Chuck Todd: Harris avoids some big questions, but Trump's lack of control costs him
In many ways, Tuesday’s debate was quite familiar.
In many ways, Tuesday’s debate was quite familiar. Just like our politics for the last nine years, the entire debate revolved around one person: Donald Trump.
By any conventional measure that any political veteran of any political stripe would accept, not a one would say under oath that Trump had a good night. He violated all the basic advice that any candidate would be getting before a debate. Don’t take the bait, don’t focus on yourself, don’t be superficial, don’t forget to talk about your opponent and her plans, and don’t forget to talk about your strengths and avoid your weaknesses.
Trump was just a poor debater Tuesday, and he allowed himself to be seen and portrayed more as an incumbent than his opponent. Of course, he has always been a poor debater, but his ability to be a force of nature has helped him overcome that which would normally derail a more conventional politician.
It wasn’t until Trump’s closing statement that he tried to effectively pin Vice President Kamala Harris to President Joe Biden’s administration. But this isn’t the first time Trump’s performance would have been viewed as potentially disqualifying by any conventional measure — only to have nearly half the country continue to have his back. Many see him as their voice against D.C. and the elites, and many of those voters have learned to compartmentalize his lack of personal appeal by trying to focus on the things they did like from his one term in office.
Rating: 5