limit to the unwavering loyalty of some people to Trump. I thought Trump was using his base to control the rich and Republicans in power. In fact, Trump is a right-wing fool. Loyalty to country and loyalty to party were not the same in my eyes. I will not vote.
I voted Democrat in 2020, but was too young to vote in 2016. If I thought the entire Democratic Party was out to harm people who didn’t vote for them in any way, I would abandon them. I trust Harris more than I trust Trump.
– Tobi, 24, Public School Teacher, Michigan
“Kamala didn’t land the knockout punch.”
It was like watching an exhibition boxing match where Kamala never landed the knockout punch. She repeatedly tipped him over but never landed the hit. Though her preparation was relatively impressive, she failed to follow up with a compelling or sufficiently detailed policy or plan that would have further demonstrated how good a candidate she really is. She was on edge, making the once vivacious showman look like an old, lame soul with a past.
I will vote for Kamala because I can’t vote for the other person. That said, if I were still undecided, I would be very concerned that a candidate already in power would be unable to articulate a plan to solve the very real socio-economic problems that many believe Kamala is partially responsible for creating. If they debate again and Trump can get that message across in more settings than just his closing speech, I think we’ll get a glimpse into why he was so appealing to undecided and protest voters.
– Sam Smith, Technology Worker, Lake Tahoe, NV
“It was a relief to watch it after the last debate.”
The last debate was a relief to watch, as I wanted to stay in the fetal position until November. I thought Harris did a good job of steering Trump away from his non-answerable comments and distracting him from his message. It’s no surprise that Trump’s comments were mostly bravado and not much substance.
I think she could have at least given some substantive answers about her plans to improve the economy, to make life easier for first-time homeowners, new parents, working middle-class people like me, but I wish Harris had been more specific about her intended approach to issues like immigration and Israel-Palestine, which would have provided a strong contrast to Trump’s vague, angry rhetoric.
I voted for Biden last election and I’m going to vote for Harris this election. I’ve stuck pretty tightly to the two-party system, despite being very unhappy with it. I’m struck by how voting for a black or Asian woman means something close to the status quo, while voting for an older white man feels so radical and dangerous.
– Paul B., 32, Content Strategist, Pennsylvania
“Trump was strong but dodged questions.”
Trump was bullish but dodged questions, and his answers seemed more about winning the election than governing. Harris seemed more sincere but made little distinctions between Biden’s wins and losses.
She said she is neither Biden nor Trump, but did not clearly explain how she would end the Gaza and Ukraine wars. I am an independent and will be voting for the first time. The economy was good under Trump, but I am leaning towards Harris now.
– HS, Consulting, North Carolina
“Harris has demonstrated that she understands what America needs in this day and age.”
I thought Ms. Harris definitely won the debate. She was articulate, precise, and demonstrated her ability and willingness to serve the American people. I had made up my mind before, but Ms. Harris showed that she understands what America needs in this moment. My favorite moment was when Ms. Harris told Mr. Trump that Putin would eat Mr. Trump for lunch. This is not a lie!
As a Republican, I am truly ashamed of Trump. He is not what a Republican is. I am a conservative because I believe people should earn what they get. There are people who need help, but if you have the ability, you should work. The Republican Party has changed, but I don’t want to change with them.
– Ted Kem, retired industrial engineer, Pennsylvania
“The handshake is a much-needed effort to return to civic politics.”
It was a powerful moment. The contrast between the two candidates was stark. Policies and partisanship aside, one candidate was focused on attacking his opponent, while the other was speaking to the American people and working hard to establish himself as the president for all Americans (whether you believe it or not). I thought it was a great contrast between the harsh rhetoric of recent politics (on the right) and the return to civility, compassion, and unity (on the left).
What I liked best was the handshake. Aside from the “power dynamics” part, I thought it was a much-needed effort to return to good old fashioned polite politics where everyone at least shakes hands. If she hadn’t shook hands with him at the debate, the handshake we saw at the 9/11 memorial might never have happened. Handshakes are a powerful and unifying gesture that definitely needs to be normalized again.
