Most Americans, myself included, have decided who they will vote for in November. However, in an election that a razor-thin margin might decide, Kamala Harris’s butt-whooping of Donald Trump in last night’s debate was epic and memorable.
Hopefully, the vice president’s performance dissuaded all on-the-fence voters that she is ready, on day one, to be Commander-in-Chief. Worse, Trump’s performance was a disaster. I have long believed that his debate skills and prep are lacking. His bombastic, bullying behavior and a lack of solid Republican and Democratic talent were the only things that saved him on the debate stage.
That is . . . until he met Kamala Harris.
Here are the top ten reasons why Harris whoopedTrump:
1. Trump’s familiar refrain of America-bashing does not play anymore. Everyone in America knows that Trump’s favorite “If my opponent wins, we won’t have a country anymore” line is malarky. Most people know that the opposite is true. Trump is a clear and present danger to America. Please don’t take my word for it; ask his former vice president, most of his cabinet members, and multiple military generals. I’ve never understood MAGA Americans.
If anyone other than Trump dared to say that America needed to be made great, these anti-patriots would do a January 6th on them. The country was great before Trump. Its greatness survived Trump and is still great four years after Trump. The only thing that reflects poorly on America is the fact that one of our major parties has been unable to break free of Trump and has nominated him for POTUS in three separate campaigns in eight years.
Harris had no trouble baiting and beating Trump in almost every exchange. The former president looked old, disengaged, angry, and exasperated. When he spoke, he rambled, becoming unhinged and incoherent. Several of these exchanges made my top ten list.
2. While Harris made a compelling case for reestablishing Roe v. Wade as the national standard for women’s reproductive freedoms, Trump falsely alleged that Democrats and independents “wanted” an end to reproductive liberties and that the democratic candidate for vice president and others supported executing babies after their birth. Huh?
Harris responded that a 12-year-old incest victim does not “want” to carry a baby to term. A woman having a miscarriage does not “want” to bleed out while her doctor decides if the government will prosecute him for performing a D & C. Her compelling answer was the highlight (lowlight for Trump) of the debate.
3. While answering an off-topic question, Trump launched into an outrageously false rant about recent immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, kidnapping and eating citizens’ dogs and cats. Here’s what he said:
“They’re eating the dogs. The people that came in — they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there." Check this out.
Uh . . . okay . . . could you have ever imagined such an allegation during a presidential debate? It sounds like something from a Dean Koontz or Stephen King novel. It would be funny if this man weren’t such an embarrassment to our country.
4. One topic of vulnerability for the Biden administration was the disorganized and tragic exit of troops from Afghanistan. But when Trump raised the issue, he ranted incoherently and got scolded by Harris for inviting the Taliban to Camp David for negotiations to end the war. Here’s what she said:
“The negotiation involved the Taliban getting 5,000 terrorist Taliban terrorists released, and get this — no, get this — and the president at the time invited the Taliban to Camp David, a place of storied significance for us as Americans, a place where we honor the importance of American diplomacy, where we invite and receive respected world leaders, and this former president, as president, invited them because he does not again appreciate the role and responsibility of the president of the United States to be commander-in-chief with a level of respect.”
Trump had no coherent response, apparently expecting Harris to fold. Hers was, perhaps, the second-best counterpunch of the night, right behind her reproductive rights response.
5. Trump re-applied for the position of president, using Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orbán, and Kim Jong Un as references. Yes, MAGA people . . . he did!
6. Kamala Harris’s professional demeanor throughout the debate. She made excellent use of the split-screen format. While Trump looked grumpy and old, Harris looked calm, youthful, exuberant, commanding, and presidential. She addressed remarks to the former president or the television audience; her facial expressions were priceless. Trump never addressed her or the television audience, directing his scowls and comments to the moderators.
7. Harris effectively argued that Trump’s military advisors loathed him, while foreign dictators took advantage of him. Here’s what she said:
“They can manipulate you with flattery and favors, and that is why so many military leaders who you have worked with have told me you are a disgrace.”
What a smackdown!
8. The handshake. Harris and Trump walked in at the same time. Trump diverted to his podium, and Harris, who had walked to the middle to greet him, pivoted to his podium and forced him to shake her hand. “Let’s have a good debate,” she cheered. Trump looked awkward and, as noted previously, did not have a good debate.
9. Trump’s 30 + false comments and narratives. This man is incapable of telling the truth.
10. Trump’s outrageous after-the-debate claim that this was his “best debate ever.” If he believes that, I refer him to Fox News, where some of his most exuberant advocates lambasted his performance. Play the tape, Donny Boy.
Baseball’s Hall of Fame catcher, Yogi Berra, once famously said: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” Donald Trump is a dangerously effective cult leader with a large and loyal following. The only way to ensure that he never again rears his ugly orange head in the theatre of politics is to vote in more significant numbers than ever before and shout out from every rooftop in America: “Harris for President!”
Mark M. Bello is an attorney and author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and children’s social justice/safety picture books. He also hosts the popular bi-weekly podcast, Justice Counts (https://www.spreaker.com/show/justice-counts_1). Mark’s books may be found at all online booksellers and on his website, at https://www.markmbello.com.
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