A single televised debate is not, in and of itself, enough to win a presidential election, but it can act as an intense catalyst. The confrontation between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, on ABC on September 10, was all the more eagerly awaited as the Democratic candidate is faced with the challenges inherent to a very short campaign, following Joe Biden's withdrawal. She has very little time to (re)introduce herself to the general public, establish herself and appear credible. From this point of view, the debate was a complete success, rich in pithy barbs, punctuated by the vice president's telling facial expressions, as she swung between amused contempt and controlled irritation.

Yet Harris's professional preparation and unexpected ease in the debate should not overshadow the other surprise to come out of this televised event: Trump's failure. His poor formal performance, but, more importantly, his poor strategic one. The former president lacked discipline, falling into the traps set by his opponent. He was unable to take advantage of his main trump card, as illustrated by the polls – economic issues.

Even though annual inflation fell to 2.5% at the end of August, Trump could have focused on the housing crisis, the cost of basic necessities, highlighting the spectacular rise in prices over four years. While it would be dishonest to exclusively attribute these increases to the Biden administration, they are a handy argument for the Republican candidate, to feed nostalgia for a time when everyday life was easier. His greater familiarity with a golf cart – his favorite sport – than a shopping cart has led him to lack awareness of this subject.

At his worst

Had he favored this angle of attack, Trump could have pinned the outgoing administration's track record on Harris. Instead, he let her appear as the candidate of "change," as compared to him, his methods and his inflammatory rhetoric. The billionaire spouted falsehoods about Haitian migrants in Ohio eating household pets. He meandered off into digressions about the Capitol assault on January 6, 2021, defending the indefensible. In short, he reminded the debate's 67 million viewers of who he was, at his worst.

Yet the most astounding absence in the Republican candidate's remarks was that of any overture made to the center, which has been abandoned to Democratic strategists. At no point did the former president think of addressing undecided voters, who have their doubts about Harris, or even moderate conservatives, who have become tense or even hostile to the idea of supporting him.

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