My only hope for this debate was to see how Harris would handle the pressure of debating someone like Trump on a national stage. She showed overall strength and allayed my concerns. I voted for Trump (first time) in 2016, Biden in 2020, and will proudly vote for Harris in 2024.
– Josh, 27, Engineer, North Carolina
“I was impressed with how well prepared Harris was.”
I thought the debate highlighted the contrast between the candidates. On one side we had Trump, who we all know, using the same fear-mongering and outright lies to rail against our country for his own personal ends. His comments about immigrants eating pets are a perfect example of how he is willing to accept misinformation as long as it serves his purposes. He blames immigrants for all of our country’s problems.
My favorite moment was when Kamala pointed out that Trump never talks about “you”. This is so true. He never says he wants to make things better for us, he only talks about making the country great in his own image. I also loved how Kamala looked straight at him and then at the camera as she spoke to us. Trump couldn’t even look at her! She showed us how easy it is to make him angry, and how easy it is for world leaders to manipulate him with flattery and criticism.
Before the debate, I was leaning towards Kamala because I would never vote for Trump. I was impressed with her strength and how well prepared she was. That gave me the confidence to vote for her. My first vote was for John McCain. In 2016, I couldn’t vote for Bernie Sanders in the primary because I’m a registered libertarian voter, but I voted for Gary Johnson in the election. In 2020, I voted for Biden, and this year I plan to vote for Harris Waltz.
– Amber, 35, Stay-at-Home Mom, Student, Arizona
“I don’t think Harris did well in the debate.”
Contrary to what I read in the media, I don’t think Harris did that well in the debate. She kept trashing Trump, who I don’t really like, and it was ironic that she did so while calling for us all to come together and move forward together. Outside of the topics of abortion (where I thought she made a compelling case) and health care, I didn’t think she was credible. She was very reactive, which is not a quality I look for in a leader.
Trump, on the other hand, didn’t even look her in the eye during the exchange and just said what he thought. After this debate, I’m not even sure I’ll vote for her. I will never vote for Trump. I’ve voted Democrat all my life and I worked on Obama’s campaign. I’m 67 years old and this may be the first time I’ve not voted and I think I may never vote again. Our politicians have become so divisive.
– Alexander Stafford, retired teacher, Georgia
“I had a hearty laugh when I heard Trump say he had a vision for health care.”
I think this was pretty much a best-case scenario for the Harris campaign, and while they would have liked to have fleshed out policy points or better explained some areas where their positions had obviously shifted, I think their primary goal was to counter the falsehoods expressed in the first debate and remind voters of who Trump really is and the chaos that was his first term.
My favorite moment was when Trump was asked about his plan to improve the US health care system and after 8 years he replied, “I have a plan in mind.” That made me laugh. I voted for Biden in 2020 and planned to vote for whoever the Democratic nominee was, but the debate made me feel more confident about voting for Harris specifically.
– James, 31, Healthcare Worker, Wisconsin
“Harris signed, sealed and delivered.”
It was hard to watch because there was always this sense of, “This isn’t going to work out? How is she going to deal with this guy who is so angry and insulting?” I was so proud of the way she handled it.
I will definitely be voting for VP Harris. She was poised, intelligent, and above all, human. She was not a robot. She stumbled a little at times and misspoke, but she came across as sincere, prepared, but not awkward.
I hope that this debate has persuaded those voters who are still undecided. I have great admiration for the American people, but I also hope that they understand that not only is Harris a dangerous person who should not be president, but that this debate has demonstrated that she has the seriousness, maturity, intelligence and experience to pursue this.
Overall he sank the boat and she really sank the boat even though she was already doing well, but I think she signed, sealed and delivered it.
– Suzanne Baker, 65, retired anthropology professor from Michigan