I don't think either one did a very good job, especially on details and specifics. They constantly fact checked Trump, but didn't fact check her at all, that I recall. Her 2025 shtick, Charlottesville, dictator, bloodbath. All taken out of context and all previously debunked. But not challenged by the moderators. Trump rambled and told worn out stories. His questions, from the moderators, were more pointed and he didn't stay on track. Harris lied at least as much as Trump did. She can't be believed not to return to her default position on the key issues. Even Bernie Sanders said she hasn't betrayed her 'progressive' agenda and is just doing what she needs to do to get elected. She wasted a lot of time with her word salad, rambling like Trump if you will, when she could have been giving details of her plans. She didn't take advantage of that. She was well coached, but wooden and you could see how she struggled to stay on script. Neither one gave anything like a stellar performance. Walking in cold, I would find it difficult to back either one, based on last night. She set out to get under Trump’s collar and succeeded at that, but her approach was just nasty and condescending. Calling him disgusting, a coward, a lousy business man. Trump was Trump. No suprise to anyone. However, anyone that watches him for his delivery would not have seen much difference from any one of his rallies. Harris was not Harris. She was coached and used memorized, canned answers. Same as Trump, anyone who watches her knows that wasn't her up there. We cannot forget that the democrats have a history of going into debates already knowing the questions and ground plan. Did it happen again? I don't know. Harris' policy page is pretty well just cut and pasted from Bidens page and is devoid of detail. They set a low bar and both failed to maintain it. C 'est la vie, C'est la guerre.
The biggest problem I found was ABC's attempt to push policy too much. Too much for the normal voter. 1.5 hours of policy talk left viewers cross eyed. I haven't seen numbers, but I'll bet many viewers walked away after a bit, because there was too much bafflegab. They want to know when they can get off the kraft dinner and hotdogs. When they can fill their car for less than their paycheck. When they can start going outside without fear. 1.5 hours of policy is even too much for policy wonks.
I'll touch briefly on the Taylor Swift endorsement. Then no more about it. Anyone who swoons over TS and uses her endorsement for their motivation to vote for Harris shows a very low IQ voter. If you vote, a certain way, because a billion dollar entertainer implies you should, doesn't make you a voter. It makes you a sheep. Unfortunately, you don't get an IQ test before you get your ballot. One issue voters abound. Firearms, abortion, economy or immigration. However, voting a certain way because you're gaga over an entertainers influence on you should not be the single issue that is important to you.
