I am not a Donald Trump supporter, but if I were I would be profoundly disappointed in his debate performance Tuesday night. Kamala Harris, who Trump has said is as “dumb as a rock,” repeatedly backed Trump into rhetorical corners over the course of the 90-minute debate.
Time after time, Harris baited Trump, and the former president took the bait, forcing him on the defensive. Instead of Harris having to defend the Biden-Harris record, it felt like Trump was the incumbent who had to answer for his positions and comments.
It was evident that Harris prepared, and Trump did not. Instead, Trump relied on simple sound bites that may play well at rallies, but they fall flat in a high-profile debate. For example, calling Harris a “Marxist” is just a lazy slur.
Instead, why didn’t Trump spend more time on specific Harris proposals or positions? The Democratic nominee is vulnerable on multiple issues — fracking, border security, Medicare for all and tax increases, just to name a few, but Trump struggled to make headway on any of those.
Harris repeatedly dodged and weaved on several of those issues, but Trump was not able to take advantage of the openings. Instead, Harris kept Trump preoccupied with sharp attacks that got under his skin, causing Trump to respond and fall into awkward rabbit holes.
Trump should have known — had to have known — that Harris was going to goad him to try to get him off his game. Yet he fell for it. That suggests either a lack of discipline or the kind of unearned confidence that comes with narcissism.
An exchange on immigration, which should have been a clear win for Trump, ended up being one of Trump’s more embarrassing moments when he claimed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating residents’ pet dogs and cats — a rumor that has been debunked.
For anyone who does not follow the news closely, that had to stand out as one of the most peculiar things said all night, as well as a missed opportunity for Trump to score points on immigration.
The chaotic withdraw of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, which was another chance for Trump to exploit a weak spot for the Biden-Harris administration, ended up with Trump trying to explain his idea for bringing the Taliban to Camp David for negotiations.
It was not until the end of the debate that Trump managed his best argument of the night, asking rhetorically why the vice-president had not already accomplished the things she now says she will do as president. But why wasn’t he making that argument earlier?
Trump consistently paints a dark picture of our country. He says we are “a failing nation,” and that we are heading toward “World War III.” The antidote to the ominous warnings is his return to power.
Trump supporters believe him. They attend his rallies, contribute money to his campaign and they consistently have his back on every platform from network television down to neighborhood discussions. They have put their skin in the game.
You would think Donald J. Trump would done his part Tuesday night by at least preparing for the debate.
