A Few Things to Know After the Trump-Harris Debate
There was a time when most political historians of the modern era would insist that debates don’t matter. But then came the first debate between President Biden and former President Trump that led to Biden dropping out of the race. Modern debates don’t make news for sweeping articulations of policy proposals, they make headlines for sick burns and clever retorts that can go viral.
Here are a few things that we learned while watching the first—and maybe the last—matchup between Harris and Trump:
THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE CHANGE IN HOW EACH CANDIDATE SPEAKS ON THE CORE ISSUES TO THEIR BASE
While there has been a lot of talk about evolving policies and values, both former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris generally stuck to their main talking points when addressing the American people on Tuesday night. Former President Trump knows discussing immigration and the way the economy feels to voters is a winning issue for conservatives. Harris consistently spoke about the right to abortion and what she called the “opportunity economy” (lowering the prices of groceries) to convince Democrats and moderates to share her point of view.
With less than 60 days until the election, there is very little wiggle room for candidates to draw up and release new policies for fear of alienating a portion of their base or inviting media scrutiny in the wrong areas. Furthermore, debates aren’t necessarily set up to be forums where candidates can go into detailed policy proposals. Now that the policies are set, brands and organizations know what to expect from both candidates heading into the fall.
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TRIED TO PAINT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND DEMOCRATS AS RADICALS, RETURNING TO IMMIGRATION AND THE ECONOMY AS HIS KEY TALKING POINTS
In some of his strongest moments of the debate, former President Trump pointed to the immigration crisis at the southern border and said that the economy has not been working for Americans. These two issues—immigration and the economy—are strong issues for conservatives and ones that favor former president Trump.
Throughout his answers, however, the former president strayed away from his messaging. Instead, he referred to false statements and unfounded conspiracy theories about Haitian migrants eating people’s cats and dogs (the moderator said that was not true) and that US elections are a mess and that Democrats are trying to get undocumented immigrants to vote in elections. He also referred to Harris as a Marxist, called her radical, and said she was the worst thing to happen to this country—ever.
This straying of the message is common for Trump and presents a risk for brands that might attract the former President’s ire and temper. Former President Trump will not think twice before attacking a brand or organization because politicians have very little to lose attacking brands while brands can lose their reputations in the process.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS SEIZED ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRAW A CONTRAST BETWEEN HER STANCE ON ABORTION AND TRUMP’S EVOLVING ELECTORAL OPINION
Former President Trump consistently touts his accomplishment of repealing Roe v. Wade thanks to his confirmation of the Supreme Court Justices while president. However, the issue of reproductive freedom has hurt Republicans, costing them seats in Congress and making national elections more competitive.
Vice President Harris has been the administration's strongest surrogate on the issue of reproductive rights—an even stronger spokesperson than President Biden. As the top of the Democratic ticket, Harris understands voters generally favor the Roe Standard (a minimum 15-week abortion standard under Roe v. Wade) and has spent a good portion of her campaign discussing the issue. Focusing on abortion has worked for Harris and has encouraged turnout and enthusiasm among the base. Most voters agree with Democrats that there should be some sort of abortion access available to Americans.
President Trump has had a more difficult time explaining his position on abortion because the Republican Party’s position is not in line with the majority of American voters. He argues that most Americans wanted the issue returned to the states and argued that the former governor of Virginia said that babies should be murdered after they are born.
After the Dobbs' Decision, companies had to revisit their policies for reproductive care. This issue will not go away in 2024.
IN THEIR CLOSING ARGUMENTS, HARRIS AND TRUMP PRESENTED CONTRASTING VISIONS OF AMERICA
By the end of the debate, Kamala Harris told America she wants to move forward by creating an “opportunity economy” for the American people, ensuring the government can protect the rights of Americans and using her skills as a prosecutor to fight for the American people—all of them. Donald Trump insisted that Vice President Harris has had three and a half years to fix the border, the economy and other issues, but simply hasn’t done so.
These contrasting visions, both presented in each candidate’s closing arguments, are indicators of how both Harris and Trump plan to position themselves over the course of the next few months as people head to the polls this fall. Businesses should be mindful of how each candidate is speaking about their opponents and the issues that matter most to them.
ABC MODERATORS WERE NOT PASSIVE, ATTEMPTING TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN MODERATOR, FACT CHECKER, AND DEBATE “GUIDE”
You’d be forgiven if this debate sounded more like an interview on Meet the Press than a traditional debate. The debate moderators walked a tightrope as they tried to strike a balance between moderator, fact checker, and debate “guide,” a role that drew criticism from Republican circles. In the past, we’ve seen moderators try (and fail) to fact check candidates as they debate. Tonight, the moderators fact checked the candidates in real time, providing statistics to rebut inaccurate claims.
LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO: A SWIFT ENDORSEMENT
In a post on Instagram, the world’s most famous childless cat lady, Taylor Swift, endorsed Kamala Harris for president. In an image where she’s holding her kitten, Benjamin Button, Swift spoke about Harris’ leadership capabilities, the ticket's stance on LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to choose.
While no one will ever say “no” to an endorsement from one of the most famous celebrities in the world, endorsements—even the most powerful—do not guarantee victory. Harris will need to turn out specific demographics in order to make 1600 Pennsylvania avenue her home.
For more on global elections in 2024, EGA Election HQ is your guide to the moments that matter, what comes next, and what all of this means for industries and sectors. For counsel or tow get in touch, reach out to Elections@edelmanEGA.com.
